my sincerest apologies to my AGF friends...

[BoneDigger]

I made some disparaging remarks about 6 string banjos a while back. I went so far as to say they were not a good choice for, well, anyone. Today at the local store I found a Deering Boston 6 string. I had planned to buy a 4 string of some kind but after playing the Boston I fell in love with it. It was a great price and came with a case. I think I am really going to like it!

Now, as a traditional banjo player, I still don't think it's a good choice for someone wanting to learn "to play the banjo." But, it's a cool instrument with a unique sound. I can't wait to add it to my folk songs.

I have learned my lesson. Thanks for listening.

Todd

[Wade Hampton]

I understand completely. When I first learned of the existence of guitar-banjos, I believed the disparaging remarks about them that my five string banjo-playing friends and acquaintances had to say about them. (Five string banjo was the third musical instrument I took up, after mountain dulcimer and mandolin but well before I started playing guitar.)

To be fair, many of the criticisms about guitar-banjos that I heard back then were valid: they had horrific intonation problems and most of them had truly crappy tone, even when you came across one made from good materials, like an old Vega Tubaphone guitar-banjo a friend of mine had.

But it turns out that almost all of the nagging problems that most guitar-banjos have come from using standard banjo bridges on them. It's the BRIDGES that are the problem, not the idea of the instrument itself.

Greg Deering figured all that out, designed an intonated bridge for it, and as a result his guitar-banjos are superb musical instruments.

I've had my Deering B6 guitar-banjo since about 1997, and I've gotten to the point where I use it more than all my other banjos put together. It's remarkably versatile.

Todd, I don't know if you have any background in church music, but a hymn that sounds INCREDIBLY cool on the the guitar-banjo is "Onward, Christian Soldiers." In the Episcopal Hymnal that I work out of it's in the key of Eb, and to play it I capo at the 3rd fret and play in C formation.

That song kicks butt on the guitar-banjo!!

So does surf music. So does anything by Henry Mancini (except, perhaps, "Moon River.") But try playing "The Pink Panther Theme" or "Peter Gunn" or "Baby Elephant Walk" on your new guitar-banjo some time - it's a marriage made in heaven!!

Have fun...


Wade Hampton Miller

[wcap]

I'm a long term 5-string banjo player who has also had less than a favorable reaction to the idea of a 6-string banjo. But the following video (which I posted a link to previously in at least one other 6-string banjo thread) really opened up my eyes to the potential:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2maCN...endscreen&NR=1

Even capoed way up like in this performance this 6-string banjo is still giving some lower notes than you'd get from a 5-string banjo. It has a whole different musical effect, sort of reminiscent of a bouzouki.

[Rudy4]

No need to apologize, I think your initial assessment was correct. I've known a few five string players who purchased them and they were quickly relegated to a corner when they figured out that they lacked the charm of the five string with it's reentrant fifth string and guitar licks sounded not so good, either. It's the worst of both worlds, IMHO!!! Good for Taylor Swift-styling, though.

[Dru Edwards]

I've only "fiddled" with a few of the 6 string banjos at the shops and I didn't like any of them; however, they also were inexpensive banjos. I'm betting that Deering would indeed make a great 6 string banjo just based on their reputation.

[BoneDigger]

I tried a few by Gretsch and Dean and didn't like them very much either. The Deering is in a totally different class. The one I bought was at a great price used and not that much more than the new Gretsch.

I was sitting on the porch this morning playing it and having a ball! It really needs a setup and new strings, but I want to wait till the new head arrives before changing anything on it.

Todd

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

I tried a few by Gretsch and Dean and didn't like them very much either. The Deering is in a totally different class. The one I bought was at a great price used and not that much more than the new Gretsch.

I was sitting on the porch this morning playing it and having a ball! It really needs a setup and new strings, but I want to wait till the new head arrives before changing anything on it.

Todd

Hey Todd, I know that Deering's 5 string banjos are US Made, even the Goodtime (I believe California). Is the guitar banjo also US made?

[HHP]

I'm just impressed you found a way to use the terms "disparaging remarks" and "banjo" in the same sentence. Never seen that done before.

[BoneDigger]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Hey Todd, I know that Deering's 5 string banjos are US Made, even the Goodtime (I believe California). Is the guitar banjo also US made?

Yep, all Deerings are USA made.

Todd

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by HHP

I'm just impressed you found a way to use the terms "disparaging remarks" and "banjo" in the same sentence. Never seen that done before.

LOL!

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Yep, all Deerings are USA made.

Todd

Thanks Todd - that's what I thought.

[Dan Carey]

I can't possibly take offense...

http://s49.photobucket.com/user/dcarey69/story/5843