Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

The most of the makers are concentrated on tunable bodhrans of small size and seems like they think about untunable ones as a practice or cheap ones.
And I like big-sized untunable bodhrans and want to buy really good one.

I really prefer simple goatskin one-layer drums. It gives me more different sounds and then I can really be playing 'music' not 'rhythm'. Partly that’s because I’m a sound engineer and play melodic/harmonic instruments also. So my bodhran should have a lot of different colors and give a possibility of playing “notes” played with the left hand techniques.

What makers could you advise for this special occasion?
European’s better.

Thanks!

# Posted on May 3rd 2009 by evikki

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

http://www.bodojo.com/

A website that specializes in the bodhran. I hope you have full exposure to what can be done with a state of art 14 to 16 inch quality bodhran made by Seamus O'Kane or his son. Then there is Rob Forkner of Metloaf in the Netherlands, Darius Bartlett in France, Christian Hedshwak in Austria. We are talking about easy to use and very accurate finger tuners, the most resonant shells and specially treated Lambeg and other drum heads. Then Seamus has an advanced tuning system that guarantees even tensioning with one tuning mechanism to use.

Check out Eamon Murray on Youtube demonstrating the new top end style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n9DF4HWjV4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoUC99-Wvjs&feature=related

OR

What you are describing sounds like frame drum playing.

Check out Scott Robinson on a large frame drum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=004KsmKBgrY&feature=related

Then there is Kuckhermann's website:

http://www.framedrums.net/

# Posted on May 3rd 2009 by Micheál

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

Englishman Barrie Lockwood (former banjo player with 'The DT's') now resides in Spain and is a grand bodhran maker _ but i'm not sure if he's still making them there

Peter and i got our family bodhrans off him and mine is No. 131 August 1998

# Posted on May 4th 2009 by lisaniska

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

Thanks for the links!
I think what I need is 18 inches one.

# Posted on May 5th 2009 by evikki

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

Micheal, I think our requester specifically asked for NON-tunable drums.
Some people do prefer them.
I'm still using a Pakistani-made bodhran, bought at a folk festival from one of the British folk-music shop chains, for our dance gigs - despite the censure heaped on them for their flutes and pipes, there's nothing wrong with the value of their drums. Of course, as in all instruments, you can pay many times the price for a craftsman hand-made instrument, but no-one has ever told me my bodhran is out of tune.

# Posted on May 5th 2009 by Guernsey Pete

Right!

Pete, you are completely right!

I already have a very simple non-tunable cheap bodhran and it's good in principle.
But I'd like to have perfect one for studio and serious gigs experience.

To make bodhran wet and tuned manually is natural and fun to me - same way like with women. It's a contact.

# Posted on May 6th 2009 by evikki

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

I think that was a salacious remark, evikki.
Careful how you go when you leave the session, the ladies in sensible shoes will be watching for you.

# Posted on May 8th 2009 by Guernsey Pete

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

i'll take care

# Posted on May 8th 2009 by evikki

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

seems like no more opinions

# Posted on May 14th 2009 by evikki

Re: Best single skin, non-tunable bodhrans? Where to buy?

http://michaelvignoles.com/
I got from this guy

# Posted on June 2nd 2009 by evikki