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Written by Paul D. Race for
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Other Kinds of Banjos - Buyers' Guide from Riverboat Music This page will be for banjos and banjo-like instruments that don't fall into the standard banjo category, including banjos played like mandolins, banjos played like ukeles, 12-string banjos, etc. I'll be honest, none of these are really "starter instruments." They are designed for folks who already play mandolin, ukelele, banjo, or guitar, but are looking for a different sound. This doesn't "put off" experienced musicians, but folks starting off with one of these are likely to be discouraged by the lack of resources or instructors to help beginners. That is true for some of the other configurations you may come across in flea markets or specialty shops. They have their purpose, but you're better off starting with a standard configuration. As other configurations come to my attention, we'll post them here. And we certainly welcome your questions. Banjo-style Ukeleles and MandolinsIf you already play ukelele or mandolin, what are you waiting for? If you don't, you probably shouldn't pick up a uke or mandolin banjo to start on.Many folks know that the ukelele was a popular instrument among young adults in the 1920s. What most folks don't know was that the mandolin was almost as popular as the guitar in North American homes around 1900. When plectrum ("Dixieland") banjo sounds invaded the early airwaves and record stores, musical instrument manufacturers made it "easy" for the hundreds of thousands of folks who already played mandolin or ukelele - they flooded the market with instruments that played like ukeleles or mandolins, but had a drum head, so they sounded something like banjos. The ukelele banjo has four strings, like a plectrum banjo, although they're higher pitched. Strummed "properly," the instrument can do a pretty good imitation of a plectrum banjo playing a little "up the neck." If the instrument has "gut" or nylon strings, the plunky sound is reminiscent of pre-1900 banjo, which may be more authentic for certain kinds of music. Some plectrum banjo players double on uke banjo just to add a bit of variety. In fact, ukelele banjos are still available new, and you may be able to find or order one in your local music store. If you're a uke player already and you want to keep something close to the plunky sound of your uke, you may prefer an open-backed version like the version above. The resonator version shown to the right will have a brighter sound and more ring. I see uke banjos in restorable (but unplayable) condition at flea markets all the time, usually priced as though they were rare collectors' items. They were a novelty item back when they were made, and very few were made well. Try not to spend more than $100 on one of them, unless it's worth more to you as a decorating piece. There are also a few $100 versions floating around the Internet. Most of them are basically decorations, too. If you do buy any that must cross the Pacific ocean to get to you, be certain to buy from a company with return privileges, including the right to have postage reimbursed if the toy arrives broken. The photos I included above are of Gold Tone banjos, which do cross the Pacific, but they are designed and supported by an actual banjo manufacturer. They're not cheap. But if you're really thinking about adding this instrument to your arsenal, they're worth considering.
Much of what I said about the uke banjos also applies to the mandolin banjo. They're best for people who already play mandolin and would like to occasionally sneak in a banjo sound, or folks who already play banjo and want to have a version that plays really hight notes. The Gold Tone shown above has a resonator, but not a resonator flange (which brings a tad more volume to the resonator-equipped uke banjo shown above.) Like the other Gold Tone banjos on this page, it is made in Asia, but at least it's backed by a real company in North America. To see its listing on Amazon, click here
Unlike the "mini-banjos described above, these are full-sized instruments with six extra strings. Like a 12-string guitar, the strings that double the fourth, fifth, and sixth strings play an octave higher, so even if you play it like a guitar, the extra high strings will keep it sounding a tad bit more like a banjo than a 6-string banjo in standard guitar tuning.
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*Here's an irony: every year, I receive about a dozen complaints from folks who have never been to my sites before, angry that a deal between that person and a vendor or manufacturer I recommend went south (in their opinion). They "googled" the product, saw my recommendation or review, then e-mailed me to tell me they were going to sue me or report me to the Better Business Bureau for personally ripping them off by recommending a product they had bought from someone else. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the problem is really because the customer didn't read the whole ad, or ordered the wrong thing, or threw away his paperwork and doesn't know where he bought it from, etc. I'm always polite, and sometimes I can even help them get things straightened out with the vendor, but it's not, technically, my problem.
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