1. i was planning on purchasing a clareen pearl shortscale but i was told they lose there tone after a while and that a dave boyle banjo would be better.has anyone encountered this with their banjos?
2. i'm currently upgrading my banjo and i'm not sure where to go in selling my old banjo.any advice on how to go about selling it?
3.what are the advantages/disadvantages of playing a short scale banjo?
and finally
4.what steps can be taken to increase the loudness of the banjo.when i play in sessions i can bearly hear myself play and i'd be going as loud as i can.is it down to the players technique, set-up of the banjo (strings,bridges used etc.) or is it the banjo itself?
Re qn1 the majority of top-notchers in Ireland do play DB's rather than TC's bit, personally, I have found my TC's tone fine after 10 years of hammering it.
qn2 no idea
qn3 again, all the top notchers that I've seen play normal scale which is good enough for me
qn4 I don't think you'd have this problem with either TC or DB banjo. Indeed you might find the reverse and that might well help your playing. In my experience, I followed advice given on this site by Will, in particular, to play in an 'easy' style and this helped both tone and accuracy.
I would urge you to try and play both before you buy either, they may not be your cup ot tea once you have had a play. While acknowledging that many of the top players in Ireland play a Dave Boyle and not doubting either their taste or the quality of the instruments, it does not necessarily follow that you will like his sound.
Anyway, what could be better than having an excuse to go to Ireland Banjo shopping!
Also on a practical note, Dave often has a seriously long waiting list - like a year to 18 months! So if you are in a hurry that may be a consideration. I can also vouch that there is no problem with volume on a Dave Boyle banjo - they are LOUD.
On the short scale / long scale thing, I started off playing short scales cos the fingering was easier, but now I am a bit more proficient I find myself graduating to a standard scale instrument. Mind you, you can approach it from the other direction as apparently when Kevin Griffin started playing he learned on a Plectrum which is certainly a mighty challenge to a beginer in terms of stretch and speed, mind you is doesn't seem to have done him any harm!!
I have a Boyle banjo, and find the volume to be excellent(my wife's think's it too loud, "will you play the mandolin, i can't hear Coronation street on the telly!").
I bought a short scale banjo and have found no disadvantages, the advantage is that i can actually reach the 7th fret, impossible for me on normal scale. Nick b is correct about the waiting list of 18 months, don't hold your breath.
My wife is having a baby soon, -how do i lower the volume of my banjo, or will i have to keep it in the case, save waking the baby up?
Sorry this is sidlining the issues raised by Mike, but I know what you mean Celtic, we had our first little one in September. For home use I take off the resonator and stuff a cloth between the neck rods and the skin. Works fine but its a bit of a chore.
In response to #4, tuning up the head of the banjo when it's gone flat can make a world of difference in volume and brightness of tone. My father's old Vega (skin head and no tone ring) came back from the shop recently and it sounds like a totally different instrument now.
I think that the major consideration on long or short scale is the fingering you use. If you use mandolin fingering, that is first 3 fingers the short scale works better. If you use your pinky either will work.
On my yearly trip to the willie clancy i went into custy music shop in ennis and had my strings changed on my vega banjo and what a differance in sound , but my teacher has told me that its not always the high sound but the sweet tune that matters
I have 2 banjos at the moment one is a countryman but it isn't great which is why i went and got my cousins "framus" banjo(he'd given it up) but now i want to get a new one and i heard i can exchange the two of them for a brand new one. does anyone know where i can do this?
banjo business
banjo business
hi,
i have a few questions to ask
1. i was planning on purchasing a clareen pearl shortscale but i was told they lose there tone after a while and that a dave boyle banjo would be better.has anyone encountered this with their banjos?
2. i'm currently upgrading my banjo and i'm not sure where to go in selling my old banjo.any advice on how to go about selling it?
3.what are the advantages/disadvantages of playing a short scale banjo?
and finally
4.what steps can be taken to increase the loudness of the banjo.when i play in sessions i can bearly hear myself play and i'd be going as loud as i can.is it down to the players technique, set-up of the banjo (strings,bridges used etc.) or is it the banjo itself?
# Posted on February 23rd 2004 by tonnta
Re: banjo business
Re qn1 the majority of top-notchers in Ireland do play DB's rather than TC's bit, personally, I have found my TC's tone fine after 10 years of hammering it.
qn2 no idea
qn3 again, all the top notchers that I've seen play normal scale which is good enough for me
qn4 I don't think you'd have this problem with either TC or DB banjo. Indeed you might find the reverse and that might well help your playing. In my experience, I followed advice given on this site by Will, in particular, to play in an 'easy' style and this helped both tone and accuracy.
Wish you well!
# Posted on February 23rd 2004 by r&c
Re: banjo business
I changed to a thinner and lower bridge, which gave me much more volume...
# Posted on February 23rd 2004 by Larshansen
Re: banjo business
What are you upgrading your banjo to ... a flute?
# Posted on February 23rd 2004 by Conway
Re: banjo business
I would urge you to try and play both before you buy either, they may not be your cup ot tea once you have had a play. While acknowledging that many of the top players in Ireland play a Dave Boyle and not doubting either their taste or the quality of the instruments, it does not necessarily follow that you will like his sound.
Anyway, what could be better than having an excuse to go to Ireland Banjo shopping!
Also on a practical note, Dave often has a seriously long waiting list - like a year to 18 months! So if you are in a hurry that may be a consideration. I can also vouch that there is no problem with volume on a Dave Boyle banjo - they are LOUD.
On the short scale / long scale thing, I started off playing short scales cos the fingering was easier, but now I am a bit more proficient I find myself graduating to a standard scale instrument. Mind you, you can approach it from the other direction as apparently when Kevin Griffin started playing he learned on a Plectrum which is certainly a mighty challenge to a beginer in terms of stretch and speed, mind you is doesn't seem to have done him any harm!!
Good luck with whichever you choose.
# Posted on February 23rd 2004 by nick b
Re: banjo business
I have a Boyle banjo, and find the volume to be excellent(my wife's think's it too loud, "will you play the mandolin, i can't hear Coronation street on the telly!").
I bought a short scale banjo and have found no disadvantages, the advantage is that i can actually reach the 7th fret, impossible for me on normal scale. Nick b is correct about the waiting list of 18 months, don't hold your breath.
My wife is having a baby soon, -how do i lower the volume of my banjo, or will i have to keep it in the case, save waking the baby up?
# Posted on February 25th 2004 by Celtic1234
Re: banjo business
Sorry this is sidlining the issues raised by Mike, but I know what you mean Celtic, we had our first little one in September. For home use I take off the resonator and stuff a cloth between the neck rods and the skin. Works fine but its a bit of a chore.
# Posted on February 25th 2004 by darnoc
Re: banjo business
In response to #4, tuning up the head of the banjo when it's gone flat can make a world of difference in volume and brightness of tone. My father's old Vega (skin head and no tone ring) came back from the shop recently and it sounds like a totally different instrument now.
# Posted on March 3rd 2004 by Pat McGee
Re: banjo business
I think that the major consideration on long or short scale is the fingering you use. If you use mandolin fingering, that is first 3 fingers the short scale works better. If you use your pinky either will work.
# Posted on September 9th 2004 by Martinfamilyband
Re: banjo business
On my yearly trip to the willie clancy i went into custy music shop in ennis and had my strings changed on my vega banjo and what a differance in sound , but my teacher has told me that its not always the high sound but the sweet tune that matters
# Posted on August 17th 2007 by DES RYNNE
Re: banjo business
I have 2 banjos at the moment one is a countryman but it isn't great which is why i went and got my cousins "framus" banjo(he'd given it up) but now i want to get a new one and i heard i can exchange the two of them for a brand new one. does anyone know where i can do this?
# Posted on July 18th 2011 by Brianfinn4