Banjo-care and feeding

[James Hart]

I'm considering a real banjo... I've not spent more than 30 minutes holding a 5 string or Tenor Banjo, but I do own and have restored a 1968 Framus 6 string Banjo. It was my Grandfather's and lived in a case in my folks basement (semi finished, my father used half of it as a home office with a couple employees most of those years) since the 90s until it finally was given to me.

Quite a bit of mechanics and engineering in these things! When I change the strings again, I am spinning the head to put the logo under the bridge... as soon as it was strung up that struck me as the thing I should have done.

 

[Bill Ashton]

wileypickett,
That joke could be modified for use by the Banjoaphobes:
Just play the Banjo long enough 'till the audience has splitting headaches, and then stop playing.
RBSinTo

...then there was the joke about the guy that wanted his banjo stolen, so he left it in the back seat of his car with the
windows open...or some such thing...and when he came back there were several more with it!

Boom-sst!

..and then there is the question "When does a banjo sound best?" When its hitting the bottom of the dumpster...

Oh!

Personally, I like the sound of a banjo, Mummers' Parades excluded, and having heard several old-time bands play for
dances, it really does enhance the rhythm section well.

 

[tonepoet]

I'm assembling it just for fun. If I learn to play it when finished, it will be a bonus.

One of the best books I've ever seen on banjo is "Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo" from 1968. It is still in print. He even has a chapter on building a banjo in it.

 

[SueG5123]

I play a little banjo. Or, rather, I play at playing the banjo. My technique is awful, admittedly — I just pick chords, no fancy rolls or slides — plus I play left handed, which adds the usual complications. But I still enjoy it as an occasional cleanse from guitar or uke. interestingly, the banjo is tuned pretty much the same as the cavaquinho, so it’s helped me learn that little devil, too.