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Cheers, I'll give them a shout. Apparently everyone's decided to learn banjo in the past 6 weeks (I wonder why), Hobgoblin, Eagle Music and everywhere else I checked are completely sold out.
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May 6, 2020 16:05
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I think where nearly all of them are imported from the US there tends to be gaps between shipments at the best of times. Just kind of one of those things.
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May 6, 2020 16:40
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Sorry to keep being a pain but what's a Classic Special 2? https://www.gumtree.com/p/banjos/deering-goodtime-classic-special-2-banjo-w-extra-..-all-worth-%C2%A3969/1370459935
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May 6, 2020 17:37
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I'm pretty sure the Classic is the predecessor to the Artisan, which is basically a Goodtime but with darker wood stain, a separate fingerboard and some inlay. It won't sound or play any different to a regular Goodtime. The '2' just means it has a resonator.
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May 6, 2020 19:03
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Question time. I play fingerstyle acoustic guitar and leave my nails on the right hand long enough to give a little "zing" to the sound. Trying to work out right hand anchoring on the banjo. First I placed my ring and pinky in a position where the nail wouldn't scratch the skin but that felt uncomfortable. Tried trimming the nail a bit shorter on the ring finger and that let me curl the fingers a bit more. But I really use that nail on guitar so not sure that's going to work out. If I don't think about it I just naturally anchor a slightly curled pinky and it seems fine. Maybe just do that and not worry about it?
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May 17, 2020 20:59
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One of the things I struggle with as a banjo player is anchoring the ring finger as well as the pinky. It definitely helps to anchor the two fingers one is able, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it if only the pinky is anchored. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but at some point maybe trim the nail and try.
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May 18, 2020 01:57
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I've entirely failed to anchor my fingers at all so far, I worry I'm baking in bad habits but my forearm seem to keep my hand steady enough resting on the rim. I would like years of play to rub in a gleaming polish to that space just under the strings though 
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May 18, 2020 13:23
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Wait are you meant to anchor fingers on the banjo? Lmao rip me, I've been working on undoing that habit on the mandolin for like 2 years
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May 18, 2020 18:12
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For Scruggs style, yes. You're helping provide stability and energy focus for the 3 active fingers. For plectrum and clawhammer, no. I've seen acoustic guitar flatpickers anchor a pinky, but I don't think it's common.
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May 18, 2020 18:28
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It’s perfectly fine if you only anchor the pinky. That’s exactly what I do because it’s most comfortable.
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May 18, 2020 19:48
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I can anchor fingers just fine, did it for years playing electric guitar, I'm just lmaoing that I've decided to learn a style that requires a technique I'm actively trying to unlearn for the mandolin. I did go ahead and buy a Deering Classic Goodtime 2 off of Reverb, hoping it gets here this week.
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May 18, 2020 22:20
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Thought this might be of interest- Jamie Francis, plays banjo with Sam Kelly. He plays a 5 string, but like a tenor/mandolin. https://open.spotify.com/album/7CB2ZPmZ8jv57SjFaRMPrM?si=_V3OMcMuQqqyPRr4ETU3xA
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May 30, 2020 18:53
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Coohoolin posted:Thought this might be of interest- Jamie Francis, plays banjo with Sam Kelly. He plays a 5 string, but like a tenor/mandolin. Thanks for this, I really like it. Have added it to the playlist with Pikelny and a bunch of the old timers. Current mission is to learn the Ballad of Jed Clampett. It has like three new chords oh dear
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Jun 2, 2020 13:00
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Any of you guys play in gCGCC tuning? Love the sound in this tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CNB5OLUPM0
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Jun 9, 2020 22:01
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yea. double C but tune the first string down to C so the the 2nd and 1st drone. I think thats called "Lost Indian" tuning. Do a lot of open pull offs on the first to get a real groovy rhythm.
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Jun 9, 2020 22:10
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I know it as Darlin Cora tuning. Also I only really use it to play Darlin Cora but it love the tuning.
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Jun 9, 2020 22:22
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Yea me too. I learned Darlin Cora (Darlin Cory?) from Mike Seeger. It's one of those tunes where you want a fretless.
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Jun 10, 2020 01:06
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Did anybody watch videos by Patrick Costello, from youtube? he wrote "The How and the Tao of Old Time Banjo" and had a semi popular channel maybe 10 years ago, when I was first learning to play. His backstory is awfully hilarious. He's a huge troll and has been banned from all the major banjo discussion boards. There has to be better instructional videos on youtube these days, but I did find him really useful just starting out.
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Jun 10, 2020 04:40
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Him or his dad just got called out the other day for for dodgy comments regarding the BLM protests, and I think something homophobic too. He comes across as a right knob.
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Jun 10, 2020 09:34
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Doesn't surprise me, it's always something. I think he doesn't understand social rules/cues. I think my favorite banjo player from back in the old days (2010) was Bosco. He made a post about bakelight banjos and showed his, so I went and got a fancy $90 Harmony off Ebay. It's quiet, and the neck is super thin, but it's been my main player to this day. Calfskin head. I took the resonator off that day I got it. It sounds very warm. I might have to upgrade someday but I prefer cheap acoustic instruments. excellent bird guy fucked around with this message at 11:12 on Jun 10, 2020 |
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Jun 10, 2020 11:10
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My first banjo had a plastic pot. It was set up well so while it sounds a little thin it actually played really well and still sounded good enough. I think I preferred it to the Goodtime I had for a bit.
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Jun 10, 2020 11:40
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Vintage banjos just have MOJO that I (personally) wouldn't feel from a Goodtime. I should post pictures, I have 4 right now. My next will be a Goldtone Cello banjo! What do you own Blacknose?
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Jun 10, 2020 12:52
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Hello fellow banjo players. Just to add a couple of resources I don't hear mentioned too often (specifically for clawhammer): - Tom Collin's Banjo Blitz and Banjo Quest on Youtube is great for intermediate players. He focuses on modern techniques like syncopation which you don't get in many old-time books. - The Brainjo guy's lessons aren't bad, but I like his TOTW series more (https://clawhammerbanjo.net/clawhammer-tune-of-the-week/) -- learn to sing with your banjo as soon as possible. - For tabs, I really like http://www.taterjoes.com/Banjo/ -- http://www.banjr.com/tablatures.htm also seems promising but haven't had as much time to go through them. That being said, I also love the sound of the following songs, does anyone have any recommendations for similar sounding tunes? Not even sure how I'd describe them, Appalachian-y or maybe even blues-y? Cold Frosty Morning Clinch Mountain Backstep (http://www.taterjoes.com/Warehouse/Banjo/Am_ClinchMountainBackstep.pdf) Abe's Retreat (http://www.taterjoes.com/Warehouse/Banjo/A_AbesRetreat.pdf)
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Jun 14, 2020 00:19
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excellent bird guy posted:Vintage banjos just have MOJO that I (personally) wouldn't feel from a Goodtime. I have a Bart Reiter Buckbee on the left, and a 1920s or 30s Windsor Premier 3 on the right. It has a tunneled 5th and a heavy brass spunover pot, sounds great. 
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Jun 14, 2020 00:22
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Nice, Bart Reiter is so well regarded. I like those spun over pots too. I like the tailpieces on both. I also like the bridge on the older one, it looks like it's set up and maintained a lot better than my Lyon & Healy with a "german silver' aka spun over nickle pot. I think one steel & one nlyon/nylgut banjo will cover a lot of territory.Is that calfskin? Also the inlays on the older one is really unique Are those friction pegs i see? edit: Oh I just noticed, I've never seen a tunneled 5th before. How do you tune it? excellent bird guy fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Jun 14, 2020 |
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Jun 14, 2020 00:29
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I was lucky to be able to go to a Reiter stockist and play pretty much the whole range when I was last in the US. They're all really nice, I think of all of them I liked the bacophone most but not enough to pay twice as much as mine cost. The Buckbee was my close second favourite so no loss. The bridge on the windsor is a Veerman I had made for it and I think its a calfskin head. Hope it last forever cos I'm vegan so it won't ever be getting another one. I just had it set up by SlimJim Banjos and switched to nylguts instead of la bellas and its playing really well. The tailpiece on it is actually super cool as are the inlays, kinda has a look of its own. It was in a really bad state when I got it but two luthiers later its spot on. Definitely looking all of its century old with a load of old repairs and a very tarnished pot but I like it that way.   A lyon and healy should be a decent banjo. Have you had a luthier check it over?
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Jun 14, 2020 01:03
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Pie Colony posted:Hello fellow banjo players. Just to add a couple of resources I don't hear mentioned too often (specifically for clawhammer): I'll vouch for this guy in particular his videos are great. I really wanted to learn clawhammer for a while and just couldnt conceptualize how to do it properly. He has so many videos that break down the minutiae I finally figured it out and have been able to pick it up real quick. I'll recommend for scruggs style Jim Pankey because his 10 lesson beginner videos got me into playing pretty quickly with a mindset of learning that has helped me pick up whatever else I wanted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XswGppdJs_c
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Jun 15, 2020 08:09
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Blacknose posted:I was lucky to be able to go to a Reiter stockist and play pretty much the whole range when I was last in the US. They're all really nice, I think of all of them I liked the bacophone most but not enough to pay twice as much as mine cost. The Buckbee was my close second favourite so no loss. I can for sure support spending the price for a Reiter because (I think) he hand makes all his instruments. I would totally 100% rather funnel my money to a small business than dish out $1,200 to Gibson. My most expensive banjo I believe was $300, and that was the Lyon and Healy I got off the wall of a fiddle shop, who's owner was doing work on my Supertone. I'll take pictures next time I post. Tying nylgut is not my favorite activity by any means. I haven't changed my strings in a really long time. What's worse is mounting a calfskin head. You have to soak it in the bathtub all night then go through all this work. I tried for a few days, eventually gave up and had the fiddle shop guy do it. https://prustbanjos.com/ I've had a wonderful experience with Eric Prust. He made a custom tackhead for a crazy cheap price, it was like $200 shipped. I keep low D strings on it.The Lyon & Healy is an 'orchestra size', so the pot is 13" ! very big. I also keep it in low D or even C. All my instruments have calf skin also, all open back, no tone rings on any of them. Edit: I notice your 4th is non-wound. That's awesome, the wound 4th always annoyed me. Can't get away from wound on a the bigger gauge D tuned nylguts. excellent bird guy fucked around with this message at 10:46 on Jun 15, 2020 |
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Jun 15, 2020 10:40
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I think they're nylgut classic although I may be wrong about that. They feel and sound great, either way. 300 bucks is pretty good going. That's what my Windsor cost although I've spent another 150 or so on it since.
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Jun 15, 2020 20:15
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Hello thread. I play three finger rolls for my own amusement / meditation but I’ve decided to pick up the book on claw hammer and learn that style too. I have an open back Goodtime I bought off craigslist a couple years ago, it’s wonderful to play. Cheers
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Jun 16, 2020 21:51
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Pie Colony posted:Hello fellow banjo players. Just to add a couple of resources I don't hear mentioned too often (specifically for clawhammer): These are great pal cheers. I've been slowly getting ahead playing some tunes off of tabs. Can play decent like reading off the tab but getting the roll instincts by heart is proving a bit trickier. Sharing a pretty small space with the missus during lockdown and even when a cloth tied around the strings it's a bit irritating for her hearing constant plinks so not getting that much ground covered but sticking with it like.
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Jun 18, 2020 01:36
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Coohoolin posted:Sharing a pretty small space with the missus during lockdown and even when a cloth tied around the strings it's a bit irritating for her hearing constant plinks so not getting that much ground covered but sticking with it like. Is there anything stopping you from using a mute? Makes all the difference in the world - brings the volume way down, changes the tone (softens it as if it were a quiet guitar). "Mikes mute" is what I have. Must-have if you live with someone, serious. Im about to clamp mine on and play Home Sweet Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO9lhITrUCU
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Jun 18, 2020 02:25
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Eegah! posted:I'll recommend for scruggs style Jim Pankey because his 10 lesson beginner videos got me into playing pretty quickly with a mindset of learning that has helped me pick up whatever else I wanted.
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Jun 28, 2020 10:15
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Planet X posted:Is there anything stopping you from using a mute? Makes all the difference in the world - brings the volume way down, changes the tone (softens it as if it were a quiet guitar). "Mikes mute" is what I have. Must-have if you live with someone, serious. I have a 'Banjo Burger,' I think it's called. That I've never used. When I first got my Supertone, it came with a large sponge between the head and the rod that connects the neck with the end of the rim. It gave it a pluckier sound, I think moreso than a lower volume. It goes without saying a reso will make the sound super loud.
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Jun 28, 2020 14:55
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how good is a Kansas banjo? just saw a dude on my local FB page selling one with upgraded tuners for $200.00. ive only ever had a super cheap rear end banjo from another brand, that was practically unusable
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Jun 28, 2020 16:20
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Generic piece of poo poo. I guess its fine if you want to bluegrass and you have $200.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:30
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Yeah it's just a cheapo banjo. It'll be fine if it's set up well but won't be anything special.
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Jun 28, 2020 19:06
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$200 isnt bad though. Blacknose posted:Yeah it's just a cheapo banjo. It'll be fine if it's set up well but won't be anything special. [img]https://i.imgur.com/Phrxfyj.jpg][/img] Hey Blacknose, this is my first banjo. It was about $275. Refurbished 1920s Sears Roebuck "Supertone." I did all kinds of stuff to it, pulled the frets, added the cool mods. It still has the friction tuners.
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Jun 28, 2020 19:33
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Hey that's a really nice looking instrument!
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Jun 28, 2020 19:36
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the pot is i think about 10.25, small and punchy. It's very special to me, it's got a character that (I personally) don't feel from a modern instrument. Oh and those strings have been there for at least 7 years but sound fine !
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Jun 28, 2020 19:39
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