banjolele.... can it be muted....???

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Hi,
I'd like to buy a banjolele soprano open back because i like to play it jazzy ( especially with traditional jazz) ...but I'd like to now if it can be muted ( very very very much = to play it at night and to not bother neighbours)
....I tried buying a cheap electric one ( but I sent it back for bad sounding and hissing) but now I turned to a non electric one (to be more free and without cable).
But I still want to play it when i like and at night...can I put rags, soxes and whatever inside and get real weak sound from it if i need?


= I don't care if I don't get wonderful sounds for practicing, I care about not making noise during my training.

Can rugs do the job? or some other tips for stuffing it?
thanks
Francesca
 
I've seen folks use blocks of sponge foam under the strings near the saddle.
 
I think a "silent banjo" is a bit of a paradox..

Perhaps a good solution is to have two instruments - one proper Banjolele that you can play loud and proud like the instrument is designed, and one electric ukulele such as an Eleuke or Risa Uke-solid, which you can practice with silently at night.

If you're playing silently, it doesn't need to be a banjolele for you to imagine it being a banjolele...
 
kissing said:
I think a "silent banjo" is a bit of a paradox..

Perhaps a good solution is to have two instruments - one proper Banjolele that you can play loud and proud like the instrument is designed, and one electric ukulele such as an Eleuke or Risa Uke-solid, which you can practice with silently at night.

If you're playing silently, it doesn't need to be a banjolele for you to imagine it being a banjolele...
Click to expand...

I can't afford buy two instruments .... and I don't want an electric uke

the reason I want the soprano banjolele is because if I eventually don't like ukulele chords playing maybe I could convert it in fifth tuning (with the Aquila strings right set) ....
I'm a mandolin player...
so I just want to strum a uke with few sound as possible in the moments I need it to be so...in other moments I will play with its full sound as I will like to...

so my question is still:
can muted become not noisy in sound?
= I think that stuffing it would result less sound than with a regular uke ( in which I can't at all stuff inside the body any rugs etc)
 
lakesideglenn said:
What Doc said...a little piece of foam or sponge under the strings behind the bridge works fine.
Click to expand...

with the sponge etc.... in terms of sound would it be louder than a regular soprano uke? or because it's a banjolele it would anyway be always louder?
 
The Zither Heaven all-wood banjo ukulele is extremely quiet if you play it with your fingers, but very loud if you play it with a pick. But it's a longer neck than a soprano - it feels longer than a tenor. I got mine from Wayfair - if you watch their website and/or sign up for their email lists, they have frequent coupon/discount deals. I got mine for about 72 bucks.

http://www.wayfair.com/Zither-Heaven-Ukulele-Banjo-XWL1033.html

Obviously it's a lot different from traditional banjoleles, but I'm really enjoying mine, and I don't mind using the tuning wrench. To me the biggest surprise was the massive increase in volume when I switch from fingers to a pick. The pick really makes the wooden soundboard wake up and "speak," but the instrument is very quiet when strummed or plucked with fingers.
 
Stuffing the back with a towel should work fine. You can get mutes for a bango, that sit on top of a the bridge, but I'm not sure whether a) you can get them in uke size, or b)whether they mute enough for your purpose.
 
Thumper said:
The Zither Heaven all-wood banjo ukulele is extremely quiet if you play it with your fingers, but very loud if you play it with a pick. But it's a longer neck than a soprano - it feels longer than a tenor. I got mine from Wayfair - if you watch their website and/or sign up for their email lists, they have frequent coupon/discount deals. I got mine for about 72 bucks.
Obviously it's a lot different from traditional banjoleles, but I'm really enjoying mine, and I don't mind using the tuning wrench. To me the biggest surprise was the massive increase in volume when I switch from fingers to a pick. The pick really makes the wooden soundboard wake up and "speak," but the instrument is very quiet when strummed or plucked with fingers.
http://www.wayfair.com/Zither-Heaven-Ukulele-Banjo-XWL1033.html
Click to expand...

thanks for reply and info...but I'm european and I must choose nearby to avoid shipping charges...
PLUS: i want the soprano scale to fit aquila tuned in fifth if I like in futuru to have a "mandolin" sort of banjo
I've in mind to take this one:
Anuenue because I like its look and I think it should be good quality.... I heard the sound on internet...seems good...
http://www.anuenue-uke.com/html_version/#frame_ukulele_23
the 1 soprano
Do you now this brand or have info about people who bought this banjolele....to confirm that it is good?
 
Last edited:
Pundabaya said:
Stuffing the back with a towel should work fine. You can get mutes for a bango, that sit on top of a the bridge, but I'm not sure whether a) you can get them in uke size, or b)whether they mute enough for your purpose.
Click to expand...

thanks... so if you say that the towel lowers ok ... then I would like very much to not spend money for mutes :)
 
Doc_J said:
I've seen folks use blocks of sponge foam under the strings near the saddle.
Click to expand...
What I do: buy bags of inexpensive sponge and cut them to different sizes, so I can mute in increments. I place the blocks under the skin, nestled between the skin and the wooden bar that runs from the neck.
 
TUMB's up said:
thanks for reply and info...but I'm european and I must choose nearby to avoid shipping charges...
PLUS: i want the soprano scale to fit aquila tuned in fifth if I like in futuru to have a "mandolin" sort of banjo
I've in mind to take this one:
Anuenue because I like its look and I think it should be good quality.... I heard the sound on internet...seems good...
http://www.anuenue-uke.com/html_version/#frame_ukulele_23
the 1 soprano
Do you now this brand or have info about people who bought this banjolele....to confirm that it is good?
Click to expand...
I have seen Anuenue ukes in stores around here, and they seem fine. I have never heard anybody with any problems with that company or their ukes. I would buy a Anuenue Banjo Uke.

–Lori
 
thanks Lory for Anuenue feedback :) ... I also heard well and it isn't a very cheap one so should be fine...I don't want to spend too much but also I don't want a cheap one that in future may result in uneasy or hard to play for the left hand... so it's better to start with a good one to keep (here where I live there aren't many uke players and it would be difficult to find someone interested to buy a used uke).
 
ichadwick said:
What I do: buy bags of inexpensive sponge and cut them to different sizes, so I can mute in increments. I place the blocks under the skin, nestled between the skin and the wooden bar that runs from the neck.
Click to expand...

thanks Ian for further info about shaped foam... but can someone tell me if with much foam the volume is less or at least equal to the traditional models?
... i hope should be less :uhoh:
 
TUMB's up said:
thanks... so if you say that the towel lowers ok ... then I would like very much to not spend money for mutes :)
Click to expand...
Stuffing the back with a sponge or a towel will make it a little quieter, but not really that much - it does more to modify the sound than to quieten it. The bit of sponge under the strings should be much more effective....
 
I have a stuffed bear stuffed into the back of my banjolele. He's cute, and although he appears to be in some pain, he is always smiling when I pull him out to show people.

And, as Lesley noted, he's there to change the sound, not necessarily to make the uke quieter. I think you need a mute on the bridge, like this|http://http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tone-Ultimate-Banjo-Mute/dp/B0041T4DK4

Or this: http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tone-Iucci-Banjo-Mute/dp/B0041T4DJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1303617077&sr=8-1
 
Last edited:
TUMB's up said:
thanks Ian for further info about shaped foam... but can someone tell me if with much foam the volume is less or at least equal to the traditional models?
... i hope should be less :uhoh:
Click to expand...
Muted = less volume. How much the volume decreases depends on the size of foam and where you place it. Right under the saddle mutes the most.
 
ok ...thanks for info... but I still didn't understand if a muted banjolele sounds in volume :
A) less then a normal one ( normal = traditional soprano uke)
B) equal to a normal one
C) always will be louder then a normal one
 
If you really want to mute a banjo, focus on the bridge. The bridge transmit sound from the strings to the head; if you want to stop sound it its tracks, the bridge is the place to do it.

The foam mute is a good start; places it under the strings behind the bridge, but right up against the bridge. Your banjo uke will be much quieter, but still quite audible. You might even like the more restrained tone.

Conventional banjo mutes sit right on the bridge, which kill the vibrations at the bridge and can make a banjo very quiet indeed. Since I don't think they make a banjo mute that is sized appropriately for a banjo uke, here's a cheap and easy way to make your own: get two wooden clamp-style clothes pins. Glue a little something soft like a bit of cork or leather on the tips to prevent them marring your bridge. Clamp one on the bridge of your banjo uke (sideways, so it doesn't interfere with your strings. Your banjo uke should be much quiet. Need more muting? Clamp the other one on the other side. Your uke will look weird, but it will be very quiet.

For most people, the foam block should be plenty.
 
RichM said:
If you really want to mute a banjo, focus on the bridge. The bridge transmit sound from the strings to the head; if you want to stop sound it its tracks, the bridge is the place to do it.

The foam mute is a good start; places it under the strings behind the bridge, but right up against the bridge. Your banjo uke will be much quieter, but still quite audible. You might even like the more restrained tone.

Conventional banjo mutes sit right on the bridge, which kill the vibrations at the bridge and can make a banjo very quiet indeed. Since I don't think they make a banjo mute that is sized appropriately for a banjo uke, here's a cheap and easy way to make your own: get two wooden clamp-style clothes pins. Glue a little something soft like a bit of cork or leather on the tips to prevent them marring your bridge. Clamp one on the bridge of your banjo uke (sideways, so it doesn't interfere with your strings. Your banjo uke should be much quiet. Need more muting? Clamp the other one on the other side. Your uke will look weird, but it will be very quiet.

For most people, the foam block should be plenty.
Click to expand...

thanks RichM for the way of doing the mute you added good info and with the other ones I understood how to do the muting....
but I still would like to know ( from someone who owns a banjolele and a traditional ukulele or that has some experience in such things ) if the muted banjolele then goes less in the volume in comparison.
 
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