Mandolin-banjo

The mandolin-banjo is a hybrid instrument, combining a banjo body with the neck and tuning of a mandolin.

The movable bridge stands on a resonant banjo-like head typically 10 inches in diameter and currently usually made of plastic.

In the heyday of mandolin orchestras and banjo bands (late 19th–early 20th century), all sorts of instruments were produced.

However, that distinction is not universal; John Farris patented an instrument with 8 strings calling it a banjolin by name in 1885.

However, he "converted it to a four-string instrument," maintaining the mandolin and violin scale length and tuning (GDAE).

"[2] In the United States, the term "melody banjo" was often used for four-string mandolin-banjos, which lacked the jazz-orchestra volume of the double-string instruments, but escaped their problems with tuning and overtones.

Historically, mass produced mandolin-banjos were made by companies including Gibson, Weymann & Son of Philadelphia, Vega, S.S. Stewart, Lange, and the English company Windsor, who all built and sold 4 and 8 string banjos in the early 20th century.

Today mandolins-banjos are being manufactured by Vintage, GoldTone, Rogue, Cumbus, Morgan Monroe and Musikalia - Dr. Alfio Leone.

In Italy, Musikalia manufactures three models of Mandolin Banjo, always with wooden resonator (mahogany, padouk or maple root wood veneered), animal skin, but gives an alternative between simple or double aluminium ring.

Two styles of mandolin-banjo, showing a large and small head, with a full size, four-string banjo (bottom).
L-R - Banjo-mandolin, standard mandolin, 3-course mandolin, Tenor mandola.
A banjolin with single strings like a violin and a mandolin fretboard.
A Vega mandolin-banjo ca. 1920 with four pairs of strings.
Bacon & Day ‘’Montana Silver Bell’’ mandolin-banjo at the American Banjo Museum . This is a Jazz-Age banjo, the American closed-back type that Leonardi referred to. The closed back is a resonator, to project more sound outward.
Mando-cümbüş, a Turkish banjo in the style of a mandolin. This instrument resembles the French mandolin-banjo, having a closed-resonator back that gives it a metallic sound.