Re: mandolin banjo - anyone's 2 cents
Originally Posted by
allenhopkins
When you say it "plays strong," you're dealing with the plus-and-minus aspects of the mandolin banjo. Most of them have a raucous, assertive tone that some find, well, annoying. I use mine sparingly, for ragtime, jug band, or blues, where that particular sound suits the music.
I too own a Little Wonder, and agree with Allen's assessment. I use mine for the same types of music. If you listen to such music from the 1920's and 30's, you'll find that mandolin banjos were popular instruments. Check out the CD, Rags, Breakdowns, Stomps & Blues:Vintage Mandolin Music 1927-1946 for examples. The Little Wonder is an enjoyable instrument, loud, aggressive, and "utterly devoid of subtlety," as Journeybear puts it in Post #5. (I hope my choice of this instrument shows a balance to and not an extension of my personality.) The Little Wonder isn't everyone's cup of tea, but some of us enjoy it very much. Let the good times roll.
Last edited by Ranald; Jul-09-2022 at 11:37am.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
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