Bodhrans by Mid-East

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. 

It should be kept in mind that the smaller the bodhran, the higher its pitch; for a deep sound you must buy a larger size. The tuning of any bodhran takes place within a fairly small range of pitch variation.

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 painted finish. We mention this to explain some of the pricing differences.

Carrying cases are available separately. Click here for bodhran carrying cases.

The skins on these bodhrans may be mottled, as they are real animal skin.

Tacked Bodhrans, 14" and 18"

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.

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

MB10. 14" diameter, tacked goatskin, rosewood, 3 1/2" rim, with beater. Nonremovable crossbar.  $45

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

"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 above.

Sale! MB12. 18" diameter. Tacked bodhran with black-painted mulberry wood, 3 1/2" rim, removable bar. 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. Includes beater. Was $51, now $45.

Tunable Bodhrans

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.)

Inside-Tunable Bodhrans, 14" and 18"

MB20. 14" diameter, goatskin head, inside tunable, 3 1/2" rosewood rim, with beater and tuning wrench. Nonremovable crossbars. $54

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 above, but double goatskin head. $85.

New! MB23. Natural 18" x 3 1/2" mulberry bodhran with cross bars, inside tunable. Natural mulberry is similar in color to maple, but with an oak type of grain, very nice looking. Goatskin head. $59.

Special! MB24. 18 x 3 3/4" tunable bodhran in green, single removable bar, and black tacked strip as shown in the MB26 below. Only $60

MB26. Deep 5" 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.

Inside-Tunable 16" Bodhrans

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). 16" in diameter, rosewood, with T-bar, arm cutout and  leather strip around the edge under the tacks. $60 Out of stock.

MB31. This bodhran has an amazingly deep boom to it. Deep 7.5" black rim of painted mulberry wood, 16" 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. $91
MB31A. Same as MB31, but brown. $91

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.

18" Tunable Bodhran with Synthetic Head

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

This bodhran is available only with outside tunable hardware.

For a carrying case for this bodhran, that is roomy enough to accommodate the outside hardware, see our BC2, 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.