Howdy all.
I got this at an auction and have had a hard time coming up with information on it. Search the web (non google search engines) and come up with banjo mandolin combinations. Nothing on this one. Looks to be played by strumming cords with the left hand wile hitting solo notes with the right.
Any information you might have on it would be cool. Would like to know where I could get strings for it.
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That looks very similar to a ukelin. There is tons of information on ukelins all over the web.
Thanks Dan Sleep!!! Did a search for ukelin and fould an article from the Smithsonian stating that a ukelin was sometimes named differently. One of the names is banjolin. And they were played with a bow!! Also have a round a bout date for it. Sometime between 1926 to 1965.
link to artical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowed_psaltery
I believe your instrument is based on this instrument.
www.elderly.com is a great music store. If you email them, they may be able to assist you with strings.
Enjoy, Keni Lee
Paul,
Here ya go:
http://www.fretlesszithers.com/bowed.html#ruk
Look down the page, under guitar-olin / banjolin. Very similar layout to yours, indeed, played with a bow, and as KLB sez based on the medieval bowed psaltery.
Also, here is one with a little more info:
http://www.fretlesszithers.net/heiser.htm
Yours is probably a Heiser, based on the pic at the bottom of the page, next to the two unidentifieds.
And this ad page from April 1927 references Mr. Heiser demonstrating the "Solo-lin" in Fayetteville, Arkansas; sez his factory had only been open for 4 months at the time:
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1927-84-14/MTR-1927-84-14-31.pdf
So yours has to be from at oldest 1927, but more likely sometime in the 30's. Prices on these from eBay are running anywhere from $150 - $350
Paul,
Oops...you wanted to know where to get strings for yours. Try www.fretlesszithers.com as a primary source; they have a lot of info on restringing.
You know you can delete those posts, right? There is a really faint white X in the upper right hand corner, which is almost invisible.
Paul, its played with a short Bow on the left and right sides close to the anchor pins. I have had one like it.
You can locate a suitable Bow on E-'ay used for playing a psaltery. Very reasonable priced, nice quality.
Thanks again for all the help and info folks. And Thanks for the link on restringing Oily "Strat-O'-Nine-Tales" Fool. Be a bit before I can play with this. Needs some work done on most of the tuners. Not turning. Some keys are slipping and others aren't turning at all. There's a guy in the town next to me that makes mandolins and dulcimers. Hopefully he can help.
Pete Linch, I have the original bow, leather case and tuner key. The bow needs to be restrung.
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