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Dirty banjo habit


Len_derby
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For a bit of variety and fun I bought myself a banjo.
I got it from a fella called Andy Perkins who has a really informative website [url="http://www.andybanjo.com/index.html"]http://www.andybanjo.com/index.html[/url]

I opted for a four string, set up for 'Chicago' tuning, which is DGBE, same as the top four strings of a guitar. That way, I didn't have to learn a new lot of fingering and could get going straight away.

It's only had one public outing so far. A Tom Waits influenced version of 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth' at a Christmas party.

Any other Banjoids on here?


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I have a very nice Gold Tone 5 stringer. I haven't picked it up for a couple of months now (although I keep meaning to). The first thing I found it useful to do was to forget most of what I'd learned about playing guitar for the last 45 years or so... :blink:

Actually I'd been hoping somebody would start up a banjo thread to give me an incentive to start working on it again.

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[quote name='thack' timestamp='1327000176' post='1505078']
Gotta Countryman 5 string to noodle on a few months back to go with my rocking chair. Need a piece of straw, if anyone has got one spare. Also struggling to find a new bridge for it in this backwards hick town of Cardiff. :(
[/quote]

Try the website [url="http://www.andybanjo.com/index.html"][color="#0f72da"]http://www.andybanjo.com/index.html[/color][/url]

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Gave the banjo an outing last night at a free for all folky club. Great fun. Need to seriously get some lessons or sort out some Youtube stuff but certainly going to persevere as I'm just using basic guitar picking at present.

French lady turned up with a Hurdy Gurdy. First time I've ever had the opportunity to play along with one. Fantastic bit of kit but fairly limited key-wise. She said she'd paid €1,400 for it as it's "only" an intermediate model!!!

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[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1327138580' post='1506775']


French lady turned up with a Hurdy Gurdy. First time I've ever had the opportunity to play along with one. Fantastic bit of kit but fairly limited key-wise. She said she'd paid €1,400 for it as it's "only" an intermediate model!!!
[/quote]

Yes, amazing things. I played on a multi-act charity do a year back where a chap did a few numbers on one. Supposedly 17th century French folk tunes. The novelty soon wore off.....the bar takings went up though!

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[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1327154927' post='1507102']
Yes, amazing things. I played on a multi-act charity do a year back where a chap did a few numbers on one. Supposedly 17th century French folk tunes. The novelty soon wore off.....the bar takings went up though!
[/quote]

:lol:

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I love my Banjo! I currently have a cheapo Fender 5 string, it was only £200 new. Changed the bridge and replaced the 5th string peg and it plays lovely. I tune, rather unimaginatively, gDGBD. It's the second one I've owned but I can't even remember the make of my first one.

And for fun: Talking of Dirty Banjos, mine could do with a bit of a scrub up!


A pic my wife snapped about 7 years ago. I still haven't cleaned it... She made me put the hat on...

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[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1327243559' post='1508214']
I have a Gold Tone tenor in Irish tuning and a Windsor Premier 5-string old-time banjo. I also have a Cammeyer zither banjo which is currently for sale in the London branch of Hobgoblin.
[/quote]

Oh is that you'rs? I saw that one when I was trying to find info about my Cammeyer. do you have any Pics of it? Mine is in pretty poor cosmetic condition - plays though. At some point in the past the back of the bowl has been removed, couple of the dot inlays are missing.

Edited by Nibody
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1330446536' post='1557620']
Bass Banjo? You mean like this? [url="http://angiesbanjo.com/Bass_Banjo.htm"]http://angiesbanjo.com/Bass_Banjo.htm[/url] or even [url="http://www.bassbanjos.com/"]http://www.bassbanjos.com/[/url]

Fun :D

Steve

PS It could even get expensive!
[/quote]

Yes! Great stuff. I've often thought that a bass banjo with a resonator body would work as an acoustic bass guitar alternative. A lot of us having tried an acoustic bass guitar and finding that they're too quiet 'unplugged' to be of any use in a band.

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[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1330448397' post='1557686']
Yes! Great stuff. I've often thought that a bass banjo with a resonator body would work as an acoustic bass guitar alternative. A lot of us having tried an acoustic bass guitar and finding that they're too quiet 'unplugged' to be of any use in a band.
[/quote]

I play a Tacoma Thunderchief unplugged as standard and can usually make myself heard. I think it helps that I tend to playing with reed or high pitched melody instruments rather than a lot of guitars.

Steve

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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1327302972' post='1508924']
Oh is that you'rs? I saw that one when I was trying to find info about my Cammeyer. do you have any Pics of it?
[/quote]

It was! I went into the shop today to find out what had become of it, and they sold it earlier this month. Unfortunately no pictures.

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