McNally G-29 Standard Strumstick

by McNally

Product Features

• The ideal first instrument Easy to play Banjo/dulcimer-like sound3 strings and a diatonic scale.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0002F6UUW
• Item model number: G-29
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,832 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #34 in Musical Instruments > Instrument Accessories > Guitar & Bass Accessories > Bags & Cases > Electric Guitar Bags & Cases > Bags

Product Description

The McNally Strumstick is one of the easiest stringed instruments to learn how to play! It is designed for ease of learning and playing. It is a diatonic instrument (meaning all notes are on the basic scale with no sharps or flats), making it very easy to play new songs and to create your own. It has 3 strings. To start with, you can play the melody on one string and use the other two strings for a constant drone chord in the current key. As you advance, you can play chords on all 3 strings very easily.

This instrument plays in the key of G, and can also be tuned for the key of F. It has a Padouk body, spruce, and maple. This version has a sound similar to a banjo or dulcimer. Each Strumstick comes with a pick, instruction sheet

The Strumstick is on the right in the picture.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hits its intended market., January 5, 2007

By 

Mark Wilkinson (North Logan, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McNally G-29 Standard Strumstick

I purchased this item as a gift for my wife, and she really likes it. She used to play guitar, but has not had time for it for many years. Guitar is a difficult instrument to play, and it takes a lot of time to maintain proficiency. She likes the strumstick, because it is a much simpler instrument. It is easier to learn and requires less practice than the guitar.

I think the strumstick hits its market well. This is a no-frills stringed instrument. As a guitar is to the strumstick, the oboe is to the recorder. In the hands of even a beginner, this instument sounds nice. The sound of someone learning the strumstick doesn't make you want to stick red-hot pokers through your eardrums.

I'm not a musician, but the quality of the strumstick seems to be very good. At its price (I think I paid $120), I consider it a bargain. This is not some made-in-China packaged defecation. This is a quality product.

To describe the strumstick in as few words a possible, the instrument works by getting rid of all the sharps and flats in the scale. It would be like having a piano with only the white keys. In this regard it reminds me of a harmonica. It has three strings, and you pretty much just play the bottom one (at least in the instructions that came with it). With the top two strings just ringing, it has much the same type of sound as the bagpipe. Maybe because of this and the simplicity of the instrument (which doesn't have a deep, rich sound), it sounds like a medieval instrument.

If you're interested in a simple, hobbyist type of instrument, or if you are looking for a beginner's stringed instrument (particularly for fickle youth whose intrests change with the tides), I would recommend this. It might be a very good instrument for home-schoolers too.

Mark

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good beginner's instrument, May 11, 2009

By 

Comparative Anatomist - See all my reviews

This review is from: McNally G-29 Standard Strumstick

I bought the strumstick (grand model) a few days ago. I have zero experience with musical instruments and have always been leery of the "easy to play" claims. This one means it. The diatonic scale is very user friendly compared to chromatic instruments (e.g. guitars). I started making up my own songs within five minutes of getting it. My ears didn't bleed once from the sounds I made. In fact, my wife asked me if I had played the guitar before because the made up tunes sounded good to her ear too. My three year old son wanted me to play something. I panicked a bit and told him I can't because I just got the instrument and didn't know how. I grabbed the song book and took a deep breath. Within an hour I was playing his favorites from memory (the itsy bitsy spider and wheels on the bus). The songbook has "real" songs in it too like Scarborough Fair", "Danny Boy" etc.

If you want to mess around on a stringed instrument and don't have the time to go through the pain and suffering of strangled guitar tunes, this is the instrument for you. It does sound very much like a mountain dulcimer with faint banjo overtones. In fact, in many ways, this IS a dulcimer configured for guitar playing. If you enjoy the sweeter sound of a dulcimer over a guitar, this is the one. Although it only has three strings, it is clear that there is plenty of room for complex song playing. I haven't put it down since I got. If you pluck it, it has surprising volume, but you can softly strum it too and not offend those with other musical tastes. If, like me, you are afraid of tuning it, buy a $25 clip-on tuner and the problem will be solved.

Love it. I'm already saving up for the alto and standard versions. By the way, these sorts of instruments go by other names (e.g. "sweetstick", duclijo, banjimer, dulcimer guitar, etc.).

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A whole lotta and music at your fingertips, June 26, 2010

By 

Ohpattigee "Patti" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: McNally G-29 Standard Strumstick

This instrument is a whole lotta music and fun at your fingertips. No matter what age you are, people are just drawn to this lil thing. I bought my mom one, she used to play piano and is 84 years old and plays it like a banjo. My grandgals luv it also. I watched a lotta of YouTube (Tracy Chapman, YES, the Inventor ...McNally, etc.) before I bought mine (Waverly Ohio Prussia Valley Music Shoppe)

I found this had more versatility of sound in 3 strings than I expected. It is VERY forgiving when it comes to playing by new form of chords or by ear.
I like playing Rock, Classic camp songs and Vineyard Worships songs on my standard G, tuned DAD.

Are you prone to getting the blues? That is, feeling depressed? Buy this and you will feel a little to a lot better just by strumming on it for awhile.