Mandolin Banjo Mando-Banjo 8-String Banjo Questions & Answers

Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 19:25:45 EDT
Subject: question

Hi Mickey. I have an instrument that was my father's and am trying to find out its worth, sites to look it up, restore it.

Greetings Richard,

It has 8 strings, open back, the top says SS Stewart , eight pegs, patented June 29, 1920. Four of the strings are thick, the others are thin. The wood is a cherry-brown color.

This sounds like a banjolin...a combination banjo and mandolin. They play just like a mandolin...you can use our online lessons to try it out...linked below.

SS Stewart made both 5-string banjos and 8-string banjolins. These were popular around the turn of the century when volume was an issue...since the introduction of the amplifier, it seems the banjolin waned in popularity. Depending on the model and condition, these usually bring from 200-500 in value...some less and some more (only if extremely rare)...

Hope this helps, Mickey

Would you be able to identify it for me? Sorry for the vagueness of my question, but I don't know much about these instruments. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

Subject: 8 string banjo
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:15:25 -0700

I have a small scale eight string banjo. It seems to be tuned in an open tuneing style, although some of the strings are very loose and out of tune. It appears to be very old, and there are no brand marks on it. The neck goes thru the resonator and has a small brass piece on it that pivots. Can you tell me anyhting about this?

Yes, this is a banjolin (otherwise known as a banjo-mandolin)....it's tuned just like a mandolin...G D A E....and, it follows the mandolin language...you can use mandolin lessons to learn to play it. See below for our free lessons section.

Now, be careful to have it properly set up, by a qualified technician, before attempting to tune it to pitch. Do not replace any parts on it unless it's completely necessary to make it playable...and be sure to retain all original parts...

Not sure about the brass piece without seeing it in person...

These are a lot of fun...I hope you decide to pursue playing it...there are very few banjolin players around...Mickey

Date: Thu, 06 May 2004 13:04:14 -0700

Hi,
I'm looking for some mandolins for old-time music and had some crazy questions for you!

I was wondering if you could tell me something about the differences between banjo mando and resonator mandolins; especially their tone and projection characteristics.

Second, if I bought a mandolin from you would you be willing to string it up bouzouki-style for me or is that just plain wrong?

Thanks!

Greetings,

A banjo-mandolin (or banjolin) is essentially the same construction as a banjo only with a mandolin neck...these seem to be difficult to set up and play on average...and there's a quick decay on the notes giving it an entirely different tonal range than a mandolin...I only recommend the banjo-mandolin as a novelty instrument...something to play for fun or if you're looking for a very unique tonal quality for a unique setting. I would never recommend one as a sole instrument to pursue...

This is also somewhat the same for resonator mandolins...I personally own a Rigel Resonator mandolin and have found it to have a very unique voice...that fits in well for unique settings. The reso mandolin also makes a great slide instrument...again, I still consider it, as I do the banjolin, more of a novelty instrument.

Yes, we would string the mandolin in any way you wish...whether it works with the octave strings, similar to a bouzouki, is questionable...should be fun to experiment with just the same...Mickey

Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 21:32:29 +1100
Subject: Banjo mandolin

Hello Mickey

I have just had my dad's 1930's Cuckoo Banjo Mandolin restored and would
like to learn how to "drive" it. Is it tuned the same as a mandolin and
are your lessons suitable for my instrument. I play guitar so am
familiar to tabs etc. Can you "steer" me in the right direction, many
thanks. It is a great site.

Regards
Rhonda - NSW Australia

Greetings Rhonda,

Glad to assist:

These instruments are still considered a novelty...I personally have a fondness for the mandolin-banjo otherwise known as the banjolin.

Most seem difficult to learn on...usually because of set-up issues...if you find the strings are difficult to press down, you may still need some more set-up work...if you find it easy to press the strings down, then we're ready to go forward.

Yes, any standard mandolin instruction will work for the banjolin...

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

Use our mandolin lessons to start out on...as you progress, you might want to find some mandolin books and videos to continue your banjolin journey...

Best of luck to you and Have Fun!

Mickey

Subject: Mandolinbanjo
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003 16:40:48 -0500

I have a prewar Gibson mandolinbanjo, Made in 33, I think it's a mb1. I have no idea how to tune it, I'd appreciate any help ya cn give. Mike

Greetings Mike,

The mando-banjo is tuned the same as a mandolin G - D - A - E...in fifths.

Now, if yours is a vintage banjolin, you might want to make sure that there's not any unnecessary stress by tuning to concert pitch...vintage instruments can be somewhat fragile. My suggestion would be to use only light gauge strings, and start tuning to the fifths at a lower pitch such as one whole step lower...and watch your banjolin carefully for any separation or stress-related problems.

Nylon/Gut-type strings were used on some of these banjolins in the early days...which minimizes stress as compared to steel strings...

Hope something here helps...Mickey

Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 23:36:51 -0700 (PDT)

I am trying to figuire out what this instrument is. It is about the size of a mandolin but the base is round similar to a banjo with a skin head, like a drum that is tuneable. It has 8 strings, 4 groups of 2. It is lacking all the metal hardware of a banjo. I wish i had a picture! your website said you answered questions so here i am. The thing was given to me by my mom who said her mom played it when she was a little girl. I am wanting to have it worked on to get it up and running but do not know where to begin. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Grant Hatchett

Greetings Grant,

Glad to assist if I can:

This is what we call a banjo-mandolin or banjolin...these are played exactly like a mandolin...yet, they offer far more volume than a mandolin. Most vintage banjolins I see come through us need lots of work. For some odd reason, many times, they're somewhat difficult to set up for ease of play. There is no sustain on the notes...and the instrument has a banjo character in tone. I believe they were popular in minstrel shows and around the turn of the century (1900), they were very common (imagine that this was a time when amplifiers were unheard of)...they slowly faded out of popularity as the 1900s progressed and amplified music filled the void for sound reinforcement.

Yours sounds very rare...it might be quite a bit older than the standard banjolin which is usually constructed similar to a banjo (with lots of banjo hardware)...if you're restoring it, be careful not to take away from its original state, and change its integrity, for it could devalue it substantially. Try your best to keep it all original...including the head.

Hope this helps...Mickey

Subject: 4 str banjo/mando "faq"
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 13:35:13 -0700

Dear Mickey,

Your probably cover this somewhere but I am having trouble finding it....

Scale lengths for different classes of banjo/mando instruments, both in general and for specific instruments -- maybe a general guide to standard scales and common variations in tuning and the same info for each individual model on its own page.

Greetings Thom,

You have a very rare name...I suspect you are one and the same that recorded on the Folkways label?

I'd be glad to assist you if I can...and honored to boot:

Yes, we definitely need a page dedicated to the banjo/mando scale lengths. I would have to research it further to give justice to this endeavor. I sincerely appreciate your input on this...it's a tremendous idea and would certainly answer many questions. It's now on my agenda.

You say that tenor banjo is generally tuned either CGDA or GDAE, a fifth and an octave below standard mandolin/fiddle tuning respectively. Would you use different string guages for those tunings?

I personally would use a lighter gauge for the CGDA tuning...and, a heavier gauge for the GDAE tuning...in fact, the gauges that usually come with a tenor would be designed for CGDA tuning...if you'd like to experiment with GDAE tuning, try raising the gauges of each string individually to prevent any extraneous string buzzing...

I play guitar and mandolin and am interested in adding something in the banjo family and scale length is a factor in my decision making.

You might also consider the Mandola or Octave Mandolin...the Octave works well for vocal accompaniment and soloing without the need of an ensemble setting.

Wishing you the best with your research efforts, and again, it's a true honor to assist you, Mickey

Please and thank you!

Thom

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 17:58:56 -0700
Subject: Re: Inquiry from web site

Hi, Eunice. I'm not sure if the Rogue banjolin is
still being manufactured. I'd suggest you check into
the Goldtone line. These are availabe via the music
store Folk of the Wood and they're a good bunch of
people to work with.

Their web site is: http://www.folkofthewood.com and
the owner is Mickey Cochran.

regards,
Scott Tichenor
Mandolin Cafe

Hello; i am looking for a mandolin banjo to play at
church. I play the mandolin so thing this is what i
want. What about the "Rogue" shown but can't click
on it. I like the looks of it. Thanks ..Eunice

Greetings Eunice,

I was referred to you by Scott with MandolinCafe.com

I'd be glad to assist you if I can:

I'm very familiar with mando-banjos; we've received many different configurations of these over the years. One thing I've discovered is that very few arrive in playable condition...

Scott is correct in referring you to the Gold Tone line...these are easy to set up and offer good playability. And, even better, they're reasonably priced.

The other option you would have would be to watch Ebay.com for vintage models to come up for sale...only, be ready to take it in to a repair technician for set-up...if you find one of interest, I'd be glad to assist you further in determining if it will fit your needs.

Wishing you the best in your research efforts...

Mickey

Subject: mando/banjo question
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 11:39:18 -0500

hello, would the gold tone mando/banjo work fine for bluegrass playing? thanks again -Chris

Greetings Chris...

It would be fun to experiment with...and certainly emit enough volume to knock down the "Walls of Jericho"...however, I wouldn't recommend it as a bluegrass instrument in the traditional sense. It doesn't have a sweet sound or the sustain you'd expect from a bluegrass mandolin. Therefore, you would have to arrange for this instrument by taking in consideration how fast the notes decay.

Still, it's a fun instrument to mess around on...

Mickey