My new banjo mandolin

  1. Tezzerh
    Tezzerh
    Just found this group, a couple of weeks after acquiring a banjo mandolin. Most mentions of banjo mandolins seem to attract unfair, derogatory comments on the Cafe forum, but I lusted for one and finally bought a brand new Grafton, made in the UK by andybanjo.com. (Very pleased with their service, by the way.) I love my banjo mandolin! Old tunes like Oh Susanna cry out for a banjo sound and with a bm you don't have to learn new fingering. I've found going back to my vintage bowlback mandolin is even more fun after I've been concentrating on the bm for a while. Why do so many people deride the banjo mandolin? It's got its place in music and I'm delighted with mine as an addition to my mandolin collection. Looking forward to hearing comments from like-minded mando players.
  2. FatBear
    FatBear
    She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain sounds good on it, too.
  3. LazyRiver
    LazyRiver
    I have two mandolin banjos (my understanding is the correct name is formed by the neck first, then the body). No matter. We all know what we're talking about. I have a Gibson Junior and a Vega Little Wonder. Can't decide which I like better. My mando teacher (two years now) really likes them and is planning on getting one himself. They have a unique sound. I was planning to use them as Jazz banjos (and am doing that), but I find they also can be used wherever you need a stronger than normal mando (unless you have to have the familiar mando sound). The mando banjo (I like to call it the manjo) doesn't have to be played with all its raucus capabilities. It can be played quietly and sensitively. I see from reading the Wiki that the concept goes back to 1882. The MB also goes by the name soprano banjo, since it is the forerunner of the tenor banjo, which is a MB with 4 strings, longer neck and tuned down a fifth (or more in the case of octave tuning).
  4. mandroid
    mandroid
    Melody Banjo is another title used in the instrument trade ... 4 strings Violin like 13" scale and tuning ..

    I modified an 8 string to 4.. doubling the ITB an octave up.. I've tried a friction peg tuned Vega, Made to be a 4 string..

    With steel strings 1:1 friction tuners were a PITA, but recently Gotoh has been making a UPT,
    A Uke Planetary Tuner.. the 4:1 of tenor/5 string banjo Planetary tuners But a Lot smaller ..

    Recently fitted a set on 'Kawlija', my Spruce disc Headed Rescued Uke banjo , with a Mandolin fingerboard,
    that I've been using Nylon strings On .

    Nylon elasticity worked better(than steel) with friction pegs , its even nicer with the 4:1 pegs with nylon ..
  5. Picking Dick
    Picking Dick
    I just joined this group and know almost nothing about mandolins. Mine is a new Gold Tone mando banjo, and I also play a GT Irish tenor banjo. I play clawhammer folk and Irish tunes. I also play lots of other instruments. I hope to be learning a lot here.
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