SmakulaSmakula
Fretted
Instruments
304-636-6710
The Unusual contact us...
Page Updated 7-2-10
Ukuleles, Autoharps, concertinas, and ecetera...
1980's R. Ewing Dulcetta, a nicely made small lap dulcimer. GB, $300
1995 Castiglione model 9245 Triple Row accordion. In the keys of G, C, & F. Factory electric pickup installed. This instrument was played less than 50 hours and is in tune and the bellows still creak. Near mint with original hard case and straps, $1,750
1995 Deering B-6 Boston 6 String Guitar Banjo. From a well-respected modern maker we have the way for all you guitarists to start playing banjo without having to learn a new instrument. This American made instrument is in great shape and does not look to have been played much. It conforms to the catalog description of a mahogany neck & resonator, a 26 1/8" scale ebony fretboard, and a rolled steel 11" diameter rim. We have it set up with silk and bronze strings to deliver a little more funk than twang. Excellent condition with the original hard case. $950 Hold Photos
1920's Majestic Guitar Banjo. Though we all get emails that size matters, this is on case where it really does. At 13 3/8" the rim on this Majestic is bigger than anything commercially available today. And what a sound that 13 3/8" makes. The coolest thunky banjo sound you could imagine. The neck is Brazilian rosewood with a crescent moon in the peghead. New parts include; Tuners, Tailpiece and the hooks and nuts. EC-, with Gold Tone cello banjo hard case, $1950 Photos
1920's Majestic Guitar Banjo. As unbelievable as it may seem, we have a second Majestic Guitar Banjo in stock. This one is similar to the one listed above as we reset the neck, added a new ebony fretboard, and modern appropriate tuners. The subtle, but important differences include; the 13 3/8" rim on this Majestic has an archtop style tonering, giving the sound a slightly clearer tone. The neck is birdseye maple with "S.S. Stewart" inlaid in the peghead, indicating it was made for the musical distributor that owned the S.S. Stewart name at the time. As big as the rim is, the neck is a little narrow at 1-1/2" at the nut. Still ultimately playable and rather fun to boot. Time to bring out your inner Nate Lane and go for one of these rare amazing instruments. In very good condition and comes with a Gold Tone cello banjo hard case for $1950.
New Gold Tone I-BT-2000. Gold Tone has made the best sounding new Guitar banjo money can buy. With the 12" rim, this banjo has all the growl and funk you need in a guitar banjo. Not a wimpy, tinny sound you get from the easy to find 11" Asian imports. The list price is $919. We offer this model at $650 and include a good gigbag.
Recordings
Our CDs are still priced at $15 each.
Old Time Banjo Festival, Rounder 11661-0584-2. 1 hour and 17 minutes of old time banjo music played by modern masters. Includes 2 cuts by Smakula Fretted Instruments' proprietor Bob Smakula. This is the only place that you will get to hear Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" on fretless banjo.
The Best Of Clifftop 2004. Produced by the West Virginia division of Culture and History from stage performances. Includes mostly highlights from the contests. The 25 cuts include Jarred Nutter, Lester McCumbers, The Hoover Uprights, Mando Mafia, and more. Complete you collection of commercial recordings with Bob Smakula playing fretless banjo and get this one too!
The Best Of Clifftop 2005. The second in a series of stage performances from their famous Old Time Music festival. Like the 2004 CD, it includes performances from concerts and contests. Some of the performers on the 24 cuts include Nancy Sluys, Stephanie Coleman, The Hix, Mando Mafia, and more. Also contains a rare recording of Jimmy Triplett playing Trippin' Through The Rye.
Elmer Rich; Tunes from Sanford and Pap. Great tunes from an elderly fidler that lives near Morgantown West Virginia. Mr. Rich played mandolin on the original source recording of the popular old time tune Colored Aristocracy. From the Augusta Heritage Center.
DVD CD-ROM
Melvin Wine; One More Time. This offering of West Virginias most popular Old Time Fiddler includes an interactive CD-ROM for learning about 200 of Melvin's tunes, hear Melvin talk about his life and his music. The second disc in this set is a DVD that includes 4 videos of Melvin. For everyone who knew him, it is an essential keepsake of one of the best fiddlers of his generation. For those of you who didn't get a chance to meet him, an introduction that will make you wish you had visited Copen, WV and found the house with the big W on the front. $25
ACCESSORIES:
ODD SIZE REMO FIBERSKYN BANJO HEADS
All heads are high crown (1/2") with a few available in medium (7/16") and low crown (3/8") height as noted.
Most banjos need a high crown head.
10", 10-1/8", 10-1/4", 10-3/8", 10-7/16", 10-1/2" (H&M), 10-9/16", 10-5/8", 10-11/16", 10-3/4", 10-13/16", 10-7/8" (H&M,),
10-15/16" (H,M,&L), 11" (H,M,&L), 11-1/8" (H,M,&L), 11-1/4" $19
11-1/2", 11-5/8", 11-3/4", 11-13/16", 12"(H&M), 12-1/8" (H&M) $21
$19
8", 9", 12-3/16", 12-1/4" 12-7/16", 13"; $50
14"; $60
REMO RENAISSANCE BANJO HEADS
8", 10-1/8", 10-1/2", 10-3/4", 10-15/16", 11", 11-1/8"M $19
11-1/2" 11-13/16", 11-15/16", 12" (H&M) 12-1/8"M $21
13"; $50
14"; $55
Remo Top Frosted Plastic
10-15/16" & 11" (H,&M), 11-1/8" (H,M,&L)$16
11-13/16" & 12" $1911-1/8" low, inside frosted mylar $16
New old stock 11" low crown heads manufactured in the 1980's Limited supply, $25
New old stock 14", $30
Remo Clear Mylar Heads
11" &11-1/8" low crown, $16
Most of our Remo banjo heads are manufactured with no logo! The perfect look for your old old time banjo.
Calf Skin Banjo Heads
We stock several grades of flat calf skin banjo heads in diferent thickneses for you to soak and stretch on you banjo
Economy calfskin head, 16" diameter; $16
Mid grade Calfskin head, 16" diameter; $25, temporarrly out of stock
We just received a new shipment of high grade calf heads and are very pleased with their quality. They are every bit as good as the vintage Rogers 3 star heads from the 1920's and 1930's
High grade Calfskin head, 14" diameter; $45
High grade Calfskin head, 15" diameter; $55
High grade Calfskin head, 16" diameter; $60
Square Brass Wire flesh hoops; Mostly we have 10 15/16" from old banjos. But ask for the size you need. We might have it. $5 each
CASES
TKL Canadian made open back banjo cases Fit 5 string banjos; For 11" or 12" rims $120
TKL Canadian made open back banjo cases Fit tenor and short neck 5 string banjos; For 11" rims $125
Superior Bump 5 string open back banjo case for instruments with 11" or 12" rims $95
Levy's Gig Bags for open back banjos; $42,
Superior II Gig Bags for Openback banjos $33
Boulder Alpine gigbags for 11" or 12" openback banjos. Blue or tan colors in stock. $50
Chinese made violin cases; Featherweight teardrop shaped; $40
Guardian Hard Case to hold Fiddle and Mandolin at the same time; $135
TKL 00 guitar gigbags, $40, Dreadnought guitar gigbags, $45,
TKL 00 or Dreadnought flat top hard cases, $80
TKL Parlor guitar flat top hard case, fits Martin size 1 and similar guitars, $85
TKL A Mandolin hard cases, $75, A Mandolin gig bags, $25, F mandolin gig bags, $30
ELECTRONIC TUNERS
Inteli, Small chromatic tuner that clips on the peghead of your fiddle, guitar, banjo, or bass, $28
Guide to Abbreviations and Physical Condition;
New; An instrument that came to us from the manufacturer. It has never been owned by a consumer and has it's full warrantee.
Mint; As the instrument came from the factory. No blemishes at all
Near mint; Almost as it came from the factory
EC; Excellent condition, a very clean instrument that has a few minor blemishes
VG; Very Good Condition, reasonable wear for its age.
GC; Good Condition; plenty of player wear.
Plus or minus indicates the condition is half a grade better or worse.
HC; Price includes a Hard case, either made of laminated wood or ABS plastic. Hard cases offer the most protection for your instrument. The disadvantage is they are heavy.
OHC; Original Hard Case, the hard case purchased with the instrument when it was new.
SC; Softcase, refers to a chipboard (stiff cardboard) case,
OSC; The chipboard case sold with the instrument when new.
GB; Gigbag, a padded cloth bag. Usually with shoulder straps.
Shipping
We ship most of our instruments via UPS. Cost to ship a mandolin or fiddle is $15 to $25. Cost to ship a guitar or banjo is $15 to $40. The cost of insurance is extra. We will be happy to quote before shipping.
Small goods like banjo heads and other parts cost $5 per order for Priority Mail shipping in the US no matter what the order size. Out of the USA shipments will be quoted before they are shipped.
To Order
Please call us at 304-636-6710. As payment we accept checks and MasterCard and Visa.Email; Occasionally a customer will let us know that the "Contact Us" button will not work on their computer. If you have that problem, please use sfi<at>smakula<dot>com You will have to change the <at> and <dot> to @ and .