I play a mandocello. It's an 8 stringed instrument from the mandolin family, but much larger than a mandolin. They evolved from Italian lutes durring the 15th century. By the ealy 1900's there were mandolin orchestras established in most cities across the US and Europe. The mandocello held down the lower end along with the mando basses in the pit. But soon, these 8 stringed armies vanished and most builders stopped production by the 20's. Their ghosts roamed almost 100 years before one of them found its' way to me. I began building them in 1996.
I changed the design a bit to get more volume from the body and enable me to electrify it. For 4 years I tooled out more than 300 of these. I tuned the wood to middle eastern and ancient celtic tones. Building was a very spiritual process for me. I bled for these instruments. My sweat soaked into the woods and my body still carries their splinters. If you own a Bardsong instrument, you best care for it well. My soul's inside there.
Some of those who own my children are Seamus Egan, Sheryl Crow, Dave Mustaine, Allan Woody (rip), Stacey Earle, Gillian Welch, Producers Ray Kennedy & Eric Ambel. They've found their way around the globe. So now you're clued in.