Bodhrans by Mid-East at The Harp and Dragon

The bodhrans listed below are solid, well-built instruments with a good thick skin, and come with a beater included in the price; a tuning wrench is also included with tunable bodhrans.

Diameter versus rim depth: The smaller the bodhran's diameter, the higher its pitch; conversely, the larger the diameter, the lower the pitch. (The tuning of any bodhran takes place within a fairly small pitch variation range.) The depth of the rim determines the instrument's boom; the deeper the rim, the greater the boom. (Boom and pitch are not the same thing.)

The Mid-East bodhrans used to be all made of the more expensive rosewood, but in more recent times they have also produced their bodhrans in other, less expensive woods with a stained or painted finish. We mention this to explain some of the pricing differences.

MB10. This small 14" bodhran in natural mulberry is especially good for children who want to play bodhran just like the grownups, but who have outgrown the toy bodhran size (8"). Rim depth: standard 3 1/2". This is a solid drum with a good goatskin head. The mulberry wood is not as heavy as rosewood; weight of this bodhran is about 2 1/4 lb. With beater. $39

The photo at left is actually of an 18" bodhran, but otherwise this is what the MB10 looks like.

A tacked bodhran has nails all around the wood rim to hold the skin (also called the head) in place. A tacked bodhran is tuned by either wetting the skin to lower its tension and pitch, or heating the skin gently (a lightbulb is often used) to increase its tension and raise its pitch.

MB11. 18" diameter, tacked goatskin, rosewood, 3 1/2" rim, with beater. Nonremovable crossbar. $54

At left we show two views, front and back, of the natural rosewood Mid-East tacked bodhran.

"I received the bodhran my husband ordered for me for my birthday, and I LOVE it! It is such a beautiful instrument, and well crafted... This message came from the new owner of the 18" tacked goatskin bodhran.

Tunable bodhrans have a mechanical means of tightening or loosening the tension of the skin of the drum; this allows the pitch to be raised or lowered without having to wet or dry the skin.

There are two systems for tunable bodhrans, outside tunable and, more recently, inside tunable.

The outside-tunable bodhran has metal clamps around the outside of the rim that can be tightened or loosened with a small wrench to raise or lower the pitch of the drum. The inside-tunable bodhran has an ingenious mechanism hidden inside so that you have to look very closely to see that the bodhran is tunable; these bodhrans are also tuned with a small wrench.

There are pros and cons for the two systems. An advantage of the outside-tunable bodhran, with its pieces of metal on the outside of the drum, is that you can clack on the hardware with your beater, a technique that is certainly a showstopper if you're doing some fancy bodhran work. In the US this technique has become popular.

An advantage of the inside-tunable bodhran is that you can't see the hardware, making your bodhran look more traditionally Irish. (In Ireland, tunable bodhrans are practically nonexistent, the year-round moderate, damp Irish climate making tuning far easier by wetting and drying the head.)

In Ireland, the most popular bodhran size is 15-16" diameter. It is a nice compromise between the larger 18" bodhran that is so popular in the U.S., and the smaller 14" one.

MB30. (Shown at left). Natural rosewood, with T-bar, arm cutout and leather strip around the edge under the tacks. 16" diameter, rim depth about 3 1/2". Includes beater and tuning wrench. $62 Out of stock.

This 16" diameter bodhran has a deep 7.5" rim, goatskin head, inside tunable hardware, removable bar, with beater and tuning wrench. This bodhran has an amazingly deep boom to it. The removable bar is a useful feature for anyone who prefers to play without a bar, or for anyone with a very large arm that does not fit under this bar, or under the nonremovable crossbar of other models of bodhrans. This bodhran's deep rim gives a boom to its sound, compared to bodhrans with narrower rims.

MB31. In natural rosewood (shown at left). $115

MB31A. Same as MB31, but simulated rosewood (nice painted deep red finish on mulberry). $95

For a carrying case that will fit the 16 x 7.5" bodhrans, see our bodhran cases page.

One customer writes: I bought a 16 x 7.5" bodhran a while back and absolutely love it! I've been recording with it and it sounds phenomenal.

MB21. 18" diameter, goatskin head, inside tunable, 3 1/2" rosewood rim, with beater and tuning wrench. Nonremovable crossbars. $66

MB22. Like the bodhran MB21, but double goatskin head. Includes beater and tuning wrench. $85.

Special! MB24. 18 x 3 3/4" tunable bodhran in stained emerald green (see below for color), single removable bar, and black tacked strip as shown in the MB26 below. Includes beater and tuning wrench. Only $65 We have one of these.

MB26. Deep 5" stained emerald green rim of painted mulberry wood, 18" diameter, goatskin head, inside tunable hardware, removable bar, with beater and tuning wrench. The removable bar is a useful feature for anyone who prefers to play without a bar, or for anyone with a very large arm that does not fit under this bar, or under the nonremovable crossbar of other models of bodhrans. Our current stock does not have the arm cutout - the rim is level all around. $80.

For carrying cases that will accommodate this bodhran, see our BC2 and BC4 bodhran cases.

The advantage of the synthetic head on this bodhran is that the head is pretty well impervious to changes in humidity, and sounds equally good when the weather is very rainy or very dry. Professionals like this bodhran because it's rather a nuisance doing a gig in a tent on a rainy day and trying to keep a goatskin head tight enough to sound right, or trying to keep the skin loose enough in a heated hall in winter in the north. This bodhran always sounds great, no matter what the playing conditions.

Another advantage of the outside-tunable bodhran, with its pieces of metal on the outside of the drum, is that you can clack on the hardware with your beater, a technique that is certainly a showstopper if you're doing some fancy bodhran work. In the US this technique has become popular.

MB40. 18" diameter, Fiberskyn brand (i.e., synthetic) head, outside-tunable hardware, 3 1/2" rosewood rim, beater and tuning wrench. Nonremovable crossbar. $87

For a carrying case for this bodhran, that is roomy enough to accommodate the outside hardware, see our BC3 and BC4 bodhran cases. The BC1 case is too small for this bodhran.

"Wow! What a great-sounding drum! Used it at rehearsal tonight and it was fabulous!" An unsolicited endorsement received from a satisfied customer who bought the Fiberskyn 18" bodhran above.

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The Harp and Dragon
25 Madison St, Cortland, NY 13045 USA
Tel 607-756-7372 Fax/Ans mach 607-756-0366

MB23. 18" diameter, inside tunable, 3 1/2" black-painted mulberry wood rim, goatskin head, removable bar, with beater and tuning wrench. The removable bar is a useful feature for anyone who prefers to play without a bar, or for anyone with a very large arm that does not fit under this bar, or under the nonremovable crossbar of other models of bodhrans. Out of stock.