Balalaika

The Balalaika family, like that of the violin, comes in many sizes, from small 1/4-size children's instruments to large double-bass concert Balalaikas. I found the unnamed instrument on the left at the annual San Juan Bautista Flea Market in August, 1997. (Actually, my wife, Stella, found it and insisted I get it.) We purchased it from a dealer who could give no history (provenance) on the instrument.

This particular Russian folk instrument is a little larger than a standard lute-back mandolin. In fact this instrument has a rounded and segmented back like that of a lute-back mandolin. The wide segments look birch and are separated by narrow strips of what appears to be basswood. The top is a German-type spruce, and the neck and head is fir (similar to Douglas fir) with a birch fingerboard.

The flat bottom and the lower portion of the back have slight water damage. Otherwise, the instrument is in good condition, with no cracks or loose glue joints. I'll need to remove the varnish, which has whitened and flaked, and refinish it. This will be one of my projects for the summer of '98.

To hear what a Balalaika sounds like, a CD called Balalaika Favorites, by the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra, has been reissued by Philips Classics Productions and released through PolyGram. This was recorded June, 1962 and is supposed to be the "first recordings ever made in the Soviet Union by American Musical and Technical staff and equipment." It was recorded by Mercury on location in Moscow.