Wife has announced she wants a bodhran ...

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:39 pm

Johnny, I'll buy you a pint and let you have a whack at my drum whenever we meet

Cheers!
/MarcusR

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:49 pm

Tha's perty.

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:55 pm

MarcusR wrote:Johnny, I'll buy you a pint and let you have a whack at my drum whenever we meet

Cheers!
/MarcusR

Given the chance, I will buy a pint for both of you. I've been on the Bodojo site all day. What a great resource.

Michael Vignoles, Albert Alfonso, and Rob Forkner have my attention. It seems I am always finding that the more I know the less I know. Best, Cyril.

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:55 pm

What the heck, I'll even let you see her back side.
For your eyes only, no one else click the link!

Bodhran ρσяиσפядρђψ

/MarcusR

Cyril, just ad:

Seamus O'Kane
Brendan White
Mance Grady
Christian Hedwitschak

and I think your list will be about right.

/MarcusR

BigDavy · Post by **BigDavy** » Thu May 03, 2007 1:15 pm

Hi Marcus

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

The beached whale in this thread is me with my metloef drum.

If you are citing european makers, don't forget Eoin Lennard at Belgarth bodhrans.

http://www.belgarth.com/

I have 7 of his drums in various sizes and if you were on this side of the pond, he is who I would recommend, even over O'Kane.

Buddhu will likely add his reccommendation, as I believe he is another happy belgarth owner.

David

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Thu May 03, 2007 1:25 pm

MarcusR wrote:For your eyes only, no one else click the link!
Bodhran ρσяиσפядρђψ

I clicked

That is definitely one of the huge advantages to a Metloef, the tuning keys. Sure beats carrying around a wrench.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:05 pm

Wife buying a bodhran? Any judge would rule that "grounds".

Carey · Post by **Carey** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:48 pm

Is the wife for sale or trade?

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Thu May 03, 2007 10:35 pm

Carey wrote:Is the wife for sale or trade?

Good one! Yep, you know the lines.

lalit · Post by **lalit** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:04 am

I am another happy Belgarth owner. Great sound.

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:17 am

BigDavy wrote:Hi Marcus

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

The beached whale in this thread is me with my metloef drum.

If you are citing european makers, don't forget Eoin Lennard at Belgarth bodhrans.

http://www.belgarth.com/

I have 7 of his drums in various sizes and if you were on this side of the pond, he is who I would recommend, even over O'Kane.

Buddhu will likely add his reccommendation, as I believe he is another happy belgarth owner.

David

Damn right, Davy. I love my drum.

When really new the Belgarth tone is maybe a little dull and not too versatile - but once it's played in - wow!

. I've known a couple of people to be put off by the sound of their spanking new Belgarths, but when they played mine they both stuck with it, and are now firmly converted.

After the back of the skin has had a good wetting a few times and the fluffy nap has been rubbed for a while by the muting hand, the range of tones from a Belgarth drum really opens up. And Eoin's bodhrans are built like tanks - to last.

Mine's a 16" tunable. I may add an 18" when I get a few spare quid.

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:31 am

On the subject of cheap drums:

While I prefer a played-in Belgarth over any bodhran I've tried, I have also played several great, cheap, Pakistani drums. The quality of the skins is hugely variable - some of them are so thin, tight and skiddy that they are almost unplayable. Others have had fantastic medium skins with a lovely deep ring when unmuted.

I have a Pakistani 18" non-tunable drum that I wouldn't be at all ashamed to pull out and play at a session (at least no more ashamed than I'd be to produce a bodhran of any kind!

). I removed the crappy X brace from inside the back and have a fine second drum - for about £30!

My wife has a different style of Pakistani drum - deeper bodied, about 14" or 15" diameter. Another surprisingly good quality skin. A great, very controllable sound. Again, for about £30 who's complaining?

Anyone who believes in the variability of Generation whistles (sorry Peter!) should give cheap bodhrans the benefit of the doubt until they've checked out the equivalent of a box of them!

But my Belgarth still kicks all their arses!

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Fri May 04, 2007 5:29 am

buddhu wrote:On the subject of cheap drums:

While I prefer a played-in Belgarth over any bodhran I've tried, I have also played several great, cheap, Pakistani drums. The quality of the skins is hugely variable - some of them are so thin, tight and skiddy that they are almost unplayable. Others have had fantastic medium skins with a lovely deep ring when unmuted.

I have a cheap Waltons that I got when I wanted to take some bodhran lessons a couple of years ago. 16" tuneable, the rim about 3.5" deep. I tried it in the shop (Hobgoblin in London) and selected it in preference to several more expensive hand-made drums available.

The skin could have been thicker, but overall it was good value for money. I used it for a couple of terms of classes with Lucy Randall who was teaching at the Hammermith Irish Centre. I coudln't have carried a bigger or heavier bodhran anyway, as I was cycling. I still use it occasionally.

A few months later I bought a more expensive bodhran off eBay and it was a total waste of money. The skin was thick, stiff and skiddy. The rim was 7" deep, but so thick and heavy I couldn't carry the drum comfortably - especially when I had a fiddle and a melodeon to carry as well.

The Waltons served me well, and though I will never be a top class bodhranist, I understand more about rhythms and backing than I did before, and can make a reasonable job of it when required.

I guess I got a good one, and being able to try before you but is a definite bonus. I'd be very hesitant to order any bodhran off the internet now, unless I'd had a chance to try one out in person.

Lucy Randall used a 14" Remo bodhran with a plastic skin and a thick rim, and she could work magic on it. She'd has a strut put in the back for added control.

pureshift · Post by **pureshift** » Fri May 04, 2007 9:16 am

I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Howard-Tuna ... B0002I1FCM

Remo makes some pretty good drums and I've been pretty happy with this one. The nice thing about the Fiberskyn head is that it sounds good without being affected by the weather too much. It's also tunable. I also have a Remo djembe with the same type of head and that also has worked well for me.

medit8b1 · Post by **medit8b1** » Fri May 04, 2007 9:28 am

Hey! Get ye to a bodhran forum you blasphemers! Bad enough you throw off everyone at the sessions, now you have to take up our forum as well?

Just kidding!

I used to play and teach bodhran, I have an alfonso but the skin is stretched out and has lost it's tone. Always wanted an O'kane.