The mandolin-banjo and banjolin

Main page The instruments Buyer's guide Handbook Lessons Message board Links Site map Site last updated . This particular page was created 15/12/2004 and last updated 15/03/2006 Site updates		Picture from Music123 Data: Body shape: Round Top: Skin Back: Open or resonator Bridge: Floating Frets: Fixed Strings: 8 Courses: 4 ( 2 - 2 - 2 - 2) Scale: 332 - 365 mm The mandolin-banjo (aka mandobanjo or mandoline-banjo) is a small banjo with 8 strings arranged in pairs and tuned like a mandolin. The mandolin-banjo first became popular during the 1920s. During the 1970s and 1980s it was also used as an inexpensive banjo-substitute.   The mandolin-banjo is occasionally called banjolin although that is strictly speaking not correct. The eight-stringed mandolin-banjo is a true hybrid between the mandolin and the banjo, while the four-stringed banjolin was the soprano instrument of the old banjo orchestras. Confusingly enough, the term "mandoline-banjo" has also been used for the banjola which is a competely different instrument.   Web www.mandolin-player.com