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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2   |
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| I went banjo shopping today | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 08:02 pm |
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1st Post |
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1four5 Approved 
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And I didn't buy one. But I got to play some! I finally went to the banjo store I've been driving past for the last 20 years. It's run by the nicest little old man you'll ever meet. All he carries is Deering, and the cheapest he had in his store was a gold rimmed Goodtime "Special", used, for $595. VERY solid, and good punch. He said he could order cheaper ones, but didn't stock them. I also got to hear about the "all the korean stuff is junk and falls apart"  . I could certianly tell he is VERY serious about his fiddles and banjos, and where and how thay are made. Then I went to another of our local "BIG and has EVERYTHING" music stores (Senseny for Tim3finger and Cmac). They carried only Fender Banjos, and had the FB54's in stock. It sounded quieter than Cmac's Rogue, and the neck felt cheap, and extreamly narrow. The only thing it had over Cmac's rouge was the geared 5th string tuner. Totally uninterested in their $350 price without even a gigbag. Then I went to my favorite guitar store (Ulick you guys), the only other place in town that I know that occasionaly has banjos. He had one used Samick SB110. My gosh was that baby HEAVY!!! It had a see through clear head on it, and engraving in the wood, and engraving on the gold metal and was just totally a cool instrument. They wanted $895 for it. It creamed all the other banjo's I've played in volume (I about fell over when I first plucked a string) and sustain. It was like playing my National reso up against a cheap acoustic. However...I don't need that deep of a hole in my wallet...and I don't need to get kicked out of the next town over for practicing on my front porch So, I had fun today. If I had unlimited funds, The Samick would be overkill and the Deering would have fit my needs the best, but I'd be happy with a Rouge like Cmac's for 1/4 the cost. I can go a little higher though, and definately want a geard 5th string tuner. Going off ezFolk's links, The Cripple Creek by Gold Tone is still the highest on my list of interest. I also took note of the Backwoods models by Dean, but don't know anything about the company (Other than they have my name  ). Their Backwoods 3 looks like about the same league as the Rogue B-30 and the CC. Family reunion this weekend, but I'm pretty sure I'll be ordering something next week. Hmmm wonder if there are any music stores in Champaign I'll?P.S. What's a better company to deal with? Folk of the Wood or Music 123. Also, if anyone has any other recommendations in the $300 range, I'm all ears. I won't be back to the forum till after the 4th...but will be looking in ernest after then, Thanks ya'all Last edited on Fri Jul 1st, 2005 02:38 am by 1four5 ____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 2nd, 2005 05:40 pm |
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2nd Post |
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stratman Approved 
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I like the look of the Morgan Monroe Bean Blossom BNB-1, its about $340. Check out morganmonroe.com . My dad just baught a Foggy Mountain Walton from ebay. Its a beautiful intrument but its not too cheap. He was able to get it for 600 bucks and the guy he baught it from said it was his baby so its in very good shape.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 5th, 2005 08:45 pm |
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3rd Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Ok...back from vacation, time to get serious about ordering something Edit...after spending some serious time (4 hours) looking at banjos on the net, my wife says, "are you going to look all day or order one already?" So I ordered a Cripple Creek, and also made sure to get it through the ezFolk links to help Richard (and this awesome music home!) out Last edited on Wed Jul 6th, 2005 11:39 am by 1four5 ____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 6th, 2005 03:08 am |
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4th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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1four5- Welcome to the WWB (Wonderful World of Banjo's)! I'm sure you will enjoy the Cripple Creek, even if that does still leave me as (the sole) Deering Good Time Banjo player here  CMac has a ckip on how to play clawhammer, or I can send it to you. Probably quicker to get it from CMac!  Keep on pickin'Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 6th, 2005 10:24 am |
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5th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Thanks Brad! Now for that anxious waiting period...I'm hoping it will arrive Friday or Saturday! I haven't talked to Cmac since last week...but he's had all weekend to practice, I'm sure we'll be comparing notes today, and I'll get the clawhammer info from him. Also for anyone who owns a bari uke...just another example of the versitility of a ukulele, I've currently got mine tuned like the 4 strings of a banjo, so I've been able to practice banjo ideas. It's giving me a head start for when my Gold Tone arrives. Man am I getting anxious! You know...Richard needs to add a banjo player emoticon Lookey what I found  Last edited on Wed Jul 6th, 2005 10:35 am by 1four5 ____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 6th, 2005 11:15 am |
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6th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator 
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Dean... thanks for buying your Cripple Creek through ezFolk! Now if everybody buys their next instrument through the ezFolk links I'll quit my day job! Oh... I love the banjo emoticon, and it gave me the nudge to add some more as well (been putting it off for a while).  Here's another I found...  
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10th, 2005 12:15 am |
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7th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Your welcome Richard! Well, when it rains it pours...I've got my new banjo coming early next week, and I can't wait! Then on Thursday I saw a no-name banjo on goodwill. I placed a token bid on it (like I have hundreds of times on guitars there)...knowing I would never get it. Well, I was wrong. To my suprise, when I got home from work, there was the goodwill e-mail telling me I won. I have no idea what brand it is, but now i'll have a beater for work, and my Cripple creek for home Here is a pic of the goodwill banjo:
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10th, 2005 08:17 pm |
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8th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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1four5- When you get that 'jo, look and see if there is one hook that is different from all the others. I had a beater that looked very similar, that had a missing hook. I bought the wrong type, but didn't worry about it, since it was a beater for work. I sold it to guy I worked with when I retired, and he may have sold it, cause he is a guitar/mandolin player. The wood armrest is what makes me think it looks real familiar. I think there was a crack in the heel, and check for a couple of pencil marks on the head near the bridge (I had replaced the bridge, and had marked the position). If the bridge looks like Mahogany, we will be getting closer to the one I had! (Ain't this fun?!)  (It could be a Rogue, The peghead is similar) Keep on pickin'Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10th, 2005 11:40 pm |
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9th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Now wouldn't that be somethin?...I will definately check it out!!!
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13th, 2005 12:50 am |
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10th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Well, I haven't gotten the goodwill banjo yet, but I'm now an official banjo owner! My Cripple Creek came today and I've been jammin all evening! It got a nice matte finish, and very solid. I LOVE the geared 5th string tuner. I had to move the saddle about 1/4" back to get the intonation right, but other than that, I'm very happy with the factory set up and strings. It's about the same volume as Cmac's Rogue, but has a more blended tone (not as punchy). I'm very happy with the neck width, I haven't measured the nut or saddle, but I'm pretty sure it's slightly wider than the Rogue. The hard case that it came with is also VERY VERY nice. The fret marker inlays look like little maltese crosses and very nice, and the fret dressing on the edges is perfect. Now I just have to come up with something to record one of these days 
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13th, 2005 01:29 am |
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11th Post |
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Tim3finger Approved 
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Hey Dean Its a beauty!. Do we get to see/hear it? Or is this another one that you keep at home in the basement? I still haven't seen your Jenny. You already can play enough banjo to record something. Don't be so modest.  Ezfolks, this guy 1four5 can play the banjo, trust me. He is a natural for the instrument. He can alresdy do some Marshall Tucker songs and very passable Bluegrass licks in our informal jam sessions at work and he only picked a banjo up about three weeks ago.  Tim
____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13th, 2005 11:44 am |
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12th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Hey Tim, thanks for the compliments...it is a BLAST adding banjo to our jams ...man I gotta get a handle on all this...I'm straying darn far from the blues, and liking it! I aint bringing it to work today, cause tonigh I get to take it apart...last night I was picking away...and a nut came off the tail piece bolt, and is somehow ratteling around inside ...but this will give me a chance to get a look at what makes a banjo tick. My wife commented last night that she really likes the banjo music, much more upbeat than whiskey blues. Hmmmm...now if I can just come up with some upbeat whiskey drinking banjos songs...
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13th, 2005 12:48 pm |
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13th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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Hmmmm...now if I can just come up with some upbeat whiskey drinking banjos songs... How about "Good Old Mountain Dew?" There's a lot of drinking in that one. Congratulations on the banjo. It's a lot of fun. I'm surprised you got the Cripple Creek with a resonator.
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 01:32 am |
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14th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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I'm surprised you got the Cripple Creek with a resonator. I've got Cmac playing a reso guitar, and Tim3finger has a reso bass on the way...I need all the volume I can get to keep up with these guys How about "Good Old Mountain Dew?" There's a lot of drinking in that one. I've never heard of it ... Keep in mind that I know less than nothing about banjo songs, especially if they are in a clawhammer or bluegrass catagory. Is there a midi or mp3 on the net anywhere? I'm game for some drinking bluegrass country banjo
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 02:11 am |
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15th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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1Four5- You gotta be kiddin' - you never saw "Hee Haw"? Take a look at the clawhammer or bluegrass banjo pages here, Richard has tabbed it out on both pages. If not, let me know and I'll run up a quick recording. Incidently, checkout http://www.frets.com for a quick tour and help on sone banjo stuff (guitar, too), or look for the book "Complete Banjo Repair" by Larry Sandberg - it is: The setup, maintainence, and restoration of the five-string banjo. An indispenable guide for the amateur as well as the professional repair person. Every procedure is clearly explained and illustrated with detailed photographs and diagrams. I believe I got it off of a link here (several years ago). There are several other good information books available, too, the Roger Siminoff (?) book is highly recommended on the Banjo-L list. Keep on pickin'Brad ps. there are midi's available on the tab page. Last edited on Thu Jul 14th, 2005 02:18 am by banjo brad ____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 10:24 am |
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16th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Thanks Brad! There is definately some learning involved in tweeking a banjo. I fished the nut out of mine, and put it back on...only to discover that the tail piece tension and angle is adjusted between that one and a thumb screw. Not knowing much, I adjusted the tail piece to be parallel with the top surface of the drum. While I had it apart, I got the chance to go through and check everything for tightness, and got a chance to see how the support rods worked. I also was able to sweeten the neck and action up with a truss rod adjustment. It's all pretty much straigh forward nuts and bolts, but I'll be looking for the book...especially when it comes time for a drum adjustment or replacment. I'm really looking forward to working on the goodwill banjo...it's been shipped, so I should get it any day. One thing I can see, especially on a banjo that gets played a lot, is the use of some sort of thread lock/locktite type stuff on all the bolt threads. As a jet engine mechanic...I'm finding banjo mechanics really funYou gotta be kiddin' - you never saw "Hee Haw"? I grew up in the "Beatles" generation, and was raised in the church. While my friends got to play Beach Boys 45's, I got to listen to my Dad practice organ music for the next Sunday's service. My brother and I had to sneek any "devil music" we may have gotten a hold of...and what we got caught with was broken on the spot. Even back then, just about anything other than Lawerance Welk on the TV was satanic, and although me and my brother may have snuck a few peeks...haveing a show like Hee Haw on TV would never last too long followed by a sermon. By the time I was old enough to leave home, HeeHaw was just a distant memory, and I was into rebellious heavy rock. About the only thing(s) I remember about the show was cleavage ...but nothing spicific about the music Last edited on Thu Jul 14th, 2005 10:37 am by 1four5 ____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 11:29 am |
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17th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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1four5... there are some tabs for Mountain Dew on ezFolk. Here's a link to the Level 3 clawhammer tab... Mountain Dew - Clawhammer Banjo - Level 3 (There are two easier levels but this is what I'm playing on the MP3) I don't have a recording on my MP3 page because my recording on this song sounds awful. I did it several years ago and it sounds like it was recorded in a barrel. I don't think I was actually in a barrel, but quite possibly I was in the shower with the water running. Here it is though if you'd like to hear it... Mountain Dew (HiFi) Mountain Dew (LoFi)  Last edited on Thu Jul 14th, 2005 11:31 am by Richard Hefner ____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 04:51 pm |
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18th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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THANKS!!! That's perfect for something to work on ...any chance it's a public domain song?
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 06:50 pm |
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19th Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator
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Yep... it's public domain... Have at it!
____________________ Richard Hefner MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14th, 2005 09:49 pm |
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20th Post |
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Tim3finger Approved
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Oh my God, I know what we are gonna be playing at work next week! Tim
____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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