Let’s talk banjos a bit (NGC)

[Ncdan]

So a couple months ago I started looking for a mid range banjo to leave at the mountain house.
I’d been hauling my ole trusted, early 70’s Saga, up and down the mountains. I’ve had the Saga for nearly 20 years and it’s a fine instrument. In the early 70’s the Japan company decided to get a cut from the US market so they  copied the Gibson Mastertone and if I may say did a fine job. I did upgrade the Saga with a heavy made top notch brass tone ring. Not to offend any Gibson lovers here, as they are fine instruments, this Saga leaves them behind and not just my one sided opinion but many of my mastertone owner buddies admits it.
Now enough bragging, sorry guys, but back to what I found and purchased last night.
After an extensive search and playing several mid range banjos,



I had narrowed it down to two, the Gibson Epiphone MB250 and the Morgan Monroe Cascade.
My decision came last night when I played the Mb250 back to back with 3 Gibson Mastertones. The Epiphone won out hands down over the Morgan Monroe.
Again no offense to any mastertone owner and even the owner of the Gibson’s and the Epiphone, there was no doubt that the Epiphone had a sharper more Boisterous sound and volume.
The Epiphone was in mint condition, hardly played or handled and I got it for 575.00 with a deluxe hard shell case and already attached 5th string capo.
I’ve been a musician most of my life and and trying to just be fare and balanced here. I simply can’t see paying 3-5k for a mastertone when there are many banjos in the 500 800 dollar range delivers such a fine banjo, noise, as Wife puts it🤣
What say you pickers?

[Guzzistajohn]

Looks like a nice rig dude. I've been a Bluegrass fan since the 70's I actually carried Bill Monroe's mandolin into a local bar for him on a icy December night. But the banjo player has always taken the brunt of the jokes at pickin' parties 

[garbln]

Banjo and bagpipe players only need to learn 3 songs because they all sound the same.

[Ncdan]

Banjo and bagpipe players only need to learn 3 songs because they all sound the same.

No so my friend and you are sounding like my wife now😂
Have you ever heard Amazing Grace played on a banjo, with feeling?
The banjo with a skilled player can make the boisterous creature fit into most every genre of music. Except Rap maybe, which ain’t music in the first place👍

[Ncdan]

Looks like a nice rig dude. I've been a Bluegrass fan since the 70's I actually carried Bill Monroe's mandolin into a local bar for him on a icy December night. But the banjo player has always taken the brunt of the jokes at pickin' parties 

That’s a fact John. Back when I first started being able to combine rolls and get somewhat of a rhythm playing ability, I went to a Tuesday nite picking at a local neighborhood gathering. I was sitting beside an old gentleman playing a mandolin who enlighten me with the following statement. “You know son, pickers like to see a good banjo player sit in”. I smiled and a flush of pride came over me at the receiving of that compliment. Immediately this came out of the old gentlemen mouth, “and they LOVE to see a sorry banjo player go”. I put my Saga back in the case and sat beside another older banjo player and just took mental notes the remainder of the evening.

[Jim Rich]

I have a Master Tone you have not heard.  Also has a custom tone ring and has a nice fat character to the sound.  I'd like to jam with you some time to compare them.

[Lannis]

Banjos have a few parallels with motorcycles.   The world could do without either of them, but enthusiasts REQUIRE them for things like bluegrass music and curvy mountain roads, and the prices reflect it.

Beginner Banjo/Motorcycle - $300/$3000, just to get your feet wet and see if you like it.

Next step Banjo/Motorcycle - $700/$7000, will perform as well as you will until you get pretty darn good.

Will do everything a Talented Enthusiast can do, including festival jam sessions/track days - $2500/$12,000.

Professional Level -  For performing on stage professionally/keeping up with the best stock bikes on a track - $5,000/$25,000.

Top level, with world class brakes and wheels, abalone inlays, silver tuners, Ralph's personal tone ring, and race-shop build - $10,000/$100,000 and the sky's the limit ....

Anyhow, it just came to me as you were talking ....

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

Scruggs>Clapton

[PJPR01]

No so my friend and you are sounding like my wife now😂
Have you ever heard Amazing Grace played on a banjo, with feeling?
The banjo with a skilled player can make the boisterous creature fit into most every genre of music. Except Rap maybe, which ain’t music in the first place👍

Banjo's a fine sounding instrument indeed, why don't you post up a Youtube video here of you playing Amazing Grace!

Can't agree with you on the Rap music comment, there are lots of great songs and artists, but it's a different soul and rhythm to enjoy it - Dr. Dre, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Jay-Z, but we'll not dilute this thread...

By the way, why do they call them Banjo bolts anyway?  What's the connection?

:)

[oldbike54]

 Rhiannon Giddens .

 Dusty

[s1120]

Im not a good player... At all...  Guitar is my normal go to, but I got a old Japan made Banjo from my dad when he passed, and its really been fun to mess around with. It needed a set up BAD!!!!  Neck angle was out to lunch, and the head was so loose im suprised the bridge stayed on it. SOOO much nicer after. Epiphone makes good stuff these days. I have a few guitars, and love them. Play what feels good, what you like the sound of, and can be happy while playing it. Get it set up nice, and play!!  Better to play a lower end one you like, then never play becouse your saving up for the best.

[wolfeguitars]

I stock & sell Deering's "Goodtime" Banjo's that are affordable USA made Banjo's. They're quite impressive and priced right. Really well made.
www.wolfeguitars.co m

This is why they call me "Banjovie"

[berniebee]

[Ncdan]

Banjos have a few parallels with motorcycles.   The world could do without either of them, but enthusiasts REQUIRE them for things like bluegrass music and curvy mountain roads, and the prices reflect it.

Beginner Banjo/Motorcycle - $300/$3000, just to get your feet wet and see if you like it.

Next step Banjo/Motorcycle - $700/$7000, will perform as well as you will until you get pretty darn good.

Will do everything a Talented Enthusiast can do, including festival jam sessions/track days - $2500/$12,000.

Professional Level -  For performing on stage professionally/keeping up with the best stock bikes on a track - $5,000/$25,000.

Top level, with world class brakes and wheels, abalone inlays, silver tuners, Ralph's personal tone ring, and race-shop build - $10,000/$100,000 and the sky's the limit ....

Anyhow, it just came to me as you were talking ....

Lannis

Mighty fine comparison Lannis, hats off to ya today my friend 👍

[Ncdan]

I have a Master Tone you have not heard.  Also has a custom tone ring and has a nice fat character to the sound.  I'd like to jam with you some time to compare them.

Just curious Jim but why would you spend thousands on the Most celebrated And revered
banjo on the planet and feel the need to replace/upgrade the tone ring??

[Ncdan]

Banjo's a fine sounding instrument indeed, why don't you post up a Youtube video here of you playing Amazing Grace!

Can't agree with you on the Rap music comment, there are lots of great songs and artists, but it's a different soul and rhythm to enjoy it - Dr. Dre, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Jay-Z, but we'll not dilute this thread...

By the way, why do they call them Banjo bolts anyway?  What's the connection?

:)

I won’t address the rap thing, enough  said about that;)
As far as the “bolt” thing, I can’t say I’ve ever heard that phrase but it could be referring to the massive amount of bolts that attaches the skin to the pot.

[Ncdan]

Rhiannon Giddens .

 Dusty

Yep 👍

[Ncdan]

I stock & sell Deering's "Goodtime" Banjo's that are affordable USA made Banjo's. They're quite impressive and priced right. Really well made.
www.wolfeguitars.co m

This is why they call me "Banjovie"

Absolutely on the Deering Goodtime, is up there with a Mastertone also any day.
Again, not kicking the Mastertone as it’s an America legend but just making the point that there are great sounding banjos out there that have equal quality sound for 1/3 the price. It’s hard to tell me the name alone is not half the price.

[garbln]

No so my friend and you are sounding like my wife now😂
Have you ever heard Amazing Grace played on a banjo, with feeling?
The banjo with a skilled player can make the boisterous creature fit into most every genre of music. Except Rap maybe, which ain’t music in the first place👍

I was just kidding you, I own and have been playing at the banjo for 20-30 years.  Notice I said I play at it, I'm not very good at it, musical talent is not in my family gene pool. I just fool around with it.

[wymple]

The best banjo tuner is a wire cutter. My kids were all bluegrassers back when, and were a fairly popular bunch where we hung out. We used a banjo man very often. Perfect pitch is when you toss the banjo player out of the bus window and he lands on an accordion player.

[fotoguzzi]

By the way, why do they call them Banjo bolts anyway?  What's the connection?

:)

they are shaped like a banjo

[Ncdan]

The best banjo tuner is a wire cutter. My kids were all bluegrassers back when, and were a fairly popular bunch where we hung out. We used a banjo man very often. Perfect pitch is when you toss the banjo player out of the bus window and he lands on an accordion player.

Now that’s just plump ill willed and mean wymple 😡

[RHAT]

[oldbike54]

 Where did you find that picture of Steve ?

 Dusty

[RHAT]

Where did you find that picture of Steve ?

 Dusty

Saw it on another forums thread a few days ago and thought it appropriate to snag it for here.    He really can play that thing too

[Shorty]

"Mean Mary" James can do a nice job with banjos, etc:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX-SeEf2P-o      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7gD3XBeLk8    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JnVbhU1qgg  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PtEbrwlgT0  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8lOPYJXonc  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFbGatPNhs

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

By the way, why do they call them Banjo bolts anyway?  What's the connection?

:)

Banjo bolts called that because the hold a banjo fitting... the bolt is pretty normal, it's the fitting that looks like a banjo with the skin removed

[Lannis]

Saw it on another forums thread a few days ago and thought it appropriate to snag it for here.    He really can play that thing too

It's an album cover - I've got it. Steve is a great banjo player, it's how he started his career. Clawhammer, tenor, and Scruggs style.

[s1120]

So I think the real question here is what one will end up staying at camp, and what one will come home to be your every day Banjo...   

[Ncdan]

So I think the real question here is what one will end up staying at camp, and what one will come home to be your every day Banjo...

I m going to leave the Epiphone at the mountain house and keep the Saga at home, as we have porch pickings frequently.
Here’s a video wife took last evening, if it will come through   



Sorry for some reason I can’t get the video to down load