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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Ireland | Anyone have experience of these? They sound like good fun
www.strumstick.com |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I had one years ago. Dulcimer-like. It tunes to one key. Fun though. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | He (Bob McNally) used to have a shop/store near me in Boonton, NJ.
They ARE pretty cool, well made, and sound pretty nice. Like Jeff said, they're only one key. If yet a couple/few playing t'gether they sound really cool.
He USED t'make a a six-string "guitar" version, but I suspect he sold the design to Martin, as his instrument "disappeared" right around the same time that the Backpacker came on the scene.
(notice the similarity??) |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Bob designed the backpacker and licensed it to Martin, which is a pretty shrewd move, having "Martin" on the headstock is instant credibility and I'd guess a ton more sales.
The strumstick comes in 3 basic versions. Standard (in G) Grand (in D) and Alto (in C) Without changing string gauge the Grand and Standard will tune up or down by up to a tone. There are other possibilities available by retuning the middle string. For example the Standard is tuned GDG with the high G as the melody string. You can drop the middle string a tone to C and use it as the melody string, giving a 5R5 C tuning. So you can get 2 tunings fairly easily from the same string guage and scale-length. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Is Bob still in Jersey, Paul??
(Hibernia, I believe it was . . .) |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | He is, Rockaway, if memory serves. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Right. Hibernia is part of Rockaway . . .
NiceGuy. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | He has a hernia? |
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