Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences

Subject: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 07:49 AM

Forgive me if this has been covered before, but searches on teh internet have proved inconclusive.
What I'm enquiring about is this:
Apart from the obvious differences in shape and materials used in construction, what are the differences between a ukulele and a banjolele?
Are they tuned differently, and are playing technigues markedly different?
I'm asking because I've recently learned to bang out a few tunes on a ukulele (Mahri's Wedding, Jamaica Farewell and so on)and have got as far as 'Leaning On A Lamp Post' which, I feel, would sound great Formby-style on a banjolele.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 07:59 AM

I have in my time owned both; tuned them similarly & the main difference was one of tone, as you would expect.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: bill\sables
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 10:15 AM

You get much more volume from the Uke Banjo

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 10:22 AM

Banjo ukes burn longer.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 11:22 AM

You should really be asking what the difference is between a ukulele and a banjo-ukulele. The difference is essentially the same as between a guitar and a banjo. They both have 4 nylon strings and are tuned in the same way. One is made of wood and the other has a plastic or vellum head.

As for the Banjolele - that is the trade name of banjo-ukuleles made by the firm of "Alvin D Keech".

Apart from them burning longer, be very careful about leaving them in the back of the car unattended. A friend of mine did this and, on returning, found that someone had broken into the car and left him another one.
Ray

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 12:32 PM

Banjoleles make a much more satisfying sound, especially when you use them to hit someone who just askedyou to play 'When I'm cleaning windows'.

But seriously folks, I had a banjolele for years and loved it, great for chords in acoustic dances and for songs, must get another one someday.

And that also gives me the opportunity to draw your attention to this excellent George Formby pastiche on YouToob ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb-pLBQ2D7k

Steve

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 05:16 PM

Many thanks to all.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: GUEST,guitarslim50
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 06:47 PM

Wait a minute! What about the tiple? Awesome instrument--kinda like an "industrial strength uke". Tuned like a uke. Steel strings. Top and bottom strings are double (mandolin, 12-string). Middle strings are triple--fundamental in the middle, 2 octave strings on either side.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: iancarterb
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 11:36 PM

My second manufactured instrument, which obviously excludes the basement cigar-box banjo, was a banjo-uke. It had one great deficiency, which was that the head sagged prodigiously in damp weather. This was Long Island in fall and winter, early 1950s. My brother built a bracket for a lighter-fluid powered handwarmer that press-fit snugly into the head, which made it possible to play outside, inside, warm weather and cold, humid and dry. Since the whole thing, including the neck (except the formerly soggy head, of course) was steel, it could also have been used to hammer spikes. It was fun to play and very loud when warm:)

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: GUEST,David
Date: 29 Nov 13 - 02:43 PM

As for the Banjolele - that is the trade name of banjo-ukuleles made by the firm of "Alvin D Keech".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That isn't quite correct any maker can use the name "banjolele" the trade name for those made by Keech's is BANJULELE.(start of BANJo and end of ukULELE) not the word Banjo with lele added.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Nov 13 - 11:34 AM

I first encountered the banjolele in a novel by P.G. Wodehouse in which Bertie Wooster has taken it up, much to the irritation of his neighbors. I didn't think there was such an instrument.

But I was wrong. Here's a YouTube video which contrasts the banjolele with a small guitar. (To me, the banjolele just seems like a small banjo, and there's not much lele to it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVLz2E133y0

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Nov 13 - 01:12 PM

The difference between a banjo and a banjolele is the tuning. Most ukes/banjoleles (not all, but most) use similar intervals to the intervals of the top 4 strings of a guitar - though in different keys. The 4th string is usually re-entrant, as for example, g-C-E-a

A tenor banjo is normally tuned in 5ths - either in viola tuning (CGDA) or in octave mandolin tuning - though, once again, there are variations - and a 5-string G banjo is usually tuned to a chord such as G.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Nov 13 - 08:19 PM

It's not the tuning that makes the difference between a banjo and a banjolele, it's the size of the instrument, and the type of strings used. Banjoleles have a much shorter length of string, and typically use gut (or these days nylon) strings.

The actual tunings can vary according to taste in both cases, though Will is of course correct about the most customary ones. (I've started a thread just now about an odd ukulele tuning I rather like.)

I think the term banjo-ukulele is preferable to banjolele really, because the sound as the way they are generally played is much more akin to ukuleles than to banjos.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: PHJim
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 12:55 PM

I mostly agree with your last statement McGrath, (although I will probably continue to use them interchangeably) but clawhammer ukulele is becoming a very popular style of both ukulele and banjo-ukulele playing, which makes them very similar to banjos. Being a clawhammer banjo player, this was the first thing I tried on my uke.
Ukulele and 5 string banjo are the two most common (only?) re-entrant tuning stringed instruments.


Is a Nashville tuned guitar considered re-entrant?

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: G-Force
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 01:51 PM

Not the only ones. The theorbo has reentrant tuning.

Subject: RE: Tech: Ukulele and banjolele differences
From: GUEST,Tootler
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 01:51 PM

My banjo ukulele is nylon strung, has a concert ukulele scale neck and is tuned in the common ukulele tuning of gCEA reentrant but it sounds more like a banjo than a ukulele.