Getting ready for summer by wrapping up a month of great bluegrass and old time folk bands couldn't be topped by much more than featuring the instrument that is synonymies with bluegrass; the banjo.

I had planned on featuring one of the best known and arguably one of the best banjo players of today, Danny Barnes. As fate would have it, we didn't get the press preview of his scheduled July release Dirt on the Angel in time for this review date, so it will have to wait for a later time.

Being left in a dilemma of scrambling for a last minute band, I'm choosing instead to feature a really cool product that I'm already sold on and have been having a blast with since I got it last month.

The Banjovie is a product of Nechville Musical Products, world renowned for their patents on the heli-mount banjo design and electric banjos. Some of the world’s best banjoists from Danny Barnes (Bad Livers) to Emily Robison (Dixie Chicks) play Nechville banjos, but world-class products are typically out of the financial reach of somebody just getting introduced into bluegrass.

The Banjovie is the world's only production mini banjo. At 26 inches, it's about the size of a mandolin and is tuned to an open 'C' rather than standard 5-string banjo tuning of open 'G'. One of the best features is that it weighs about two pounds, making it ideal for the traveling troubadour. Another production method developed by Nechville Musical Instruments, is a machining center that shapes and drills each solid walnut neck to computer controlled specifications which gives the Banjovie a surprisingly professional (and big) sound while keeping the cost low.

I always knew I would be playing banjo someday, and this was the catalyst that got me going. Immediately after my banjovie arrived (assembled), I went to the internet, looked up How to play banjo, downloaded some lessons, sound samples, roll patterns and am already getting the hang of it.

If you've thought of trying banjo but didn't think you could afford it, a Banjovie is the way to go. Thanks for a great invention Tom! You da man!

For more information on the Banjovie and other Nechville musical products, CLICK HERE

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