knives banjos and engraving

[Jack Davenport]

I stopped procrastinating and ordered my first banjo a couple days ago. I have wanted one for about twenty years now and had never researched the prices. I found a Dean bluegrass player for $150, are they engravable? Does anyone know?

 

[Abigail]

Oh my goodness. Poor Pam.
Next year at the engrave-in I want you to play Mountain Dew for me!
Cheers,
Abigail

 

[Sam]

Jack: Be extremely careful about a $150 banjo. I don't know of any at that price that are good. $300-$350 is the minimum for a decent beginner banjo. The Gold Tone Cripple Creek or Deering Goodtime are the best I know of. Unless you know for sure about the Dean, I recommend that you cancel the order and play it safe. A poor banjo will make learning much more difficult and frustrating. / Sam

 

[John B.]

Oh oh, Sam and Jack !
I see a new shirt from Tim coming up at the next Engrave-In.!!!!!
John B.

 

[Weldon47]

Yeah, you should go for the more expensive one, I think they already have the earplugs included!

Weldon

 

[John B.]

Yeah, you should go for the more expensive one, I think they already have the earplugs included!

Weldon

Weldon, Weldon, Weldon, my friend.
That's cold !!!
Poor Sam. He plays a mean banjo.
You'll break his poor heart!
Best regards, even if you are picking on the banjo players. Ha, ha.
John B.

PS. Thanks for posting and sharing some of your great engraving projects, I've really enjoyed them.

 

[Ray Cover]

Careful Weldon

Its been a while since I have put on my finger picks but I can assure you there is quite a number of grassers on here.

We probably have the majority.

Jack,

Sam is right about the cheap Banjo
I have a Little Gold Tone C100 that I think I paid about $225 for new (been a while so I don't really remember but I think thats what it was)

I find it to be a good choice. It does not have a resonator so it is a little quieter for a beginner to plunk around on without driving everyone out of the house but still loud enough to be heard when playing along with an acoustic guitar. It is also light weight and doesn't wear you out to hold the thing. I don't know if all of the C100s are this way but mine stays in tune fairly well too.

Listening to the gang at Scott's place has kinda inspired me to get back to it as well. I say that as I sit here looking at the layer of dust on mine. Oh well, one of these days I will get caught up.

Ray

 

[Abigail]

Okay Ray! Now you have to bring yours to the next engrave-in. Dust it off and get to practicing!
Cheers,
Abigail

 

[Weldon47]

Hey,
I'm poking fun at me too! I grew up on bluegrass!!

Hee hee

Weldon

 

[Sam]

You gotta have pretty thick hide to be a banjer picker. We get picked on a lot, but then again we usually deserve it! / ~Sam

 

[Weldon47]

Sorry,

All kidding aside, I guess it was seeing the "banjo mute" t-shirt that got me going!

I do love the banjo!

Weldon

 

[Jack Davenport]

banjos & space cadets

funny how things happen, when I tracked the banjo by ups tracker it had gone from St. Pete Fla to Nashville according to the ebay history, realizing that it wont be here untill tomorrow I went to the music store to buy some picks, a tuner & a starter book, while I was there I held in my hands a new fender 5 string, oh! that thing is prettier than a whole litter of Bluetick puppys, and only $439, if this Dean wont own up I will give it to my brother and get another, or make one from a kit. This became a gotta do it now thing after putting it off for so many years. I really appreciate the input on this banjo thing as well as the wire inlay, I just recieved my ten thou thick wire today and laid a crossed ribbon in easily for the first time thanks Sam. Working with 24k gold is almost surealistic after all those years of 416 ss brass nickel silver, and titanium, why didnt someone tell about this years ago, I guess I was just being prepared for today. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Banjocarver]

Jack,
Banjos are a great thing! I have not posted here before but really appreciate all of the great info here. It's inspiring. My engraving interest is related to my passion of building turn of the century style open back banjos. If you want to engrave a few banjo components, I would suggest you consider obtaining some of the unplated parts made by Prucha such as his armrest and tailpieces. The new Kershner style tailpiece engraves especially well. They can obtained through First Quality Music or Greg Boyd.
http://www.fqms.com/Armrests_C1264.cfm
http://www.fqms.com/Sullivan_Historic_Kerschner_T_P22163C1854.cfm
http://gregboyd.com/accessories.html?category_key=5&family=Banjos

These are standard components and can easily moved to your next banjo if you really get hooked and decide to move up as Sam suggested and there is lots of room for some neat engraving on them.

If you happen to have a desire to spend even more time on the web.....and I hesitate to say that because I know what happens when you start messing with banjos, you may want to check out the Banjo Hangout site, there are forums for learning to play in bluegrass and clawhammer styles, for building and repair, and lots of great banjo tune posts by some of the 40,000 members from all over.

http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/

Best regards and good picking,
Glenn Carson