A process for the production of a polyamide containing monomeric units of 1,4-butylene diamine, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6-12 carbon atoms and a fatty acid based dicarboxylic acid and/or diamine derived there from, which process comprises the steps of: a) making an aquous salt mixture containing 1,4-butylene diamine, the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6-12 carbon atoms and the fatty acid based dicarboxylic acid and/or diamine derived there from, the mixture containing less than 50 wt % water and distilling the mixture to less than 15 wt % of water at a pressure of less than 16 barg, while keeping the mixture at a temperature high enough to keep it liquid, b) starting the polymerization of the mixture obtained in step a) by increasing the temperature until to at least 180° C. until at least 80% of the reactive groups has been converted, c) optionally supplying further 1,4-butylene diamine, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6-12 carbon atoms and a fatty acid based dicarboxylic acid and/or diamine derived there from to the reaction mixture. The invention further relates to the polyamides obtained, a composition comprising the polyamide and the shaped articles made out of the composition.