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Your cart is empty.Balalaika. Origin Country: Pakistan. Made by Mid-East.
Balalaika with padded nylon case (Item Code: BLLP). Our Balalaika Prima measures approximately 27 inches in length. The scale length is 430 mm. The body has the classical triangular shape. The back is slightly bowed and made with stave construction in two tones of rosewood. The darker back contrasts with the light colored wood of the soundboard.
The Balalaika strings are tuned above middle C to: A, E, E (1st-3rd). The 1st string is the thinnest, and lays over more frets than the 2nd & 3rd strings. Use a piano or electronic tuner as a reference for tuning. The tension on each tuning peg can be adjusted by tightening or loosing the screw on the top of the peg. To play, the left hand notes the strings while the index finger of the right hand strums high on the soundboard near the neck. The dark rosewood on the soundboard is decorative but also protects the soundboard from the strumming.
The Balalaika most likely evolved from the Oriental dombra, which is still played in present-day Kazakhstan. Knowledge of the dombra most likely spread to Russia by Mongol trade and conquest. After undergoing structural changes, the Balalaika was embraced by Russians. It is said that the Balalaika embodies the Russian people’s character, with its ability to switch from happiness to sadness with ease. It was common for the peasant ballads, composed for the Balalaika, to irreverently poke fun at the authority of the times. For this reason there were times when the Balalaika was banned by both the Orthodox Church and the State. The instrument enjoyed its greatest folk popularity in the early 18th century.
In the later 19th century the instrument underwent a number of changes, including the adoption of the classic triangular shape. Reportedly, in the late 19th century, Vassily Vassilievich Andreyev, was responsible for the transition from a
GHB
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2022
This is a well-built beginner balalaika. It was shipped with the tuning pegs loosened and the strings below pitch, which is then right way to store it; the pegs are easily tightened with a screwdriver and the instrument holds its pitch. Every note on the fretboard sounds good, the fretboard is straight, and the whole instrument has a pleasing satin finish. The sound is just fine. The Bibs Ekkel and Dorozhkin books both highly recommended also. I just got it so can't comment on durability, but price seems fair and overall I'm very pleased with this purchase, which arrived a bit ahead of time and was securely packaged.
Beamish
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017
This is my first balalaika that wasn't made in Russia or the Ukraine, and I am quite pleased. It is accurately made with a very nice finish and has remarkably fine sound. It comes with the popular string set (steel, nylon, nylon) and a surprisingly good soft case. A simplified tuning mechanism with tension screws allow you to tighten or loosen the pegs as needed to hold tune.
Monsieur Goober
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2017
Pretty fine. The tuning pegs couldn't get the job done for that long so I tightened them up a bit, and thus worked perfectly. Overall good product.
Richard E.
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2017
Very nice quality craftsmanship... now if I can figure out how to play it.
Craig Gross
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2015
I sent it back. Its not a standard balalaika and has non-standard tuning pegs and I couldn't get it to stay in tune. So I returned it.
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