Banjo and Mandolin hybrid

Subject: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 10:18 AM

About a dozen years ago I saw an instrument that had the neck of a five-string banjo(including the fifth string peg), and the body of a 'taterbug mandolin. Does anybody have a clue as to what it is called and where one could be obtained? It was strung like a banjo, not double-strung like a mandolin. I didn't hear it played, but I was intrigued by the construction. It looked very well made (factory)--not just two different instruments cobbbled together in somebody's workshop. Any help?

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 11:15 AM

What happened to the similar thread on this topic this week, with a link to a manufacturer?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Allan C.
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 11:53 AM

In the DT box above do a forum search on the word, banjolin. All will be revealed.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 12:09 PM

Allan-

I believe what Big Jim is describing is all-wood construction, no banjo-style pot and with five strings. It looks like an extended mandolin with a regular 5-string banjo neck. I know someone had a link to a current manufacturing in the last two weeks or so but I'm damned if I can find the thread. Where the f**k did that thread go?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 12:46 PM

Its the dreaded Banjola you are looking for. I have been playing one for a couple of years now. I cant do clickies but there is one on the Goldtone website,though mine has Ozark as maker and cost half what Goldtone are charging.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 12:57 PM

Elderly Instruments carries a couple of models of Goldtone banjolas.
Click here.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 01:13 PM

Or you can directly access the Gold Tone Instrument website at:www.goldtone.com and then search for "banjola." I'm not sure why I can't do a "blue clicky" to the site.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: open mike
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 01:55 PM

the other reference to a similar instrument is in leadfinger's thread called a-grand-diss-ment, but it is a banjola, meaning it may have a longer neck, as in mandola, and lperhaps it is tunes an octave below?
as in octave mandolin....banjolin...strange breed--like mixing a lion and tiger into a Liger or Tion?
and the clicky below, to folk of the wood i believe is the link mentioned in the previous thread. www.folkofthewood.com

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 06:41 PM

You're right about the Leadfinger thread that I couldn't find, Open Mike. Nice looking instrument. Probably sounds more mellow than the usual banjo.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 09:39 PM

what ever it is I hate it, make it go away NOW.
eric

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 10:58 PM

Thanks, one and all. On the thread "Can you guess what I'm holding" I see the post by Downeast Bob that shows him holding a similar instrument. I'v been trying to find out what it was for several years and suddenly there are two threads about it--mine and Bob's!

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: clansfolk
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 10:06 AM

Dojo they Badge)

I have a Ozark Banjola - it is very quiet like a dulcimer with sound very similar but very nice especially when put through the PA I also have a hand built Banjola from the 60's a larger bodied instrument with a richer tone.

The Dojo (Dobro/Banjo breed) also has a great sound and lends itself to many styles of music from Medieval to Rock and Roll, I tend to play it the same way as a banjo but it will bottleneck quite respectfully, although my actions a bit low for that.

Dojo at bottom of the page

Standard Banjola Ozark


Let loose the dogs of war

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: clansfolk
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 10:14 AM

Not sure what happened to the beginning of my above thread, lost in cyberspace

it basically said: The Banjola by Goldtone is the same as the Ozark model but the Ozark is cheaper, (likewise the ..... continued above :-)

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 10:56 AM

A "dojo"! Wow, when I tried the link my screen went black for the longest time, in shock, I suppose. Awesome instrument. I'd love to haul it into a session and watch the expressions of those around me as I reeved it up. No more Mr. Nice Banjoman!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Glen Reid
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 11:52 AM

I started building my own version of a hybrid, Banjo/Mando inst. a couple of years ago and so far I have built 6.
I jokingly call it a "Manjo"
Many years ago Rick Fielding and I talked about the possibility of such an inst. but I never followed up on it till now.

I use a 5 string banjo scale(complete with 5th string, played Scruggs Style) mounted to a large octave mando body. The sound is surprisingly sweet, yet has the fullness of a parlour guitar and is more than adequate to accompany vocals.
Dont have a photo up on my webpage yet, but if you email me I can send a photo jpeg.
Check out the octave mando photo on the website and imagine it with a banjo neck.
cheers, Glen   www.onlink.net/~glenreid/index.html
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 12:17 PM

I had one that was the reverse of Big Jim's. It had the head and resonator of a banjo, and the neck and stringing of a mandolin. It was given to me by my deceased mother-in-law. It seems as these were quite the rage with all girl marching bands in the 30's. Sort of like mummers, I guess. Anyway, I didn't play any instruments then, and besides, it was 'broken' so I either threw it out or gave it to someone. Dumb, dumb, dumb! The strings player in Simple Gifts plays one and does a great job on it. Sounds like an in between of a banjo and mandolin

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: DocMando
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 02:48 PM

I've got one of these, Walking Eagle. It's called a banjo mandolin. I've heard that it was either developed by banjo makers trying to get part of the mandolin orchestra business, or a last attempt by mandolin makers to hop onto the "new" banjo fad. Mine was made in 1924, but they are still made by Goldtone and others. I use it for old-timey music. It's a bit more civilized in tone than a banjo, but that may be due to it's calf-skin head.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: clansfolk
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 07:45 PM

Dojo just finished a pint and hiding under the table!!


Dojo in action? well not quite... it's had one too many and asleep under the table....

Ian and meself don't look much better why do people take your photo when you're mid song??

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 04:40 PM

Clansfolk. ????????

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 04:42 PM

To add stupid to stupidity, I also got rid of a bowl back mandolin because it also was 'broken.'

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: GUEST,Ely
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 06:44 PM

I've only seen the one that's a banjo head with a mandolin neck/strings (which we used to call a mandobanjo, and which sounded a lot like somebody squeezing a Coke can to make it "pop" in and out--plinka plinka plinka).

Our OT band played a joke on the audience once at a local bluegrass show--all six of us went onstage with banjos and played (in my case, air mandobanjo) until the emcee, who was in on it, threw us off, saying there was a local ordinance against having more than one banjo per band in action at any given time.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: GUEST,Ely
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 07:21 PM

I've only seen the one that's a banjo head with a mandolin neck/strings (which we used to call a mandobanjo, and which sounded a lot like somebody squeezing a Coke can to make it "pop" in and out--plinka plinka plinka).

Our OT band played a joke on the audience once at a local bluegrass show--all six of us went onstage with banjos and played (in my case, air mandobanjo) until the emcee, who was in on it, threw us off, saying there was a local ordinance against having more than one banjo per band in action at any given time.

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Scoville
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 07:48 PM

Okay, I used to be Ely but I lost my cookie a long time back and, due to the fact that I've changed email addresses, etc. several times since I started here, I couldn't reset it. So, I'm back under a new alias.

That said:

Oops, I didn't mean to post twice

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: PennyBlack
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 08:41 PM

Walking Eagle... uppps late at night too much to drink, good gig, too many threads on same topic replied to the wrong one (mind you I replied to the other one as well :-) the other topic on "what am I holding", (Bandjola banjo mandolin whatever) had gone off onto dojo (half banjo half dobro) hence reference and link Dojo is uner the table, makes a change from me. It made sense to me at the time.

Mind you I've just got back from another gig and the odd "Pint or two" so this might make as much sense as the last one.

next please....

N.B. sending this from a different computer but it's from "Clansfolk" (I think)

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 09:39 PM

I understand completly Clansfolk er PennyBlack.

Reminds me of a pun that ends like this. "It's a knick knack Patty Black, give the frog a loan."

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: clansfolk
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 02:28 PM

:-)

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 03:56 PM

Ah yes - the Banjolin - I've an 1896 SS Stewart that still plays quite well. Original calf skin head and all. I'm no Madolin player but it is fun to do some things on. And my buddy who plays the Mandolin very well enjoys having fun with it at times.

Steve

Subject: RE: Banjo and Mandolin hybrid
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 03:59 PM

Mine is similar in appearance to this one - Clik here