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niff
Jul 4, 2010
right, so i am convinced that i will be getting a 5 string banjo some time in 2013. i am a competent guitarist and better bassist, so it seems like a fun instrument to throw into the mix.

any new zealanders (or australians perhaps) in the thread recommend any brands or luthiers? import taxes are a son of a bitch, so the market is a little different.

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TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

niff posted:

right, so i am convinced that i will be getting a 5 string banjo some time in 2013. i am a competent guitarist and better bassist, so it seems like a fun instrument to throw into the mix.

any new zealanders (or australians perhaps) in the thread recommend any brands or luthiers? import taxes are a son of a bitch, so the market is a little different.

Are you planning to do clawhammer (more Old Time) or Scruggs (bluegrass) style playing?

Not from your area, but checked on Banjo Hangout (the main banjo forum) and they have a NZ Hangout blog there, and a scattering of Kiwi banjoists. The blog is run by NZSteve, who appears to work for Artiste Banjos up by Napier in southeast NZ. They have a house-brand "Artiste" 5-string for NZ$325 (US$270), Savannah for NZ$425, and their cheapest Gold Tones are NZ$595 (US$490). The Artiste is a local label (presumably an Asian import with QC check in-house), so there's only one review up for it on BH, but the buyer seems generally pleased for the price. The Savannah I've seen in the US, and the SB-100 is nothing fancy but seems to get decent reviews. Gold Tone is the nicest one I'm seeing on that store and on TradeMe; "Gold Tone vs. Deering Goodtime" has been discussed to death on BH so threads worth reading there, but basically the gist is Good Time is a well-built affordable banjo, and the Deering is a quality banjo made affordable, so it's a little apples-oranges.

I glanced at eBay Australia, and Deering Goodtime (a default recommended starter banjo in the US) runs close to AU$1000 for a banjo that runs $400 new in the US. I don't know how terrible shipping and customs to NZ is, but I'd be surprised if it's not just cheaper to buy one from California and have it shipped. How terrible is shipping/customs anyway?

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

The Savannah I've seen in the US, and the SB-100 is nothing fancy but seems to get decent reviews.

It's okay. That was my first banjo, and I would definitely recommend saving a bit more and getting a Deering, Gold tone, or. . . well, just about anything else.

For twice the price of that Savannah, you'll get something 5 times as good, but if you're limited to its price-point, it will do. I think the best feature of mine is that it's tough as nails, but that doesn't do much for you when it constantly goes out of tune, has poor intonation, and the drat co-rod and tailpiece won't stay tight.

niff
Jul 4, 2010
i am a lot more interested in old time/clawhammer banjo than i am the bluegrass style. is it important to pick a banjo geared to one or the other, or does it not make too much difference up until the higher-end stuff?

one other thing - i have had my fair share of electric guitars & basses with terrible intonation and build problems and i feel like i'm kind of above that now!

i really like the look of the Recording King RK-OT25 but i think it is just the finish and description selling me as i've never picked it up yet. it is double the price of the Savannah, but i assume without any technical issues.

i'll have to check the direct importing prices, but generally there is original cost+15%, shipping+15%, then $50-150NZD for customs fees on top - it can add up. that way i can factor in the Deering etc

Planet X
Dec 10, 2003

GOOD MORNING
That looks like a good starter banjo. You can get away with playing either style on either banjo, but it won't sound right. That and it's much easier to play clawhammer on an open back banjo. The neck is often times scooped out near the head and the action is higher. Choose a clawhammer style banjo without a resonator. Have a luthier set it up right.

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

niff posted:

i am a lot more interested in old time/clawhammer banjo than i am the bluegrass style. is it important to pick a banjo geared to one or the other, or does it not make too much difference up until the higher-end stuff?


It's way easier to get a banjo that is geared to the style of play you're after, but you can alter your setup on a reso banjo to play clawhammer (or just keep the reso on if you want). Pat did a good video that will cover what you would need to know for converting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZIzQ1xucE&list=PL11ABED0632ED8C8A

Doing setup alterations for a banjo isn't near as involved as that for electric guitars or whatever, so don't be scared to dive in on that.

zamiel
Nov 12, 2005

Pugs not drugs
Hey there Banjo thread!! I saved this banjo from the garbage and was wondering if it's even worth my time. Backstory: My grandfather got it at a local auction house just cuz and never played it. It's just sat in his closet for the last ~15 years until he passed away last month. While cleaning it out, my grandmother said to put it with the garbage pile. I gave it a cursory look over and it seemed okay to my woodwind eye, but I figured it was worth asking at least!

So the bridges are both loose. The top one obviously from tension, the bottom one became apparent when I removed the strings. The case is definitely groady. Some lil winged bugs got in there (moth?) and left a bit of crud by the bottom end and on that bit of the banjo. It feels like a hard plastic body. Looks a lot better than the violin I got from my other grandmother's house as we were throwing things out, at least.

http://imgur.com/a/ZMQ1t is a link to the album. I had planned to insert photos into the post itself, but imgur is having a fit today it seems. Appreciate any feedback, would prefer to do it all myself if possible as my local music store is full of assholes. Found a beautiful old flute at an estate that needed repadded, couldn't find a makers mark though. Owner did nothing but talk down to me and insult me the whole time I was in there.

niff
Jul 4, 2010

Loaf32 posted:

It's way easier to get a banjo that is geared to the style of play you're after, but you can alter your setup on a reso banjo to play clawhammer (or just keep the reso on if you want). Pat did a good video that will cover what you would need to know for converting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZIzQ1xucE&list=PL11ABED0632ED8C8A

Doing setup alterations for a banjo isn't near as involved as that for electric guitars or whatever, so don't be scared to dive in on that.

thanks all - i will continue to check prices and whatnot - and thanks Planet X for the open back/reso thing, i was unclear on the style differences.

i'm glad to know they are fairly easy to set up - i do my own neck adjustments, action and intonation on my rickenbacker bass and the bridge was designed by some evil, evil bastard who thought intonation should be set before you tune the strings up (and only before).

Planet X
Dec 10, 2003

GOOD MORNING

Loaf32 posted:

It's way easier to get a banjo that is geared to the style of play you're after, but you can alter your setup on a reso banjo to play clawhammer (or just keep the reso on if you want). Pat did a good video that will cover what you would need to know for converting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZIzQ1xucE&list=PL11ABED0632ED8C8A

Doing setup alterations for a banjo isn't near as involved as that for electric guitars or whatever, so don't be scared to dive in on that.

Oh man thanks so much for posting this. I took the resonator off of my Goodtime, and was looking for guidance as far as setting up the instrument for clawhammer.

Niff if you're 100% going to play clawhammer, open back is fine. If you're at all conflicted, get a resonator, that way you have the option of playing with a resonator or without it. As the guy in the vid points out, plenty of people play clawhammer on a resonator banjo, it's just a little tougher, and not as soft / rich sounding, which is the desired tone. Bluegrass / resonator tone is more "pinny" and cutting. Resonator banjos are significantly heavier than open back banjos.

Hey Loaf, I can't tell because of the blurry picture, but if the "upper bridge" you're referring to is off, that's the nut (right guys?) at the neck. You may be able to glue it back on. Is it broken? The bridge, the true bridge, the wooden piece, is supposed to just sit on the head, held down by string tension. I've never heard of a nut up by the headstock that's loose.

I also found this:

niff
Jul 4, 2010
^one would assume the reso banjo is acoustically much louder too, yes?

this one is beautiful looking.

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

Planet X posted:

Oh man thanks so much for posting this. I took the resonator off of my Goodtime, and was looking for guidance as far as setting up the instrument for clawhammer.
No prob. He's got a number of really good videos. Check out the Daily Frail on the Creative Commons site for more.

Planet X posted:

Hey Loaf, I can't tell because of the blurry picture, but if the "upper bridge" you're referring to is off, that's the nut (right guys?) at the neck. You may be able to glue it back on. Is it broken? The bridge, the true bridge, the wooden piece, is supposed to just sit on the head, held down by string tension. I've never heard of a nut up by the headstock that's loose.

I think it's zamiel who had the nut question. Yeah, the bridge is supposed to float free on the head and be held in place only by string tension. You can do the same with the nut, though they're generally secured with a single dot of super glue.

zamiel posted:

Appreciate any feedback, would prefer to do it all myself if possible as my local music store is full of assholes. Found a beautiful old flute at an estate that needed repadded, couldn't find a makers mark though. Owner did nothing but talk down to me and insult me the whole time I was in there.

I really don't get why there are so many jerks in music stores. I usually count on the people being shitheads if I'm going to a new store.

At any rate, the nut is broken, but can be reglued with superglue. The big thing to look out for are the slots that the strings sit in. If those are chipped out, they are fixable; all you need is to pack the slot with baking soda and drop a small amount of thin (guess what?) super glue to set it up. You ideally want to use the very thin super glue they sell at model train shops.

After the slot is solid, you'll want to use a small file or saw blade (or set of welding tip cleaners) to re-slot the nut. Here's a cool stewmac article on maintaining equal depth: http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-1811.html

This should be a perfectly playable tenor by the time it's set up (provided the neck is straight), but right off the bat I can tell you you'll need:

New tenor banjo strings (4 to a pack; not to be confused with a traditional 5-string, nor a 4-string plectrum banjo)

New bridge

Either repair the nut, or order a nut blank and cut a new one. Use the one you have for measurements.

Tuners look fine, and you may want to get a bracket wrench and read up on tuning and tightening the head (skin/plastic part). Make sure you measure the brackets first. There are a number of different sizes.

That's all I can think of right now, but I'm kind of out of it. Now, get it set up and play some jazz!

Loaf32 fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Dec 27, 2012

Planet X
Dec 10, 2003

GOOD MORNING

niff posted:

^one would assume the reso banjo is acoustically much louder too, yes?

Yes, they're significantly louder. Resonators have a metal tone ring and a big block of wood. This pushes the sound outward and allows you to cut through the other instruments when you're playing live (when you take a solo, or break). A break in bluegrass is a solo, not a temporary cease in activity, so to speak.

That's not to say the open backs aren't loud. Generally, the more you pay, the higher quality wood you're going to get, etc. I can say for sure that my open back Goodtime will not have the tonal qualities or the volume as say, a Gibson or other high quality open backs.

Now I have a question: After watching that video, I'm interested in taking the flange off, but I don't want to take the "hooks" off that I'm assuming hold the head in place. If I loosen all of the bolts, will the head just pop off? I don't want to have to re-tension the head.

sailorjosh
Apr 23, 2006

Peanut butter, mother fucker.

Planet X posted:

Now I have a question: After watching that video, I'm interested in taking the flange off, but I don't want to take the "hooks" off that I'm assuming hold the head in place. If I loosen all of the bolts, will the head just pop off? I don't want to have to re-tension the head.

Here's a thing from deering explaining how to remove a Goodtime flange, they're in two pieces and they have you do it one side at a time so your head tension doesn't get too jacked up, but frankly there's no way it won't need to be re-tensioned properly after doing something so drastic.

http://www.deeringbanjos.com/faqs/removing-goodtime-2-resonator

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

zamiel posted:

Hey there Banjo thread!! I saved this banjo from the garbage and was wondering if it's even worth my time.

It's a Harmony tenor banjo; Harmony made all kinds of instruments from 1892-1975, and generally solid if clunky. Is the skin natural hide, or plastic? That might help date it as well. The pot, as you note, is plastic, so that should make for a nice lightweight open-back. They're not particularly rare or valuable (maybe $100 for an open-back), but properly set-up with the head in good shape and a straight neck, should be a totally satisfactory starter/knockaround instrument.


The main thing, as Loaf32 implies, is this is not a banjo for bluegrass or Old Time. The tenor is most commonly used in Irish traditional music, or in jazz (mainly Dixieland jazz).

Here's an example of Irish on tenor banjo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRa6l5wLXxA. It's very close stylistically to mandolin, or just the plucked equivalent of playing fiddle tunes.

Here's some Dixieland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlkgArLFe0Y. A lot more chordal and popping.

Just for kicks, here's someone playing along with The Offspring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umjM1a_nHAY


The instrument isn't totally limited to those uses, if you have some other genre you're interested in playing on it, pitch it here and we can let you know how feasible it is. Just be advised that a four-string and five-string banjo are different creatures, so just don't use 5-string playing as your goal on a 4-string. If you're interested in Irish, we have a number of folks playing Irish music in the A/T "weird instruments" thread if you want to pop in there. Otherwise this is probably the thread to throw out any other ideas.

When you buy new tenor strings, bear in mind there are a few totally different tenor banjo tuning options (mainly GDAE, CGDA, and DGBE), so it's best to figure out what genre you want to play before buying strings. Also important: do you have any previous background in string instruments? If you have a background in the violin family, GDAE tuning could be really easy. If you have guitar or ukulele background, DGBE is really easy.

niff posted:

i really like the look of the Recording King RK-OT25 but i think it is just the finish and description selling me as i've never picked it up yet. it is double the price of the Savannah, but i assume without any technical issues.
...

this one is beautiful looking. [mixmaster build on a 1928 Vega pot]

Even with the NZ-markup, I would just be wary of spending US$700 on a Recording King; that's an old US name sold off and now applied to Asian-made banjos. Not sure if that RK model is Chinese or Korean made. Granted, these days both those countries make some decent music gear, so I hate to sound arbitrarily nationalist or anything, but I'm always wary paying new prices for brands without a long lineage. The RK price is probably what you'd pay for a Deering Goodtime with the ~45% markup you mention, and there are a body of folks on BH who like the RK as much as or more than the US-made Deering. So far as quality, I'd glance around BH for the Goodtime vs. RK vs. Gold Tone threads; here's one such recent comparison: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/245929


The mixmaster actually looks kind of cool, but I'm no expert on rebuilt banjos. If it is everything the seller says it is, it might not be a bad option, especially if you can play it in person and see if you like it. If the parts are solid, it has a straight neck with truss rod, is properly set up for an actual serious player, etc. that looks promising. It doesn't appear to have a scooped neck (not totally mandatory or anything), and he doesn't mention what kind of head it has; I'd want to know about the head a bit to know whether it might need replacing, is hide or synthetic of a good brand, etc. But it does look interesting, and the price not unreasonable if we expect a 50% markup on banjos in NZ. Again no expert but I could imagine that asking US$400 here. And the price is just over twice what the "NZ house brand" Artisan costs, and it's probably well over twice the banjo if the seller is speaking straight.

TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 09:01 on Dec 27, 2012

Oppressed Otherkin
Sep 25, 2011

by Lowtax
What did you think of the banjo being played with a bow, like in the video that I linked on the last page.

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.
Might be something to check if you're using nylgut strings, but most banjos have flat fingerboards instead of radiused. I don't play fiddle, though, so I don't know.

Captain Mediocre
Oct 14, 2005

Saving lives and money!

I've tried bowing my banjo before and it's really difficult to do much with. As Loaf says, the flat surface means you can really only play the highest and lowest strings for melody. You can kind of get chords out of it by bowing them all flat across, the guy in the video you posted does a pretty good job of that, but it sounded mostly like a mess when I gave it a go.

Interesting as a gimmick but probably not a very fruitful playstyle beyond that.

edit: although here's another guy having a pretty good go at it. Very droning on account of every string being in constant use but I guess that's kind of the point.

Captain Mediocre fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Dec 29, 2012

Ultimate Shrek Fan
May 2, 2005

by FactsAreUseless
Are real basic/cheap Washburns worth it? I know Washburn makes good high end guitars, but I don't know how their low end stuff is. I'm looking at an open-back 5-string.

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

Pufflekins posted:

Are real basic/cheap Washburns worth it? I know Washburn makes good high end guitars, but I don't know how their low end stuff is. I'm looking at an open-back 5-string.

The ones I've played have sounded pretty bad, honestly. To be fair, this is only shop experience, and not extended plays.

Planet X
Dec 10, 2003

GOOD MORNING
Wouldn't it also be difficult to switch between bowed and regular fingerpicking due to the rosn in the strings?

Ultimate Shrek Fan
May 2, 2005

by FactsAreUseless

Loaf32 posted:

The ones I've played have sounded pretty bad, honestly. To be fair, this is only shop experience, and not extended plays.

Bad in what sense? This would be a learning banjo for me.

sailorjosh
Apr 23, 2006

Peanut butter, mother fucker.

Pufflekins posted:

Are real basic/cheap Washburns worth it? I know Washburn makes good high end guitars, but I don't know how their low end stuff is. I'm looking at an open-back 5-string.

They're fine as starter banjos. It does not matter at all which cheap banjo you buy as your first, because they all come out of the same factory. Washburns, Morgan Monroes, Fenders, Epiphones, Mastercraft, Ozark, Rally, Oscar Schmidt...are all made by Daewon musical instruments co. As long as it is set up well it doesn't matter much.

Ultimate Shrek Fan
May 2, 2005

by FactsAreUseless

sailorjosh posted:

They're fine as starter banjos. It does not matter at all which cheap banjo you buy as your first, because they all come out of the same factory. Washburns, Morgan Monroes, Fenders, Epiphones, Mastercraft, Ozark, Rally, Oscar Schmidt...are all made by Daewon musical instruments co. As long as it is set up well it doesn't matter much.

Define set up well, please.

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

Pufflekins posted:

Bad in what sense? This would be a learning banjo for me.

It would serve as a learning banjo, but you would likely outgrow it pretty quickly. My biggest problem is that the sound was too thin. In retrospect, it could just be how they were set up, or maybe it's all in my head, but I didn't care for the tone at all.

Unrelated, I started messing around with double C tuning with the D tuned to D#. Has anyone else here tried this? It sounds pretty drat cool.

doug fuckey
Jun 7, 2007

hella greenbacks
I've been really interested in getting to learn the banjo but I guess I'm going to have to wait a bit. I've decided I like the sound of tenor banjo for Irish reels/etc and that bowed banjo video is incredible, but even a $300 instrument is out of my price range. Everything is really poo poo any less that there, huh?

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

big business sloth posted:

I've been really interested in getting to learn the banjo but I guess I'm going to have to wait a bit. I've decided I like the sound of tenor banjo for Irish reels/etc and that bowed banjo video is incredible, but even a $300 instrument is out of my price range. Everything is really poo poo any less that there, huh?

Just keep an eye out on craigslist. I see banjos go for crazy low prices all the time.

doug fuckey
Jun 7, 2007

hella greenbacks
I will, but I'm in NH, where there isn't a particularly high influx of banjos (one wouldn't think, anyway...?)

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

big business sloth posted:

I've been really interested in getting to learn the banjo but I guess I'm going to have to wait a bit. I've decided I like the sound of tenor banjo for Irish reels/etc and that bowed banjo video is incredible, but even a $300 instrument is out of my price range. Everything is really poo poo any less that there, huh?

Yay, Irish tenor banjo! Cool instrument: relatively easy to learn, pretty versatile, and slightly uncommon enough to be a useful addition in sessions.


Yeah, new ones under $300 (mainly Rover and Trinity River) don't look great, but used tenors under $200 sell on eBay about every other day. If you check out eBay and Craigslist every so often, odds are you'll find a good deal within a few weeks. In the last couple years on eBay, I bought one no-name open-back with hardshell case for like $125 shipped to Canada, needing a new bridge and strings ($5 each), and it was pretty good for that price. I also bought a no-name for $75, put a new bridge on it but found the action a little high. Neck seemed decent, so needed some fiddling with the bridge and/or nut.

I wouldn't spontaneously buy a used one, but if you see one you like and post here asking about it, and/or check out past discussions of that make on Banjo Hangout, you can probably figure out a good one. So far as a few names to watch for, here's a BHO post:

quote:



mikehalloran - Posted - 07/14/2012: 18:46:40

There are some dealers you can trust to get you a nice banjo for your five bills. New? That's easy. Certain vintage low end Bacon and Vega banjos will get the job done better. Don't discount Slingerland, Gretsch, ODE, Kay and others. A Little Wonder is a great choice as is a Bacon B or C. The Style N is a better choice than an F.

Note there are a lot of used Harmony tenor banjos on eBay as well, and while clunky those might be workable, and not too prone to neck warp from what I hear. You'll see more Harmonys in your price-range than any of the above.

Tenor banjos aren't in style like they used to be, so there are plenty of used ones floating around, just takes a careful eye and checking with experienced banjoists online for input. Expect to have to do some basic low-skill settup yourself (cleaning tuners, putting on new strings, maybe new bridge, maybe adjusting action height). For half the $300 price of a Rover you should be able to get a good tenor going with some careful shopping.

Note that a lot of people don't know what a tenor banjo is, so I'd just search "harmony banjo" rather than "harmony tenor banjo", which also increases the odds you'll find a deal that slipped past others searching for tenors.

doug fuckey
Jun 7, 2007

hella greenbacks
Thanks for those tips. I checked CL and amazingly some guy has a Rouge that I could trade for (I have a dinky fiddle I'm not particularly attached to). I'll check ebay though using those other terms cause I know Rogue isn't exactly a bastion of quality.

edit: Phew! just inputting "harmony banjo" brought up these: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=harmony+banjo&_sacat=0&_from=R40 anything look good of those first few that are around $100?

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

big business sloth posted:

Thanks for those tips. I checked CL and amazingly some guy has a Rouge that I could trade for (I have a dinky fiddle I'm not particularly attached to). I'll check ebay though using those other terms cause I know Rogue isn't exactly a bastion of quality.

Unless it's a really bad fiddle I wouldn't think this a good deal. Not sure about Rogue tenors (they made those?) but a new Rogue 5-string is like $150. Unless your fiddle can't sell for $150 I'd say you'd be better off Craigslisting your fiddle and putting the money into a banjo. EDIT: In fairness, apparently Rogues are very closely modeled off of old Harmonys, but the vintage Harmonys are cheaper than the new Rogues, and there's some "survival of the fittest" at work where I'd trust a vintage that has held up over the years.

A $100 vintage banjo that needs $50 of work will end up better than a $150 Rogue. As long as the neck is straightish, the brackets/rings there, and the body in decent shape, almost everything else can be replaced or jury-rigged (I've worked around missing tailpieces before).

quote:

edit: Phew! just inputting "harmony banjo" brought up these: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=harmony+banjo&_sacat=0&_from=R40 anything look good of those first few that are around $100?

Not a banjo expert, but I'd aim for a Harmony around the $100 mark. I actually kind of like the plastic/bakelite body ones since they're really light and sturdy. Again, the main concern is straight neck, and I'll defer to the banjo experts here as to whether there's any way to really judge that on eBay other than sticking to buying brands known for having sturdy necks and/or truss rods.

TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 23:03 on Dec 31, 2012

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.

big business sloth posted:

Thanks for those tips. I checked CL and amazingly some guy has a Rouge that I could trade for (I have a dinky fiddle I'm not particularly attached to). I'll check ebay though using those other terms cause I know Rogue isn't exactly a bastion of quality.

edit: Phew! just inputting "harmony banjo" brought up these: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=harmony+banjo&_sacat=0&_from=R40 anything look good of those first few that are around $100?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harmony-Reso-Tone-Tenor-Banjo-4-string-/170965245213?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ce529d1d

I'd probably grab this, but ask him for better pictures of the neck so you can see how straight it is. If at all possible, have him lay a straight-edge on the frets to see if they're decently level. The only thing bad I see about this deal is that it's as-is, but he will accept returns in 30 days.

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Loaf32 posted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harmony-Reso-Tone-Tenor-Banjo-4-string-/170965245213?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ce529d1d

I'd probably grab this, but ask him for better pictures of the neck so you can see how straight it is. If at all possible, have him lay a straight-edge on the frets to see if they're decently level. The only thing bad I see about this deal is that it's as-is, but he will accept returns in 30 days.

That one's got 13 bids, so a little competitive (though that could be 2 dudes nickel-and-diming each others' bids), but banjos of this kind pop up every single week, so the general advice holds and if you miss this one there will be a dozen like it this month.

Got any comments for gauging how direly in need of a head change a vintage banjo is, or do y'all just proceed with the assumption that vintage banjos need a $20 new head just on general principle? I mean, I've certainly bought used banjos with totally serviceable heads, and maybe a couple that were just useless heads, but is there a good way to gauge online, or are the odds generally in your favour overall, or you just make sure to buy from a seller who appears to know music and can honestly say "head is serviceable"?


EDIT: Once you get a banjo, the methods for setting up a tenor are pretty similar to those for a 5-string, so this BHO thread may be of use: Setting up a Bakelite Harmony banjo. And there are more like it, basic stuff like adjusting the head, cleaning/lubing the tuners, maybe but not necessarily upgrading the tuners/head/tailpiece. To paraphrase the general consensus I'm seeing on BHO: "a Harmony banjo is like an old Chevy: nothing fancy, but totally serviceable with a little work. As shown by some folks on the forum, a little tweaking and the right settup and they can really sing."

TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 02:16 on Jan 1, 2013

Loaf32
Feb 18, 2007

I'M NOT ABOUT TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THE FORUMS, THANKS.
Ah, so there are. I thought that was the BiN price. As far as heads go, I always wait to see what head is installed before I go for anything new. Plastic heads last a good long while so long as you don't crank the hell out of them and cause them to blow out. Realistically, a quality plastic head should last you years.


Now, if the head that is installed can't get tuned up properly because it's been stretched out of whack (very uncommon in my experience), or it's separating from the hoop, if the frosting is worn off and you want it to look new, etc, etc. . . Then it's time to get a new head. Heads are pretty cool like that; they'll be pretty clear about when they need changing. It's probably a matter of preference, though; if I'm looking to buy a banjo, I make sure to have money set aside for a renaissance head and a compensated bridge.

Dr. Gene Dango MD
May 20, 2010

Fuck them other cats I'm running with my own wolfpack

Keep fronting like youse a thug and get ya dome pushed back
I'm not sure if I can't just find the toggle or if TablEdit is going screwy on me but most of the music I open with it is displayed in one stretched out line that's hard as hell to read while it's playing. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling with no luck. Can anyone help?

It's like this in case I didn't explain very well http://imgur.com/1Wej1

SecretSquirrel
Jun 3, 2003

Masticator


Dr. Gene Dango MD posted:

I'm not sure if I can't just find the toggle or if TablEdit is going screwy on me but most of the music I open with it is displayed in one stretched out line that's hard as hell to read while it's playing. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling with no luck. Can anyone help?

It's like this in case I didn't explain very well http://imgur.com/1Wej1

There's a toggle in the File-Options-General tab that changes the screen mode from line to page. Or at least it does in TefView.

Ultimate Shrek Fan
May 2, 2005

by FactsAreUseless
Banjo is definitely a lot harder than it looks. I can't seem to get used to the finger picks at all.

Captain Mediocre
Oct 14, 2005

Saving lives and money!

Pufflekins posted:

Banjo is definitely a lot harder than it looks. I can't seem to get used to the finger picks at all.

Make sure you have them on the right way around because I've....err....heard, that some people start by wearing them as little metal fingernails for an embarassingly long period of time before they realise that makes no sense whatsoever. :sweatdrop:

edit: and even try them on in the shop like that in front of an employee who doesn't say anything. Oh god.

Captain Mediocre fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Jan 11, 2013

Ultimate Shrek Fan
May 2, 2005

by FactsAreUseless

Captain Mediocre posted:

Make sure you have them on the right way around because I've....err....heard, that some people start by wearing them as little metal fingernails for an embarassingly long period of time before they realise that makes no sense whatsoever. :sweatdrop:

edit: and even try them on in the shop like that in front of an employee who doesn't say anything. Oh god.

In all fairness he might not have known. I remember someone trying on finger picks like that when I did my co-op at a music shop and they did that. I never knew to tell him at the same time.

a dingus
Mar 22, 2008

Rhetorical questions only
Fun Shoe
When I wear finger picks to play clawhammer (almost never unless I accidentally cut my nail way too short) I wear them like little metal finger nails. It makes perfect sense.

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Dr. Gene Dango MD
May 20, 2010

Fuck them other cats I'm running with my own wolfpack

Keep fronting like youse a thug and get ya dome pushed back

SecretSquirrel posted:

There's a toggle in the File-Options-General tab that changes the screen mode from line to page. Or at least it does in TefView.

That fixed it, thanks!

I'm practicing Ashokan Farewell and I don't really know how to pinch two strings that are next to each other. Do I use my index and middle in one motion up?

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