Yesterday I posted a question about stretching the pinky to the 7th fret on a tenor banjo. Thanks for all the helpful replies!!
Two more questions which are kind of related:
The banjo I was playing was a Deering Gootdtime. It retailed for €539 in Waltons. I imagine Waltons isn't the ideal place to buy a banjo but does this represent good value? And is this banjo any good for a beginner hoping to get to intermediate pretty soon?
Secondly, I know it is a matter of personal preference, but is there any particular plectrum thickness that is most popular for mandolin or banjo?
I use .60mm orange Jim Dunlop picks. Really really hard to find but absolutely brilliant if you can get them. Good luck. .60 is easy to use/control and puts out a nice sound.
On my mandolin I find .60 too floppy for fast picking and not up to it for Bluegrass chopping so my wallet has .88 Jim Dunlop Tortex in it. Green ones.
Actually my favourite plec is a blue triangular thing with three different thicknesses on each corner. It has a great grip too. ... cant remember the make though. sorry.
It's difficult for me to judge the value of the Deering because of the current exchange rate between US and Euro. In general, I think that a lot of vintage banjos are a better overall value than the newly made ones by Deering and Gold Tone.
Both the 1934 Paramount, and the 1920s Orpheum #2 that I play cost me about what the current exchange rate for €540 would be. (A bit more, but not much...) And I would consider them to be much better banjos. But Deerings are decently well made, and will be a good place to start!
As far as plectrums go for banjo, I'll second Nutter's vote for the Snarling Dog - Brain Picks (also can be found as "Cat Tongue" picks made by Cool Picks). I use green .53s and purple .60s
I use the next size up for both. .73mm yellow JD Tortex triangle for banjo and .88 green for mandolin. or whatever I've got in my pocket, but I do like the feel of a big stiff one.
Yeah, experimentation is good. Different picks of the same gauge will sound completely different. And it's good to get someone else's opinion too, because banjos sound completely different to the player than they do to a listener.
I used to play somewhat heavier picks, but found that I was over-picking the banjo. Since I started out on bouzouki, I used to pick my banjo way too hard. I had to really separate my techniques for the different instruments. So playing with a lighter pick allows you to relax and play lighter too. I only switch to a heavier pick when I'm in a very loud session and need a bit more volume <insert jokes here> out of the banjo.
I use either the Fender or Gibson "Medium" big triangle picks for the banjo. I think they're about 0.7mm. For some reason I need the big triangle feature because it helps stop the pick from rotating. It also seems to allow more flexibility to adjust the angle of attack, etc.
Jim Dunlop used to make two lines of nylon picks that looked identical, except for colors. The real difference was that one line featured a slightly harder type of nylon. I’ve used the black 1 mm pick for many years, but I was beginning to appreciate the slightly stiffer red 1 mm when I discovered, on the same day, that they had discontinued the stiffer line and that my last one was getting ragged.
I think maybe the orange picks, mentioned above, were from the discontinued line.
Yeah, grego, I used fairly light Clayton picks of the "big triangle" style for some time too. And I played around with drilling holes in them, which can help grip too.
But if you try the Cat Tongue/Brain Picks, I guarantee you that you won't have a problem with them rotating! They have sandpaper-like grip on them. The first time you hold one, you'll be blown away. I know a couple of players that don't like them because they stick TOO well. But for me, they really helped me loosen my grip up significantly!
I checked out the cat tongue site. Interesting remarks:
"Every Cat Tongue pick has been engineered to contain small sub-atomic cloned cat-tongue particles. Molded directly into the pick through a patented process developed during the cold war."
"Every Cat Tongue pick has been engineered to contain small sub-atomic cloned cat-tongue particles. Molded directly into the pick through a patented process developed during the cold war."
A lovely example of the old (cat) tongue- in-cheek copy writing! Good marketing, perhaps, but of the type that relies on many readers' lack of technical knowledge.
"Small sub-atomic particles" indeed! ... now that looks to me very much like a selection of electrons, protons and neutrons (for starters), and I'd just love to read the alleged "patent" - if it exists - on the process for molding said electrons etc directly into the pick.
I'ce seen the patent, Trevor. The molding process is quite simple, actually. As the still-warm picks come out of the cutting machine, they run on a conveyor belt past a row of cloned cats. The cats lick each pick.
I hear the Manx clones make the best banjo picks....
Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Howyas,
Yesterday I posted a question about stretching the pinky to the 7th fret on a tenor banjo. Thanks for all the helpful replies!!
Two more questions which are kind of related:
The banjo I was playing was a Deering Gootdtime. It retailed for €539 in Waltons. I imagine Waltons isn't the ideal place to buy a banjo but does this represent good value? And is this banjo any good for a beginner hoping to get to intermediate pretty soon?
Secondly, I know it is a matter of personal preference, but is there any particular plectrum thickness that is most popular for mandolin or banjo?
Thanks folks!
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by ireland78
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I use .60mm orange Jim Dunlop picks. Really really hard to find but absolutely brilliant if you can get them. Good luck. .60 is easy to use/control and puts out a nice sound.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by camwebby
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Me too. Ive got six .60mm Jim Dunlops in my wallet at all times... never leave home without a pleck..... mine are grey though
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by session savage
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
On my mandolin I find .60 too floppy for fast picking and not up to it for Bluegrass chopping so my wallet has .88 Jim Dunlop Tortex in it. Green ones.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by mandoboy
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Actually my favourite plec is a blue triangular thing with three different thicknesses on each corner. It has a great grip too. ... cant remember the make though. sorry.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by session savage
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Fender .50's and sometimes .60 Brain Picks for the banjo, but thick, thicker, and thickest to pick the mando.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
It's difficult for me to judge the value of the Deering because of the current exchange rate between US and Euro. In general, I think that a lot of vintage banjos are a better overall value than the newly made ones by Deering and Gold Tone.
Both the 1934 Paramount, and the 1920s Orpheum #2 that I play cost me about what the current exchange rate for €540 would be. (A bit more, but not much...) And I would consider them to be much better banjos. But Deerings are decently well made, and will be a good place to start!
As far as plectrums go for banjo, I'll second Nutter's vote for the Snarling Dog - Brain Picks (also can be found as "Cat Tongue" picks made by Cool Picks). I use green .53s and purple .60s
Pete
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Reverend
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I also use the .88 Jim Dunlop Tortex for playing melody on the bouzouki, and .60mm for chords.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Ramiro
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Cheers folks!
So the concensus seems to be .60mm for banjo and between a .60mm and a .80mm for mandolin (depending on personal preference).
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by ireland78
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I use the next size up for both. .73mm yellow JD Tortex triangle for banjo and .88 green for mandolin. or whatever I've got in my pocket, but I do like the feel of a big stiff one.
They're easy to buy in batches online, which you may as well because they're easy to lose.
http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/ViewProduct.aspx?productId=1069
Get a mixed bag and experiment. They're both relatively recent in popularity and there's no fixed "traditional" approach.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Bren
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Yeah, experimentation is good. Different picks of the same gauge will sound completely different. And it's good to get someone else's opinion too, because banjos sound completely different to the player than they do to a listener.
I used to play somewhat heavier picks, but found that I was over-picking the banjo. Since I started out on bouzouki, I used to pick my banjo way too hard. I had to really separate my techniques for the different instruments. So playing with a lighter pick allows you to relax and play lighter too. I only switch to a heavier pick when I'm in a very loud session and need a bit more volume <insert jokes here> out of the banjo.
Pete
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Reverend
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I use either the Fender or Gibson "Medium" big triangle picks for the banjo. I think they're about 0.7mm. For some reason I need the big triangle feature because it helps stop the pick from rotating. It also seems to allow more flexibility to adjust the angle of attack, etc.
I'm convinced it's a personal preference thing.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by grego
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Jim Dunlop used to make two lines of nylon picks that looked identical, except for colors. The real difference was that one line featured a slightly harder type of nylon. I’ve used the black 1 mm pick for many years, but I was beginning to appreciate the slightly stiffer red 1 mm when I discovered, on the same day, that they had discontinued the stiffer line and that my last one was getting ragged.
I think maybe the orange picks, mentioned above, were from the discontinued line.
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Bob himself
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Yeah, grego, I used fairly light Clayton picks of the "big triangle" style for some time too. And I played around with drilling holes in them, which can help grip too.
But if you try the Cat Tongue/Brain Picks, I guarantee you that you won't have a problem with them rotating! They have sandpaper-like grip on them. The first time you hold one, you'll be blown away. I know a couple of players that don't like them because they stick TOO well. But for me, they really helped me loosen my grip up significantly!
Pete
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Reverend
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I checked out the cat tongue site. Interesting remarks:
"Every Cat Tongue pick has been engineered to contain small sub-atomic cloned cat-tongue particles. Molded directly into the pick through a patented process developed during the cold war."
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by grego
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
Now that's good marketing there...
# Posted on September 13th 2007 by Reverend
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
"I do like the feel of a big stiff one"
Don't we all, Bren?
# Posted on September 14th 2007 by oldstrings
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
"Every Cat Tongue pick has been engineered to contain small sub-atomic cloned cat-tongue particles. Molded directly into the pick through a patented process developed during the cold war."
A lovely example of the old (cat) tongue- in-cheek copy writing! Good marketing, perhaps, but of the type that relies on many readers' lack of technical knowledge.
"Small sub-atomic particles" indeed! ... now that looks to me very much like a selection of electrons, protons and neutrons (for starters), and I'd just love to read the alleged "patent" - if it exists - on the process for molding said electrons etc directly into the pick.
# Posted on September 15th 2007 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Another Banjo / Mandolin question....
I'ce seen the patent, Trevor. The molding process is quite simple, actually. As the still-warm picks come out of the cutting machine, they run on a conveyor belt past a row of cloned cats. The cats lick each pick.
I hear the Manx clones make the best banjo picks....
# Posted on September 15th 2007 by Will Harmon