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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
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| Fender Baby Banjo | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Mon Sep 4th, 2006 09:12 pm |
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1st Post |
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Philj200 Approved 
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Leaving the beach Sunday I past a small group of young people (estimate in their early twenties). They were in to themselves, having a good time. One of them was frailing away on a banjo...no a guitar...no a uke... no a uke-banjo...no a Fender guitar...no a Fender (or Fender-like) neck and a very short one at that on a small banjo head. It was a five string instrument! The fifth string was tuned on the top of the tuning board, the other four strings below. Maybe it was the windy beach, maybe being outdoors, but while he was workign the instrument I could bearly hear it. My hearing is not very good. But its not that bad either. A while back I got an old Regal of Chicago tenor. It seems that Fender once owned Regal and I wondered why the maker of Strats and Teles would be interested. I guess I have my answer. Attached in a quick drawing of wha the instrument looked like. Attachment: fender baby banjo .gif (Downloaded 74 times) Last edited on Mon Sep 4th, 2006 09:13 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 01:37 am |
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2nd Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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Philj- It could have been a "backpacking banjo." I know Martin made a guitar and mandolin at least, of this genre, and I think others could have jumped on the bandwagon. There are several "Travel Banjos" out there as well.  
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 01:33 pm |
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3rd Post |
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garyblanchard Approved 
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You were looking at the Nechville Banjovie, a short scale (C?) travel banjo. The picture is here: http://www.nechville.com/image/products/banjovie_thumb.jpg I have played these; they are okay for what they are and would certainly be good for camping, the beach, etc.
____________________ http://www.GBandF.com http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/919/audio.php?p=1 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 01:38 pm |
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4th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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Don't think this little cutey ever sawe the iside of the Fender factory. Every Fender banjo I ever saw and everyone listed on the internet (that I had the patience to link to) has a traditional banjo tuning board, not the guitar knock-off. The neck on this banjo was on the thick side. It is possible that it was a guitar neck that had been adapted to an existing banjo-mandoiln or banjo-uke head. If I were cludging this thing together, I would remove E-string tuning machines and put one on the top-edge of the tuning board. I would use a spike capo on the fifth fret to get the high-G drone. Much easier than boring a fifth-string hole to the right size. Attaching a neck is not all that hard. Make a template of the side of the banjo, transfer it to the neck. Go at it with a bandsaw. Use a dremel to deepen any cuts to form a concavity. A banjo bolt (available from StewMac) will secure the neck to the head. Tension rods could be added for more stability but they're not critical (My 1920 Gibson is doing fine all these years with just a single bolt.) Bridge placement might be further back toward the tail piece, or not. That would have to be figured out when it's time to tune up. Where would the neck come from.... There are cheap Fender rip-offs all over. A wrecked one and Grandpa's old mando-banjo are most of what you need.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 01:47 pm |
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5th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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Gary, Our posts crossed. That does look like the little critter. Small instrument...small sound. I used to want a back-packer Martin guitar, but they have such a thin sound that I changed my mind. I have a soft case for my regular-size banjo that can be carried securely and hands-free like a back-pack. For day trips (when no back-pack is needed) that serves well. The banjo is light. The main consideration is tangling the neck which comes over my head by about six inches (I'm 6'2") in trees and brush. Suppose it is possible to rig the banjo case lower and even attach it to a back-pack. It would be a balance thing more than a weight consideration. For a day at the beach, I wouldn't take any of my banjos. I have a junker of a guitar for that.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 06:21 pm |
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6th Post |
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garyblanchard Approved
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I have a Deering Goodtime that is very lightweight; like you, the shoulder straps on the gigbag have the banjo riding too high to backpack much with it. The best use of a Banjovie I've seen is as a starter banjo for kids with small hands. While I sometimes capo my banjo on the 5th fret to accomodate my singing, I do most of my singing in A or B, so the Banjovie wouldn't work much for me. All that said, I wouldn't be surprised if I bought one someday - buying weird instruments is just too much of an addiction... 
____________________ http://www.GBandF.com http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/919/audio.php?p=1 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 07:14 pm |
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7th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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Les Paul has a 2/3rd-size Gibson he had built so he can play on planes. Assume Gibson made it for him and now markets it or can build one in their custom shop. I interviewed him maybe 25 years ago. He hasn't changed a bit from what I observe. Why should he... he's living the life he wants. I would not invest in a banjo-critter like this banjovie, but rather keep a weather eye out for parts. While banjo family instruments are turning up with markedly decreasing frequency in flea-markets and garage sales, some d appear. That and guitars that are not worth rehabing are easier to find. I already have the bandsaw. Cut, bore, bolt, tune. Put it down. Do something else. Should I ever attempt it, this would be the third cludgebanjo for me. It gets easier. Right now, though, I'd built one of those banjo-dulcimer instruments Richard porveys. I wonder if I can get a fret board for one and if so would fit on the tenor banjo neck. (I have a spare tenor neck or two.) Then all I need is a pot. Iwonder if these dulcijos come in four string versions? Added later: I went on line to see if I would be lucky and find a cheap banjo pot. No joy there. Stew Mac had pots in the four hundred plus range. Who buys stuff like that!?! I did stumbled across this http://www.mimf.com/archives/cookietin_banjo.htm It is the plans and lure of worthwhile, homemade and backpackable banjo. Last edited on Tue Sep 5th, 2006 07:25 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 07:31 pm |
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8th Post |
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garyblanchard Approved
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YOur mention of cookie-tin banjos made me want to show off mine. I did it the easy way - bought it on EBay.  Oops- my work computer won't let me get the pictures. Let me try a link to a page about the banjo. http://brookfieldsmusic.tripod.com/id9.html Last edited on Tue Sep 5th, 2006 07:38 pm by garyblanchard ____________________ http://www.GBandF.com http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/919/audio.php?p=1 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 08:08 pm |
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9th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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Neat website. Next time I'm up in the Boston area, Ill let you know. Big question: Do different kinds of cookies affect the tone differently. Do pecan-oatmeal produce a better bluegrass sound than chocolate chip? But frailing practically requires ginger snaps? And for beginners...and you must see this coming... Alphabet cackers!
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 08:16 pm |
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10th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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I've seen some of those plans, and, as soon as I can find an appropriate cookietin, I think I will have my fretless banjo! Nice thing about fretless, no measuring for frets! Philj - No, the alphabet is reserved for those "soupcan" mountain banjos! Last edited on Tue Sep 5th, 2006 08:17 pm by banjo brad ____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 09:01 pm |
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11th Post |
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garyblanchard Approved
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Actually, if we are fitting the can to the player I should make a banjo from a...... nut can! Phil, be sure to let me know if you come up this way. It would be a pleasure to meet you.
____________________ http://www.GBandF.com http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/919/audio.php?p=1 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 5th, 2006 10:53 pm |
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12th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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Likewise. I'll let you know when I head up your way next.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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