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The bodhran I am
seen holding in the picture at the right is a fine instrument made for
me by one of my best friends, Albert Alfonso. It is made of a 15"
birch-ply shell, and the head is one of Albert's best, though it
is not the traditional goatskin usually found on bodhráns. What
is it? I'm sworn to secrecy...The brass tuning ring is probably most
responsible for its clear, deep sound. The tuning system itself is a
new tool-less design of Albert's that he has been working on for the
past year. There are other pictures with more detail of it around the
site. I have owned many of his drums over the years and despite
my daliances with other makers, I still come back to Albert's drums.
'Nuff said.
Rob Forkner of Austin, Texas has been especially kind to me and made
several drums for me in recent years. Aside from Albert
Alfonso's, Rob makes the only other drums that I consider
playing. I currently play a beautiful drum
made from English goatskin by Rob. He and I worked on various designs
for tuning rings until he hit in a special combination of ring and
skin-curing that "defines" the "Mark Stone sound." I'm especially
pleased with it and am looking forward to others from Rob.
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Photo by Lisa Anderson 2007 |
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Lastly, two of my
prized drums are my two 17.5" bodhrans made by the great Charlie Byrne
of Thurles, Co. Tipperary. (Charlie's daughter, Carmel Byrne was quite
respected as a bodhran player in the 1960s and 70s.) The first of the
Byrne drums I have was given to me by one of my best friends, Cliff
Moses. I treasure it and don't bring it out much. The second is a dark
brown drum made from Belgian goat. The brown hair has not been removed
and matches the deep color of the chocolate pinewood shell. It has a
wonderfully soft, subtle sound. Charlie picked it out himself for
me one magical evening in his shop and the story is a classic Irish
tale. Buy me a beer, and I'll tell it to you sometime. You won't be
able to resist smiling...
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