Musical Instrument of some kind ????

[hawkzone]

Bought this dont know what it is and either does anyone else 4 dollars-lol

[dudes2112]

Looks like a miniature guitar of some type. Looks like it has a place for 4 strings and the neck looks like it has frets. Never seen anything like it.

Dudes

[Breezie]

WELCOME to the forum! It looks like the beginning of a 'mammy made' 4-string banjo. The heads of earlier banjos were covered with calf skin, but the newer ones are made from synthetic materials. Check to see if the head is skin, which will help to determine the age. How many inches long is the neck? Below is a pic of a home-made banjo that is very similar to yours. Neat find, Breezie

[hawkzone]

I got it in a pile of junk at a thrift shop so thats the tag ive had hundreds of people (white) people see and they dont
know what it is... One ole fella said its teakwood and its four stringed which he said it may be oriental...

[hawkzone]

Oh also that is some leathered skin on the drum portion and at the end where the strings would go

[Mackaydon]

Might also be a 'spike fiddle'; played with a bow.

[Tuberale]

What does the tag about mid-way on the neck say? Appears to be for a four-string instrument, as there are 4 peg-holes, each for holding a string in place. The sounding area may be mother-of-pearl or tortoise-shell. Is it like a bowl? If so, it is meant to reflect the sound outward from that location, and the strings were probably plucked or strummed there.

Many Japanese instruments are made out of Paulownia wood, which this does not look like at all. If teak, possibly from China.

Need more information: dimentions: length and width.

[hawkzone]

Ok will get measurements again the tag mean nothing it has a price on it..........Noone I mean noone has been able to i.d. this in over 3 weeks but there is a oriental lady that has a antique store in the town next to mine I will try that!!!!!

[DCMatt]

WELCOME to the forum! It looks like the beginning of a 'mammy made' 4-string banjo. The heads of earlier banjos were covered with calf skin, but the newer ones are made from synthetic materials. Check to see if the head is skin, which will help to determine the age. How many inches long is the neck? Below is a pic of a home-made banjo that is very similar to yours. Neat find, Breezie

As usual, Breezie is right on. More specifically, yours is an Appalachian or "Mountain style" banjo. Put some strings on and get pickin'!

DCMatt

[aka, da Prof]

I would guess mid eastern after reading this article-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Central_Asia -- is says that many are made from on piece of mulberry wood, which does age to that color. Also the frets seem to be at different intervals than the chromatic scale. It might have been brought back from that area by one 'our finest' returning home ---- I don't really think is is American made--, hey, but what do I know----da Prof
oh, I know-- have the DNA tested on the goat skin head--( just joking)--

[Monty]

I think Breezie got it 100%. Monty

[hawkzone]

Thank you for interest in this whatchamajig for $4.00 it has been quite a lot of fun. Its probably a musical instrument made
with human skin cult.... Anyway if I go to Denver I will take it to a possible expert or close to that and let you know!!!