Resonator mandolin

[jaybones]

Just saw a resonator mandolin being played by The Band Perry on Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key Of Life tribute. Never saw one before (that I can recall), and wonder what this is called?

Dobrolin?

Mandonator?

Some other hybrid name?

A guitar banjo is a gitjo, 6 string banjo, or trashcan, a guitar mandolin is called a mandola (?), a banjo mandolin is called a banjolin.

[Cone Head]

It's just called a resonator mandolin, they've been around since National started making them in the 1920s.

Here's my 1929 National Triolian mandolin (next to a Regal from the 1910s):

[Mobilemike]

Whoa that's kinda cool.

[cu4life7]

They can be amazing. National-Resophonic makes one that is an absolute beast. So loud, but with a great tone. It's called the RM-1. I have almost bought one a few times but always said "I am not sure I need a mando this loud..."

[fatt-dad]

I hear they're loud!

f-d

[Cone Head]

I've never played a modern National mandolin, but my 1929 National is ridiculously loud.
Last summer I was sitting in the park with my dog practicing some ragtime instrumentals and a guy wandered over to ask me where my amp was (!) and told me he could hear it a block away through traffic.

[repete]

And thats why resonator instruments were invented. They had to be loud enough to be heard above the rest of the band.

-r

Recording King resonator uke.

[Bikewer]

Sam Bush plays one now and then as well..... And sometimes with a slide.

[ifret]

My close friend, who is a great mando player, just picked up a National Reso-Mandolin. He calls it his "banjo buster". It is loud, but also, the tone is different, so it adds a unique sound to the mix.