SmakulaSmakula
Fretted
Instruments
PO Box 882 Elkins, WV 26241
304-636-6710
The Unusual contact us...
Page Updated 1-11-12
Please Visit our Home Page for links to our banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins, and more.
Ukuleles, Autoharps, Dulcimers, Recordings, and ???
1980's Chromaharp. 15 chord Korean made with a sunburst finish. In excellent condition and includes the original cardboard case for the screaming deal of $125.
1980's R. Ewing Dulcetta, a nicely made small lap dulcimer. GB, $300
1963 German Waldzither by Franz Dotzauer. This mandolin instrument is a bit odd compared to the American instruments we are used to. There are 9 strings, eight of which are in pairs. The string length is 18-1/2", the body width is 13" and has a domed back of alternating mahogany and curly maple. Truthfully I am not sure what kind of music you play in this, but you are creative and are capable of inventing something if your You Tube exploration doesn't pan out. It's in excellent condition and fits in the included resonator banjo case with room to spare in the neck area for a sub sandwich. Yummy for only $200.
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
New Gold Tone I-BT-2000 Guitar Banjo. 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 $999. We offer this model at $665 and include a good gigbag.
1930 Vega Style L Whyte Laydie Mandolin Banjo. It has been raining Vega banjos lately here in Randolph County. Certainly a few great instruments have come out of the woodwork this past month. This example is one of the few playable mando-banjos I have run across. Good neck angle, for decent string height and new frets installed here at SFI keep the buzzes away. Like most Whyte Laydie banjos, the neck and rim are finished in natural blond maple. The ebony fretboard has a 13-3/4" scale and is inlaid with 4 mother-of-pearl dot position markers. The 10-1/16" rim has 26 original brackets with open ball nuts. The new Remo Fiberskyn head keeps the banjo's tone from being too crashy. The metal is still shiny enough to see yourself after 82 years. In excellent condition, this hard to find example of Vega's great work is only $1,100. The original case is not so great, but as soon as I find a better one, I'll include it. Photos
Recordings
Our CDs are still priced at $15 each.
NEW; The Iron Leg Boys. When Smakula Fretted Instruments chief banjo restoration artist meets with half of the Fox Hunt band, what's gonna happen? This CD of 17 off the beaten track fiddle tunes from West Virginia. Fiddle by the 4 time West Virginia Open fiddle contest winner Andy FitzGibbon, Banjo by Ben Townsend, and guitar by Matthew Metz. The cover art is an amazing homage to SFI's favorite Randolph County restaurant, Bob's Hotdogs. Essential listening for all fans of West Virginia fiddle music.
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 fiddler 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.
Stott Prouty; Puncheon Floor. A top notch collection of Scott Prouty's fiddle playing. Mostly West Virginia and Kentucky pieces. Scott is one of the few young old time fiddlers that understands the old playing styles.
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
DVD
Old Time Music on the Augusta Stage. 90 minutes of amazing Old Time music chosen from thousands of hours in the Augusta archives. This video features 26 performances of old and young musicians. Highly recommended by the staff here at SFI. $20
ACCESSORIES:
Banjo Heads and other parts have moved. Please click here to go to the index of heads, parts, & cases.
ELECTRONIC TUNERS
Snark, Small chromatic tuner that clips on the peghead of your fiddle, guitar, banjo, or bass. We sell the red one; $20
Gold Tone, a small chromatic tuner with no frills that makes it easier to use. $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 $20 to $50. 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 .