The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-27-2016, 07:31 PM
BoneDigger's Avatar
BoneDigger BoneDigger is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Tyler, TX
Posts: 7,184
Default Deering Solana 6 string banjo?

Anyone had a chance to play one of these? I like the idea of nylon strings and online videos sound good.

Todd
__________________
https://www.mcmakinmusic.com
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-28-2016, 07:41 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

Yes. It was a pretty thunky, dead sounding instrument in my hands. The lack of a drone note was evident and made it sound even less like a banjo.

But there are great players like Michael Miles who do wonders with nylon strung banjos:

__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-13-2016, 11:27 AM
Song Song is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Boston Texas
Posts: 2,064
Default

I have one! It's basically a nylon string guitar with an open back banjo body.
I like it very much and will use it in a recording someday.
https://vimeo.com/167512247
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-02-2017, 06:58 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Chugiak, Alaska
Posts: 31,164
Default

Todd, I've played one and liked it a lot. And with respect, ukejon, criticizing a guitar-banjo for lacking a high 5th string drone is like criticizing a five string banjo for not having the low notes that a guitar-banjo can get. Guitar-banjos are a valid musical instrument in their own right.

Full disclosure: I've owned and played a succession of guitar-banjos since around 1980, and have found a lot of different musical styles that they're good for. Personally, I feel that Greg Deering took what was a problematic banjo family instrument and figured out how to fix the intonation and tonal problems that had previously plagued it. I got a Deering B6 guitar-banjo in a trade in the late 1990's, and consider that to have been one of the most fortunate trades I've ever made.

Incidentally, I own and play a five string banjo, too, as well as a pony five string banjo and a mandolin-banjo. They're all "real banjos," just different from what comes to mind for most people when the word "banjo" gets mentioned.

Anyway, Todd, the Deering Solana is a good instrument that does what it's supposed to do. It's definitely worth checking out.


Wade Hampton Miller
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-18-2017, 10:07 AM
BoneDigger's Avatar
BoneDigger BoneDigger is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Tyler, TX
Posts: 7,184
Default

I did end up buying one, then I customized it a bit. Now I'm quite happy with it. I'll try to post up a better picture later. All I have right now is a picture of me with most of the banjo shown. Ignore my ugly mug and just look at the banjo.

I added a vintage banjo pick guard I found on EBay, and a wooden arm rest I already had. Since I mostly flat pick and strum, the pick guard helps keep my pinky off of the head and that annoying rubbing sound.

The Solana really does have a unique tone. It's not overly banjo like or guitar like. It's just kind of somewhere in the middle. So far, I'm really enjoying it.

Todd



Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk
__________________
https://www.mcmakinmusic.com
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-18-2017, 10:53 AM
wizardb wizardb is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 159
Default

Please forgive this stupid question but on a 6 string banjo is the tuning and fretting the same as a guitar?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-18-2017, 11:19 AM
BoneDigger's Avatar
BoneDigger BoneDigger is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Tyler, TX
Posts: 7,184
Default

Yep, exactly the same.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk
__________________
https://www.mcmakinmusic.com
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-18-2017, 03:57 PM
BoneDigger's Avatar
BoneDigger BoneDigger is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Tyler, TX
Posts: 7,184
Default



Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk
__________________
https://www.mcmakinmusic.com
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=