Time to regulate banjos

[BTF]

Well, Geof, I'd say pretty much ANY banjo playing is murder...

I KID, I KID!

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Geof S.

Help me out here, guys. Are we making fun of murder or gun control?

Neither. Banjos.

But when banjos are outlawed, only outlaws will have banjos. Wait...

Bob

[Psalad]

What I don't understand... a PAIR of banjos?? It takes more than one??

[Wengr]

I have zero tolerance for banjos - three strums and you're out.

[BTF]

Well, it depends on the player, Psalad.

But as Shane said to Joey, "One is enough if you know how to use it."

[Bern]

Sad story...someone was murdered.

[dirkronk]

Originally Posted by Bern

Sad story...someone was murdered.

This is true. I should point out, however, that the incident took place well over two decades ago. That doesn't make it any less sad, I realize. But the letterspacing and typesetting on the scan of the article indicated to me that this was in hot type (possibly even hand-set)...something that hasn't been used even in tiny markets for many, many years. And a quick search brought this to light:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/199...o-miami-county

Let's face it. Anti-banjo types aren't above resurrecting ancient history to make their own partisan points.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by dirkronk

Let's face it. Anti-banjo types aren't above resurrecting ancient history to make their own partisan points.

Me, for instance. I could tell the age of the article from the yellowing of the paper.

Bob

[BTF]

This thread is quickly devolving to that age-old and sure-to-be-moderated issue of:

Will banning banjos reduce the incidences of banjo violence (aka "banjo music"), or will it just mean that only law abiding citizens will pick up guitars, mandolins and fiddles, leaving criminals who still use banjos to perpetrate their tinny and jangly, heinous dins?

I honestly don't think the issue will be settled here.

[Twelvefret]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Neither. Banjos.

But when banjos are outlawed, only outlaws will have banjos. Wait...

Bob

I admit to playing the banjo. In fact, I have three banjos. I also consider myself as someone outside the law.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Twelvefret

I admit to playing the banjo. In fact, I have three banjos. I also consider myself as someone outside the law.

I have played. One of my best friends, a band mate from high school went on to become one of the best custom banjo makers.

I am currently abstaining.

Bob

[BTF]

Twelvefret:

While I cannot say I know what you're going through, I want you to know that there is help available to people like yourself. The question is: Do you WANT help?

If you've answered yes, I'd suggest a program like Banjoists Anonymous. It's a Twelve Step program which will slowly wean you from your horrible addiction. Some of the steps will seem severe to you at first:

They'll take your thumbpick away. They may hand you a ukelele. You may be told that Earl Scruggs caused the Great Depression. Don't be surprised if someone produces a photo showing Bela Fleck- with banjo- sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun. Someone may point out that the banjo played a prominent part in the film, "Deliverance".

I don't mean to scare you. I just want you to know that someone cares.

[sachi]

Seems to me that banjos should be legal as long as they are equipped with a permanently mounted silencer. The silencer must be constructed so as to mute the output of the banjo to no more than 15 dB.

Any person who removes the silencer or overrides it through amplification shall be subject to severe penalties.

[random works]

There was a time when people did not go nuts just from seeing a banjo. Kids used to bring them to the one room school house and lean them against the wall until it was time to go home. A well aimed tune could bring down a squirrel for supper. Banjos were passed down from father to son. Trucks had banjo racks in the cab and nobody called the law. Times have changed. Many seem to think only the mentally unstable or crooks play banjos.

Over protective mothers will not let their children see a picture of a banjo in a magazine nor let them see movies that have banjo playing.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by sachi

Seems to me that banjos should be legal as long as they are equipped with a permanently mounted silencer. The silencer must be constructed so as to mute the output of the banjo to no more than 15 dB...Any person who removes the silencer or overrides it through amplification shall be subject to severe penalties.

Bad news, Sachi - silencers are also considered NFA Class III, and subject to the same penalties...

Originally Posted by Heroditus

...Are accordions next?

We can only hope...