ukulele banjo question.

stuart143

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Hi all
Im new to the form, and i have been looking to a forum i can post the following question.
i have a banjolele, and when i listen to other banjoleles for example ones played in the George Formby society. they sound like Georges did, however mine sounds more like a proper banjo.
:confused: so my question is how can i make my banjolele sound like Georges?
thank you
Stuart.
 
Welcome to UU stuart143

Maybe if we had a little more info about your banjolele.... can you show us a photo, or post a video? What brand it is?

–Lori
 
stuart143

Maybe if we had a little more info about your banjolele.... can you show us a photo, or post a video? What brand it is?

–Lori[/QUOTE]
Picture0004.jpgPicture0003.jpgPicture0002.jpg
Welcome to UU
here it is. it is a countryman dub-1.
:D
 
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How much like George's banjo is yours? Size? Head material? Tension adjustment? Strings? Lots to it beside technique. Chat up some of those guys, Good luck
 
I believe yours has an enclosed back. I am pretty sure that for greater volume, George usually had a 'resonator' backed banjo ukulele - The back was actually larger than the actual pot size & usually attached by a screw in the middle. This virtually acted as a loud speaker. He pretty well always played a Soprano as the larger sizes weren't really available back then.

Do you live in the UK? Join up the George Formby Society & learn the tricks to make your uke (or at east your playing) sound like his!
http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/

Check out John Bianchi playing here - on a big resonator banjo uke - he is a member of UU & a great help to anyone with a banjo uke!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b9QowDeUFs&feature=channel&list=UL

Keep Strumming!

Roberta
 
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I believe yours has an enclosed back. I am pretty sure that for greater volume, George usually had a 'resonator' backed banjo ukulele - The back was actually larger than the actual pot size & usually attached by a screw in the middle. This virtually acted as a loud speaker. He pretty well always played a Soprano as the larger sizes weren't really available back then.

Do you live in the UK? Join up the George Formby Society & learn the tricks to make your uke (or at east your plaing) sound like his!
http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/

Check out John Bianchi playing here - on a big resonator banjo uke - he is a member of UU & a great help to anyone with a banjo uke!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b9QowDeUFs&feature=channel&list=UL

Keep Strumming!

Roberta

Thanks for that YouTube...just subscribed. My Rally DUB2 is in the GoldTone shop for upgrading. That "syncopation" trickier than one would think.
 
Hi Phil

If you have any queries about our banjo ukes, put them past John! His forum name is Jnobianchi. He has a huge collection of (mostly) antique banjo ukes & has a vast knowledge of how to get them to sound better. He tinkers with them til he is happy with the sound.

I am pretty sure he is also a member of the George Formby Society. Playing 'Formby Style' is WAY trickier than it looks - he makes it look SO easy (as do the others who have mastered it all!) I just can't get quicker myself no matter how I try - I can do the Split, Triple & Fan strokes 'individually' but not all together in a song, as John does, so easily!!

Keep Strummin'

Roberta

John's channel is here - some really good other players featured, too
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrJnobianchi?feature=mhum
 
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How are you listening to his music? On CD or digital media? If so, the tonal range is probably biased towards the higher end. This is true of a lot of digital media, but there's even greater tonal loss with MP3 and similar compression formats. Try tweaking your stereo equalizer to balance the music so it sounds more like your instrument, rather than the other way around.
 
george formby sound

Hiya . Firstly i think your banjo uke has a fibre skin where as George Formby would have had a calf/vellum. You just wont get the "vintage sound " from the plastic or fibre skins. The otherthing is although most players use the tuning of A E C G a lot of the old timers used the tuning of B Fsh D A. This tuning is higher than standard tuning and was used as it projected the sound better as a lot of venues did not have amplification. This tuning was used a lot by George formby. cheers. jasper
 
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