Banjolele
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The banjolele (brand name; sometimes banjo ukulele or banjo uke) is a four-stringed musical instrument with a banjo-type body and a neck with sixteen frets (shorter than a banjo, but longer than a ukulele). 'Banjolele' is a generic nickname given to the instrument, which was derived from the 'banjulele-banjo,' intruduced by Alvin D. Keech in 1918. The instrument achieved its greatest popularity in the 1920s and '30s, and combines the small scale and tuning of a ukulele with the playing style and construction of a banjo, hence the name. The banjolele is commonly tuned GCEA ("C Tuning") or ADF#B ("D Tuning"), with a re-entrant 4th string. The ADF#B tuning often produces more volume, and is used for this purpose. Both of these tunings are known as "my dog has fleas" tunings (5th, Tonic, Maj 3rd, Maj 6th).
[edit] Popular culture
The banjolele is the instrument played by George Formby, which was commonly referred to as a ukelele although George himself used the correct term (as can be seen in the film Keep your seats please).
Queen (band) member Brian May used it in the song "Bring Back That Leroy Brown", which appeared on their third album Sheer Heart Attack.
In P.G. Wodehouse's novel Thank You, Jeeves, valet Jeeves is driven to resign over his employer Bertie Wooster's decision to take up the banjolele.
[edit] Other uses
There is another, lesser known instrument that goes by the same name. It is any banjo string tuning (normally a four string tuning) on a small guitar shaped body. It is usually just a modified ukulele.
