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Bodhran

Roosebeck 14" Tunable Bodhran, Cross-Bar

$99
$99
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  • RosewoodSold out
  • Red Cedar

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14" Diameter Rosewood or Red Cedar Goatskin Head Inside Tuning Fixed Cross-Bar

Ideal for: Beginners and younger players who want a crisp, responsive bodhran in a tunable frame

The compact 14-inch bodhran with a crisp, focused voice.

The 14-inch bodhran is the smallest tunable size we make, easy to hold and quick to control, with a crisper, more focused voice than the larger 16 and 18-inch drums. The frame is trimmed with a black band, and the natural goatskin head carries the Roosebeck logo. Inside bolt tuning keeps the exterior clean, and the fixed cross-bar gives beginners a stable, comfortable grip behind the head. Choose a solid rosewood frame for warmth and weight, or red cedar for a noticeably lighter drum.

A Crisp, Focused Voice

A 14-inch shell moves less air than the larger sizes, which gives it a crisper, higher-pitched crack and a faster response. The frame is dense and resonant, adding warmth to the natural goatskin head so the drum still carries body under the brightness. This is the size most players reach for first.

Rosewood or red cedar: Rosewood is denser and adds more warmth and sustain from the frame itself. Red cedar is significantly lighter and easier on the arm over a long session. Both use the same goatskin head, the same 14-inch shell, and the same inside tuning.

Solid Frame, Clean Inside Tuning

The 14-by-3.5-inch shell is trimmed with a black band around the frame, and the natural goatskin head carries the Roosebeck logo. Rosewood runs darker and denser; red cedar is lighter in the hand, with a fine, even grain and a warm reddish to violet-brown color. Bolt tuning is mounted on the interior of the frame, completely hidden from view, so from the outside the drum reads as a clean, traditional bodhran without external tuning lugs to catch on clothing.

The fixed cross-bar is a beginner-friendly choice. It gives your non-dominant hand a stable grip without requiring the technique of free-hand back pressure. As you advance, you can rest your hand on the bar while still applying pressure to the head behind it.

Cross-bar vs. T-bar: A cross-bar is fixed and runs straight across the inside of the frame, giving stable two-handed grip. A T-bar is removable and shorter. The cross-bar is the more traditional and beginner-friendly choice.

Tuning and Playing the 14-Inch

Use the included tuning wrench to adjust the bolts inside the frame. Turn each bolt a small amount and work around the head in a star pattern. The smaller 14-inch head reaches playing tension with less overall adjustment than a larger drum, so go gently. New goatskin stretches in over the first few weeks of regular play, so retune often early on.

Hold the drum against your chest, fret the back of the head with your non-dominant hand or rest it on the cross-bar, and strike with the tipper held loosely between thumb and fingers. The compact size makes the 14-inch comfortable to play seated for long stretches.

Sizing for your body: The 14-inch is the smallest and most portable size, comfortable for younger players and anyone who wants a lighter drum. If you want a deeper, fuller low end, step up to a 16 or 18-inch.

Technical Specifications

Diameter 14 inches
Shell Depth 3.5 inches
Frame Material Solid rosewood or red cedar
Head Natural goatskin
Tuning System Inside bolt tuning
Internal Bar Fixed cross-bar

What's in the Box

Every 14-inch bodhran ships set up, ready to be tuned and played.

Tipper Tuning Wrench Owner's Guide (PDF)

Have questions about this instrument? Contact us or browse all Bodhrans.

Questions about this instrument?
Talk to our team or browse all bodhrans.
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Roosebeck 14" Tunable Bodhran, Cross-Bar

Red Cedar

$99
$99
Tradition you can feel, craftsmanship you can hear.
Solid tonewoods
Cured, cut, and chosen for sound.
Voiced by hand
Fretboards dressed, action set, bridges fit by our luthiers.
Made to be played
Built for working musicians, designed to sound better the more you play it.
Since 1973
Five decades of building instruments that last generations.

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