Luna Moonbird 6 String Banjo Review

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Musical Molly Khan Johnny St Cyr played the 6 string Banjo & I think some Rouxinol R-30 Strings (they have a Wound B String & include a Pick you can use to play them) could give you a good percussive Gypsy jazz sound.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Magma 10 Gauge Phosphor Bronze Flatwound strings would sound great on it model GA120PBF.

[@antoniovillarreal2308]

Great introduction video for me. Thanks!!

[@doomsday_TV]

It's not sticky the string is just catching on the nut and makes a delay in the tuning process you must press on the string in between them tuning machine and a nut to increase that second of tightness to get that tune without tuning too much and realizing you tuned too much and have turned

[@nancyh8657]

Awesome I am getting ready to order one of the six string Celtic banjos I can’t wait to get it

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

Oh I hope you love it! Enjoy 😊

[@nancyh8657]

@@MusicalMollyKhan I will thanks for the review guitar centers video is an active so I went to KZbin and hunted until I came across yours totally awesome I was having a really hard time deciding between the two but my Irish roots lean towards the Celtic

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The really neat thing about a Banjitar is that it's fully Chromatic. Unlike the 5 String Banjo, you can play in every key without re-tuning and you can use your Guitar Capo with it as well as well as any set of Guitar Strings.

[@Man_fay_the_Bru]

Jesus what are you?..a banjo tar salesman or historian?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@Man_fay_the_Bru Nope I'm writing out the advantages.

[@officialWWM]

@@Man_fay_the_Bruyeah, the dude is crazy 😂

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Banjitars are great for song covers cause you can play in every key without re-tuning & you can also use a regular Guitar capo too, you can also tune it down a half step to make the higher notes easier to sing.

[@lhoucineelkchoum1766]

Thanks for the vidio ,I'like banjo instrument

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

What's really cool about the Banjitar is that you can do rockabilly songs like the one you could play is "Candy man" by Christina Aguilera from Glee along with the Glee Cast recording track cause Naya Rivera died.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The body of a 6 String Banjo tends to be a little bit wider & deeper than a 5 String Banjo so that the lower notes speak more clearly. Johnny St Cyr played one of these

[@officialWWM]

I think you have posted this boring fact on every 6 string banjo video on KZbin!

[@stephenhunt572]

I just got a 6 string and your right the head stocks are heavy and even using a strap you suffer a lot of head dive you can also play it as a regular 5 string when it time to change the strings put your old 1 st string on at the 5 th take the 6 string off then tune up as a 5 String g D G B D ( drop the 1st from E to D)you can do this even on a regular guitar

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

Oh that's clever! I may have to retrofit one of my guitars into a guitar-banjo 😊

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

7:15 Where did that advice come from?

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

I'm not sure! I read it in a banjo forum somewhere :D

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan The Banjitar usually has a larger body than a 5 String Banjo. This instrument is related to the Plectrum Banjo and the Tenor too because they completely leave off the drone string and are played with a pick.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Probally a Forum that's been removed weeks ago or something.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Actually it came from this:www.creekdontrise.com/acoustic/six_string_banjo/6_string.htm

[@Pigmentonic]

Great review, what's it strung with?

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

Thank you! I have standard D'Addario acoustic guitar strings on mine; they've worked out well so far!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan You can use Electric Guitar Strings too like 8s cause they minimize the tension. The Banjitar has a very mellow sound. What's cool about a Banjitar is that it's fully Chromatic. Unlike the 5 String Banjo you can play in every key without re-tuning and you can even use your Guitar capo too.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan You can always use Dunlap 7's/Ultra Light Electric Strings. Electric Guitar Strings sound fantastic on a Banjitar because they're identical in material to Banjo Strings, Nickel Plated steel.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The reason why the Banjitar exists is because in the 1920s and 30s during the Jazz age, amplification didn't exist yet & you were surrounded by Horn players. The Banjitar is louder than a Standard Acoustic Guitar because the Banjo body acted like a really loud amplifier which made it easier to compete with those loud blasting Horns. There's another instrument that allowed Guitarists to play with those Loud Horns in a Dixieland setting too, & it's the Resonator Guitar who's Metal Cone acted as the super Loud amplifier.

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

Very cool! I actually would really like a resonator guitar, they make a very cool sound 😊

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Luna does in fact make a Resonator Acoustic-Electric which has a magnetic Pickup so you can hook it up to an amp, & also facilitate recording (same for the Banjitar). Alot of people who play the Banjitar might not have noticed that the body is a little bit bigger than a Standard 5 String Banjo body (usually a Banjitar body is at least 11 & 15/16 inches).

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Here's the Luna Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar:www.zzounds.com/item--LUNSTMAGRES?siid=255455&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3NX_BRDQARIsALA3fIKpbYCoTQap74iOiV2x9Epja-2nLLsLmHk2mX4G6mdsteioJas1gKIaAk87EALw_wcB & this:www.ebay.com/itm/Luna-Ukenator-Gloss-Chrome-Sandblasted-Tiki-Concert-Resonator-Ukulele-/163848348632 is a Luna Concert Dobro-lele which is a Ukulele made entirely out of Metal.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@UC4v-GRsq2eZzig-YYRQiwuQ The Banjitar has been used in a Jazz setting because back in the 1920s & 30s before we had amps, Guitarists used these instruments to compete with the horns.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

7:15 Where did you hear that advice from?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The fun thing about the Banjitar is that you can use your favorite Guitar Strings.

[@joshuabateman4560]

Hey there. At 2:02 use a guitar strap and no more issues with balancing:)

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

I will totally be doing this from now on! Thanks for the tip :)

[@aleksanderkland8234]

Nice shellpants :-)

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

@@aleksanderkland8234 Thank you!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Get a Strap

[@DJ-bz4vi]

Thanks for the video. Some advice I can give you is don’t strum it like a guitar.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

However the Banjitar is one of many Banjos that's designed for Strumming.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Another type of Banjo that's meant for strumming is the Plectrum Banjo (Tenor Banjo too) because just like the Banjitar, they don't have a Drone string & are usually played with a pick.

[@duggleby]

Molly, I really enjoyed your experience and perspective as a guitar player new to this, compared to product demos by people who can play like Earl Scruggs-- which isn't me. Question: The "pure" banjo sound quality seemed to diminish when you played amplified; do you feel that's the case?

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

I'm glad I can fill that little niche as a jack of all trades (and definitely master of none 😅). I do think that the sound is less banjo-y, largely because it's an amplifier meant for electric guitar. I think an acoustic amp would get a more accurate sound 😊

[@duggleby]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Thanks! When I play amplified (which is hardly anywhere right now but hopefully back to frequent post Covid), I generally run my guitar through my Bose L1 PA, which actually has an acoustic guitar setting, so I imagine that would help a banjitar as well. The Luna Moonbird seems like a great value for the price-- I'm tempted!

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

@@duggleby it's a beautiful instrument! 😊 Good luck!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

There's some reasons Guitarists need a Banjitar 1) to get a Banjo sound w/ the same tuning as a Guitar, & 2) to remember the good old days of Dixieland Jazz before we had Amplification.

[@mandomtn1962]

Ever think of learning a real banjo style on a traditional banjo vs a hybridized guitar?

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

I actually have been working on learning the Irish tenor banjo! I enjoy learning and experimenting on all sorts of instruments :)

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan Hold on the Banjitar is actually related to the Plectrum Banjo (and the Tenor Banjo too) bethey don't have a drone string, and they're played with a plectrum.

[@officialWWM]

It’s not a hybrid guitar. It’s actually a banjo!

[@banjomanToddTaylor]

Good video and great channell.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Banjitars exist because back in the days of the Big Band era before they had Guitar amps, they needed a way for Guitarists to be heard over other instruments. They would hire Guitarists to play the 6 String Banjo & because it's louder than a Guitar it made it alot easier to compete with the horns.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

7:11 Alright let's start out with strumming

[@michaeljoseph8229]

Bruh...

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@michaeljoseph8229 They're exactally the same as the Guitar since it's all the same tuning. This instrumentw as originally used in Jazz because in the 1920s and 30s before we had amplification, we had Banjitars which made it easier to play with the horns.

[@michaeljoseph8229]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 informative

[@officialWWM]

@@michaeljoseph8229you spelled “annoying” wrong!

[@musicismyreligion5213]

A mermaid with a banjo...

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

Haha, yep!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan An Electric Banjitar to be exact.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The sustain on this is the same as an Electric Guitar so strumming all the strings for Chords isn't going to be that bad cause good sustain is ideal for alot of song covers. They all went into public domain cause everyone likes them.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Drum Head is actually painted.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The scale length is the same as a Guitar on this.

[@RgTripleC]

If you watch banjo players they tend to hold the neck higher than guitar players, like between 1 and 2 o'clock.

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

This definitely makes it easier!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MusicalMollyKhan A Strap ougt to help

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Body of a Banjitar is a bit thicker than a regular Banjo cause it helps the lower notes resonate better.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@UC4v-GRsq2eZzig-YYRQiwuQ The Drum Head is actually painted. The body of a Banjitar is a little bit larger than a 5 String Banjo body to help the lower pitches resonate, & alot of people didn't realize that.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The sustain is like that of an Electric Guitar.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Those tuning machines will need oil to keep them spinning.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

You probally need to attach a Strap.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

I'd say, go get a Banjo Strap.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

When you let go of the strings the head will stop ringing

[@doomsday_TV]

You need more experience

[@doomsday_TV]

Just go learn mandolin you'll have much more enjoyment

[@MusicalMollyKhan]

I do really love the mandolin as well! 😊

[@stevenbolinger5176]

What's with all the giggling?

[@officialWWM]

Girls…