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Post by alexkirtley on May 22, 2021 13:04:10 GMT
In time I'm thinking about getting another banjo, the only one I have is a nylon string banjo from the 1890's, which I love but I'm looking into maybe getting a steel string open back banjo, but I don't really know as much about banjos as I do about guitars, so are there any decent ones to look out for, either new or vintage?
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Martin
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Post by Martin on May 24, 2021 18:08:40 GMT
Yes, there are plenty really. It all depends on what sort of music you want to play on it and your budget.
For me, the US made open-back banjos are probably the best, with Pisgah, Reiter, Chuck Lee and Cedar Mountain impressing me most.
Of course, if you want to buy British, Leon Ballard is producing some outstanding instruments - at least he makes them all sound fantastic with his playing - I had one of his and if it hadn't been partially fretless I'd still have it.
Vintage is harder due to the propensity of 100-year old necks to warp, but a good vintage Vega pot with a new Fawley or Reiter neck can be a world-beater.
At the cheaper end, the Eastman Whyte Laydie banjos look amazing, and you can't beat Gold Tone for value.
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Post by Matt Milton on May 25, 2021 12:39:46 GMT
I personally think that the open-back banjo is such a simple instrument/design that the quality-price ratio you'd apply to a guitar is nowhere near the same. I'm sure others would disagree, but I genuinely don't hear anything 'superior' when I've compared an expensive open-back banjo to the cheap Blue Moon banjo (a chinese factory made open-back) that I have owned and played regularly for about 15 years now. I also own a 'good' banjo, which banjo-enthusiast friends of mine have drooled over: an SS Stewart banjo from the late 1800s. It does indeed have a nice tone, but its difference in tone compared to my Blue Moon has as much to do with the nylon strings on it as anything. Does it sound 'better' than my Blue Moon cheapie? No, it just sounds different. Whether it sounds better or not depends on the application - the song and how I'm singing. I would start by going to Hobgoblin or a folky instrument shop and trying some out, now that that's easier to do. Someone I know from south London folk clubs has recently started making banjos. He has two fretless currently in stock. They strike me as very good value for money if you're after a fretless. They certainly look beautiful... Looks like he's making fretted open-backs too but none in stock right now. www.jackenelswythbanjos.com/
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on May 25, 2021 17:08:23 GMT
Recording King have a range of good banjos at sensible prices, whether open back or bluegrass. They're my personal goto.
There's even more cultishness over brands and builders among banjo players than guitar players, but as Matt implies the notion that you can't get a really fine budget instrument is possibly even more risible. Careful set up yields more than spending power.
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on May 26, 2021 11:23:12 GMT
Wasn't talking about 'entry level' banjos, as it goes, assuming that Alex wasn't looking at going there, but rather that sweet spot where Recording King pitch the majority of their instruments. Won't say anything else. Didn't mean to offend.
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Post by Matt Milton on May 26, 2021 13:33:00 GMT
Here's some audio of my Blue Moon. This is direct to the built in iPhone mics - if I'd been mic'ing it up to really showcase the banjo's sustain or harmonic detail or whatever I would have stuck a pencil condenser or two at the neck and got a lot more warmth etc. Old strings too - haven't changed em in years, and this video itself was made a few years ago... Do banjos sound better with age, like guitars? I don't know.
I feel like, with my banjos and guitars, I've now reached a point where whenever I pick up an instrument I am pleasantly surprised by how good it sounds, rather than mildly disappointed in how it lacks a certain something or other. That's after many years of chopping and changing, buying and selling, of course...
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Post by alexkirtley on May 26, 2021 14:14:21 GMT
Well, look what followed me home today, I wasn’t going to buy a banjo just yet as I don’t have much money right now, but I checked Facebook marketplace at about half 2 am last night and this had just been listed, for a hundred quid I couldn’t resist, it seems barely played too, I’m not saying it’s my be all and end all banjo, I will likely upgrade at some point, but so far I’m quite impressed, the Deering Goodtimes are simple banjos but it sounds pretty good, it will do for now!
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on May 26, 2021 15:01:04 GMT
Frankly, if I'm not offended by something someone says on this forum at least once a day then it's not doing it's damn job.
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Post by Matt Milton on May 26, 2021 16:51:02 GMT
We have that same cat cushion by the way. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to know that. Clearly banjo players have similar tastes in home furnishings.
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