# Instruments and Equipment > Builders and Repair >  Big Mandolin With Banjo Tuning

## MrMoe

Posting just to show off my esoteric creation. Receiving a cool reception from the banjo world. I suspect I  may find a similar response from the Mandolin world. I thought it was an interesting Idea?

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1Q...vsBI7NbGzOfYb_

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## JEStanek

Please check your link. Getting a cannot find error (404).

Jamie

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MrMoe

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## stevojack665

Gold Tone sells something like that they call the banjola

https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldt...p?cat=banjolas

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

> Please check your link. Getting a cannot find error (404).
> 
> Jamie


Thanks for your interest. Try this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

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## MikeEdgerton

What is the scale length and what are you tuning it to? I think your big mandolin already has a name.

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

the scale length and what are you tuning it to? 

25.125 inches, I was thinking it would be G an octave lower than the banjo. It is not very "live"  in G. I raised the pitch to A and it is better. For G think heavier strings, longer scale, or a lighter build?

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## dhergert

Might be of interest...

About how I tune my mandolins
(Open C tuning)

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

[QUOTE=dhergert;1773961]
About how I tune my mandolins

I like your Biography page, I Would be Keen to hear and or see you play. 
 regards, Maurice

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## MrMoe

> What is the scale length and what are you tuning it to? I think your big mandolin already has a name.


It is more or less a Banjola which may be a Gold Tone trademark?

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## dhergert

> I like your Biography page, I Would be Keen to hear and or see you play. 
>  regards, Maurice


Here's a vid I posted here in the "Post a video of yourself thread" in March...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1762351

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MrMoe

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## MikeEdgerton

> It is more or less a Banjola which may be a Gold Tone trademark?


The banjola name has been used for nearly 100 years by people but honestly, your scale if that is correct is just a wee bit longer than a mandocello. I think if you adopt a scale for an octave mandolin or a mandocello you probably have something you can sell. Take a look at *Weber's* page, not for the styles but for the scale lengths. Reinventing the wheel is fine but honestly, your time at Mid-Mo should give you a handle on the genre and you apparently have the skill set to build. Now you just have to build what people might buy. 

I seriously doubt that Goldtone is setting the world on fire with their banjolas.

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dhergert

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## MikeEdgerton

Some banjola stuff:

https://banjolas.com/about/

https://www.robbygilbertmusic.com/mandoline-banjo.html

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dhergert, 

MrMoe

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## MrMoe

> Here's a vid I posted here in the "Post a video of yourself thread" in March...
> 
> https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1762351


 Very nice sound! I am jealous of Your playing and your beard -Maurice

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dhergert

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## Jacob

More on August Pollmann selling these style instruments in the late 1800's.

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MrMoe

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## Graham McDonald

Here are a couple of pics of a baritone version I built back in 2016. Lowest string was a G (from memory) and it had a lovely growly tonality. Spruce, Australian blackwood body with a mahogany neck.

Cheers

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

Thank you all for the helpful Information and links. Shirley Collins plays a dulcimer shaped version she refers to as "The Instrument"  I am not trying to re invent the wheel, nor do I have anything for sale. I am an amateur builder and hobbyist trying to be creative and have fun. I am pleased with the way the open drone string seems to be working out. The string gauges are,  plain.017 drone, .046w, .040w, .032w, .026w and tuned in A. A E A C#E  These are details more related to the banjo, so guess I should not be cluttering up your mandolin site with them.
 Thanks again and best regards, Maurice

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## dhergert

One of the reasons I'm so happy about the way my mandolin tuning is working out is that I have an old plectrum banjo in the wings waiting for me to decide my flatpicking is up to snuff enough to start working on it.  I'll tune this banjo to open G, like a 5-string without the 5th string...  I also have an old tenor that I'll go with open Bb tuning with, playing it like a short-scale plectrum.  Both of these are nice mid 1920s instruments that deserve playing.

The reason I bring this up is that if you're working on flatpicking for mandolin, it applies well to 4-string banjos, perhaps a consideration related to building an instrument that has the short drone 5th string.  Minus that 5th string, you're basically building a long-scale open tuning 4-string mandolin...

You've probably considered this so I don't want to discourage building a banjola.  But one of the reasons they aren't so common is that they don't have the acoustic volume of a banjo, a mandolin, a guitar, a fiddle or a Dobro, so they can't penetrate well in jams.  Mic'ed on stage they're fine and they do have nice tone, but not a very bluegrassy tone, almost more like a mountain dulcimer.

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## mandroid

Body shape aside  '5 string tenor guitar'  could apply..

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

[QUOTE=MikeEdgerton;1773999] your scale if that is correct is just a wee bit longer than a mandocello. 

 Thanks again all, Showing off is never a good look, but it is always a good way to get schooled. I am here to learn. I see historically that these do fall into in the Mandolin family. Mine is obviously not unique (one of kind) It is definitely esoteric (for the few).
 I have made quite a few of this sort of instrument. All of the long ones I have made have a 25.125 scale length with the bass side a bit longer.
All of my parts are homemade. I have not adhered to the Gibson or Webber standard which may be silly. I am loaning it to some players. If it is up to snuff, I will post a video in 
the CBOM group. 

 Thanks again, Maurice

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## MrMoe

Mr. Froese added a very nice sounding audio in this thread on BHO. The sound at least is somewhat is unique.

https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/364274/#4623293

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## MrMoe

> Body shape aside  '5 string tenor guitar'  could apply..


 I like that.   Mr froese directed me to this I guess it is a Plectrum guitar
(National Tri-Cone)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6NwcaTppco

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## MrMoe

I am going to call it a 5 string tenor lute. The A tuning may turn out to be useless, That can be changed.  

http://www.gibson-prewar.com/gibson-...er-model-lute/

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## MrMoe

I am still not finding a place for this to fit in. I did find my way back to the  cafe, which is cool.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...y-vintage-ones

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...son-Tenor-Lute

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## MrMoe

Hopefully this will link an  audio from Mr Froese
https://soundcloud.com/user-394254588/youaremysunshine

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## MrMoe

> Here are a couple of pics of a baritone version I built back in 2016. Lowest string was a G (from memory) and it had a lovely growly tonality. Spruce, Australian blackwood body with a mahogany neck.
> 
> Cheers


I did not Know who Mr. McDonald was when I posted this. I made it to the page in his book with this image today. Jacob posted it as well. Thanks again Jacob and Mr. McDonald!

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## Sue Rieter

Another similar instrument with a very cool sound.




https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...-5-string.html

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

I love the tune. the playing, the sound, and the words used to describe the sound. "pluck, cluck, sweet, and rich". 
A trip back east is in our future. I sure would like to visit with Jake.

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## Sue Rieter

> I love the tune. the playing, the sound, and the words used to describe the sound. "pluck, cluck, sweet, and rich". 
> A trip back east is in our future. I sure would like to visit with Jake.


Been up there 4 times since I took up the mandolin a little over a year ago. Always fun! And he always has tempting instruments.

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MrMoe

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## Dusepo

I got commissioned to build something very similar last year:


It was a custom instrument specified by the customer. Main differences were the nylon strings, lack of a shorter re-entrant fifth string, left-handed and design elements from some Chinerse instruments such as the yueqin.

As mentioned above though, these sort of banjo with mandolin/mandola body hybrids go way back. Here's an 1880's one from Jake Wildwood's site:

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MrMoe

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## MrMoe

> I got commissioned to build something very similar last year:
> 
> 
> It was a custom instrument specified by the customer. Main differences were the nylon strings, lack of a shorter re-entrant fifth string, left-handed and design elements from some Chinerse instruments such as the yueqin.
> 
> As mentioned above though, these sort of banjo with mandolin/mandola body hybrids go way back. Here's an 1880's one from Jake Wildwood's site:


 Dusepo , I have visited your site many times. I am joining band camp now to explore your music. Here is audio of one of mine with an Eastern flavor. Mr. Bowles certainly picked up on the historical background.

https://youtu.be/Li67N5Oe6RU

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Dusepo

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