Best balalaikas for beginners and pros for 2020

Balalaika is a traditional Russian musical instrument. The sound of the balalaika is so unique that modern youth continues to master the art of playing it. Popular performers use this instrument in their work.

The editorial staff of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" offers to your attention an article with a full description, advantages and disadvantages of the best models of balalaikas for professional and amateur games.

History of origin

According to research by the Central People's Archives, the history of the emergence of the balalaika begins in ancient Russia. To play this instrument masterly and correctly, it was necessary to spend a lot of time learning. There was even a separate profession — the balalaika player. As a rule, it was a young man who performed at peasant gatherings, celebrations or weddings. Ordinary villagers could not afford such a luxury. In the 17th century, balalaika players were subjected to pressure from the current government and the church, so the instruments were confiscated and burned. When Peter I came to power, everything changed. At all feasts in the imperial house, the balalaika sounded, and ordinary people could also pamper themselves with the sound of this instrument.

This instrument amazes foreigners. It is absolutely not clear to them how different compositions can be performed with the help of three strings.

By the way! Today you can find electroacoustic balalaikas with more strings.

The biggest changes in the structure of the balalaika took place in the 18th century. Then, the famous musician Vasily Andreev undertook to improve the popular balalaika. The reason is the desire to bring the instrument to the big stage.

Then, he turned to his good friend and part-time master violinist Ivanov. Together they refined the body of the instrument, reduced size and weight, using quality maple, making the neck out of ebony. This marked a new era for the folk instrument.

With this product, Andreev began to actively tour the country and abroad. Then the whole world learned about the balalaika.

Structure and sound

The most important difference between balalaika and other instruments is its sound. It is heard loudly, loudly, while soft and high. The structure itself is very simple - it is a wooden base on which 3 strings are stretched. Its structure is somewhat reminiscent of a guitar, although it is incorrect to compare the two instruments. The musician must clamp the required string, and the pitch of the sound is produced along the length of the string.

On average, a standard balalaika has a length of 60 to 70 cm and is made from quality wood. The structure of this tool is simple:

1. Housing. This is the basis of the entire instrument, it has the shape of a triangle with a handle, material is pine or oak.
2. Deca. This is the front side of the product. It has a so-called voice box, a hole in the middle. A protective device is installed above it - a shell.
3. Vulture. This is the handle or the longest part on which the strings are pulled. At the end of the neck there is a tuning mechanism, it is on it that the strings are pulled and twisted.

Balalaika has several varieties:

1. Prima. Leading position. The strings are mi, mi, la.
2. Second. Accompanying, less sonorous, strings A, A, D.
3. Alto. Accompaniment, the timbre is softer, strings E, E, A.
4. Bass. Plays the role of bass, sets the tone, strings E, A, D.
5. Contrabass. A dull shade, base, strings E, A, D.

Balalaika strings

In ancient times, strings were made from any materials at hand, but now modern models are produced from metal with synthetic impurities. You cannot save on string replacement, because the sound quality depends on them.

Popular improvised materials for making strings in the old days were:

• horse hair;
• animal tissues;
• straw;
• metal rods.

People experimented and searched for all the best string materials that would sound the best.

Modern strings also have different compositions:

• metal string with carbon impurity;
• bronze base;
• brass;
• carbon base with nylon insert.

The sound produced depends on the quality and thickness of the string.

Interesting Facts

Like any ancient folk instrument, the balalaika has its own history and has collected a lot of interesting facts over the years, here are a few of them:

1. In our time, the oldest balalaika is an exhibit of the museum in Ulyanovsk. This particular product is already over 120 years old. More than 50 thousand schoolchildren come to see this exhibit every year.
2. This is the most popular musical instrument, which is mentioned in the works of such classics as Leo Tolstoy, Nikolai Gogol and many others.
3. One of the decisive factors that influenced the worldwide fame of the balalaika was the "patronage" of the imperial family. It was Alexander III who ordered the tour of the Andreevsky ensemble to Paris. Then the whole world heard the subtle and sonorous sound of our traditional balalaika, which created an unheard of sensation.
4. It is believed that the first written mention of a musical instrument occurred 335 years ago.
5. In 2008, the Balalaika Day was officially approved - June 23.
6. According to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, each country has an association of balalaika lovers. Most of its members are immigrants or people with a kinship with Russians.
7. There is an orchestra of Russian folk instruments in Japan. This group actively tours and participates in many events. It should be noted that only Japanese people participate in the team.
8. There are collectives of Russian folk instruments in almost every city. As a rule, the balalaika plays the main role in it.

There are a lot of musicians in our country who are proficient in these instruments. Cultural events are held in our country every year, where talented balalaika players can demonstrate their skills.

Rating of the best balalaikas for beginners and professional musicians for 2020

As a rule, you can buy a balalaika only by hand, since the products are not produced on a mass scale. The prices for such professional models are quite high. Our team has compiled a list of the best balalaikas for beginners and professional musicians.

Category	Name	Number of strings	price, rub.
Professional products	Balalaiker 6S Electro	6	14500
	BALALAIKA HORA BASS M-1082	3	66600
	Balalaiker 4S-S / FOLK SERIES	4	11000
For beginner musicians	6S-16 Balalaika 6-string, traditional	6	11890
	Balalaika 3S-BF, Festival series, Black Fedor	3	8400
	Sputnik-T Balalaiker 3S-ST	3	10000

Professional products

Balalaiker 6S Electro

This is a professional six-string balalaika designed for the experienced musician. This is ideal for live performances. The balalaika has outputs for connecting to sound amplifying devices. The instrument itself produces high-quality sound without distorting moments. It should be noted that a beginner balalaika player cannot cope with this model.

The body is made for the "prima". Has a light natural shade. The base material is maple and birch, but the neck is made of maple. The model is oriented towards a right-handed musician. The top of the balalaika is covered with varnish, which gives shade and perfect smooth color.The strings are made of metal, and there are 6 of them. This product is made by hand and will be suitable exclusively for connoisseurs of this type of instrument.

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HORA BASS M-1082

The most expensive model in our rating, but only such a price can be found for musical instruments from the HORA company. This is a 3 string model. Is the bass. The cost of this product is quite high, all because the top neck is made of solid spruce and has no joints at all. Manufacturing is completely manual. The body is made of maple. The structure is extruded and strong, there is no porosity. The front cover has decorative elements, inlay.

As for the technical part, the instrument fully meets the needs of professional musicians. The sound is top notch. The strings are made of metal.

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A unique four-stringed limited edition instrument that will surely be appreciated by fans of professional playing. The exclusivity lies in the fact that, despite the fact that the balalaika looks like 3 strings, the first string is doubled. This is a kind of tool that only professionals will appreciate. The model has a characteristic sounding note that makes it possible to recognize it among other instruments. The upper part of the product is made of spruce, while the base is made of birch. The appearance resembles the standard balalaika that we all remember. But the cuts are filled with paint alive inside, which gives a characteristic overflow. The strings are made of metal with an admixture of nylon inserts. This gives a certain tonality and sonorous sound.

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For beginner musicians

6S-16 Balalaika 6-string, traditional

A standard six-string balalaika model that is suitable for beginner balalaika players. Has doubled strings for easier sound learning. One of the most popular models not only in Russia, but also abroad. The body is five-riveted and made of maple. Tool type - prima. It is worth noting the weight of the product, it is small, suitable for the smallest musician. The back is made of spruce. It has no additional decor, its beauty lies in its simplicity. The neck is made of maple. It is with this neck that the basics of the game are best given. The tuning height is standard, but it can be individually adjusted to suit your playing style. The strings are made of metal with an admixture of brass. They give a sonorous sound.

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3S-BF, Festival series, Black Fedor

This is a completely new, modified version of the standard balalaika, which until recently was not even produced on an industrial scale. The advantages lie in its compactness, lightness, small size and specific type of rear housing. It is he who allows you to learn how to masterfully master the instrument. Another plus is that even small children can hone their skills on it. The body is made using punt technology. The neck is made of birch. The body is made of spruce. It should be noted the bright black design. And the lacquer finish adds chic. The total length is only 62 cm. The strings are metal.

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Sputnik-T Balalaiker 3S-ST

Another popular model among aspiring musicians. The body is medium in size and has 5 rivets. This characteristic makes the model suitable for use even by non-professional musicians. The acoustic characteristics are satisfactory. Body color - brown, made of maple and birch arranged in equal proportions. Like the previous product, it has an oval neck. The most convenient option for non-professional musicians. The total length of the instrument is 67 cm. The top is varnished. It should be noted that the balalaika comes with a protective case. This is a nice bonus from the manufacturer. As for the strings, they are made of metal. The factory setting leaves much to be desired, therefore, after purchase, the product must be shown to a specialist.

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The traditional Russian instrument, the balalaika, is one of the main souvenirs that foreigners love so much. An instrument with a long history still makes you admire Russian musicians, the sonorous and high timbre will not leave anyone indifferent. Products are divided into professional and simpler designs for beginner musicians. In her lifetime, she went through a lot: she was burned, she conquered the imperial house, she was forgotten and remembered again, the sound was improved in every possible way and the shape changed. An instrument with history and cultural heritage that has made the whole world proud of our people.