Well two actually. Firstly, does anyone know what banjo Brian McGrath plays on the recording "Dreaming up the Tunes" with Johnny Connolly?
Secondly, does anyone know of any traditional players that play Paramount Banjos? In particular the style A or B. I've played one and was really impressed with it but have not come across them on a recording. Having said that, I think Gerry O'Connor plays one but I can't tell which banjo he is playing just by listening to his albums. I know he mostly plays his David Boyle these days.
there is a picture on page 4 of the the Comhaltas Treoir mag Iml 39 Uimhir 4 2007 showing Brona Graham with what looks like a very elaborately gold plated inlaid Paramount Style C?
I play Paramount Style A in GDAE tuning which I bought of an old jazz singer who used it to accompany himself in C tuning
very nice tone for trad across all strings
and ok up the neck also
only problems I have with it is the gearing of the tuners getting it in tune
I have just ordered a new Oakwood open back
I think Gerry o'Connnor has Paragon among his Gibson's and others
check out his web site - has all the run down on
his gear and set ups
In the States, Paramount As are fairly popular. I was in Dallas recently and there were three at the O'Flaherty Retreat. Ken Fleming plays one (he is the director of the Retreat) and you can usually find one on ebay or with one of the dealers.
They are maple banjos with the Lange archtop tone ring. They are loud and more in the treble range. Overall, very good banjos.
GO'C does not play one, but the Paragon is close in many respects. I think that if you are looking for a professional banjo that is good for ITM, the Paramount A is a fine choice.
The banjo on the "Dreaming Up The Tunes" album cover is almost certainly a Paragon. It has the scalloped tension ring, two tone resonator, and appears to have the standard Paragon shield on the peg head (although, that's obscured by text a bit). The Paragon is... well... the paragon of banjos for Irish players, and they're fairly hard to come by, and quite expensive when you do find them, generally.
I have a Paramount C that I have played, although, it currently sits untouched most of the time, as I favor my Orpheum #2 a bit more.
I am pretty sure that Brian Kelly plays a Style A.
Hmmm, that's cool. I think Mike Keyes has one of those too.
But the banjo on Brian's album cover, and the one he's using in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWdtaQi8bE) seems to have the very distinctive diagonal diamond inlay pattern of the Paramount A.
Both the Epiphone Recording A and the Paramount A have that pattern. No doubt the neck is a Rettenburg in both cases. In fact, the tone ring is the same, too. The Epi is walnut, however.
Brian McGrath plays Clifford Essex Concert Grand. Max Parsley plays a paramount A - he's banjo player on the album of Kevin Keegan, the Galway box player.
whangee - re comment on tuning with original pegs on older (say pre WWII) banjo's eg paramounts
I can get my paramount A tuned spot on and holds pitch ok - it's just not as easy as tuning guitar (gear ratio of about 25:1) or new banjo Schaller tuners gearing ratio about 15:1
Banjo Question
Banjo Question
Well two actually. Firstly, does anyone know what banjo Brian McGrath plays on the recording "Dreaming up the Tunes" with Johnny Connolly?
Secondly, does anyone know of any traditional players that play Paramount Banjos? In particular the style A or B. I've played one and was really impressed with it but have not come across them on a recording. Having said that, I think Gerry O'Connor plays one but I can't tell which banjo he is playing just by listening to his albums. I know he mostly plays his David Boyle these days.
# Posted on December 22nd 2007 by PaddyCmusic
Re: Banjo Question
there is a picture on page 4 of the the Comhaltas Treoir mag Iml 39 Uimhir 4 2007 showing Brona Graham with what looks like a very elaborately gold plated inlaid Paramount Style C?
I play Paramount Style A in GDAE tuning which I bought of an old jazz singer who used it to accompany himself in C tuning
very nice tone for trad across all strings
and ok up the neck also
only problems I have with it is the gearing of the tuners getting it in tune
I have just ordered a new Oakwood open back
I think Gerry o'Connnor has Paragon among his Gibson's and others
check out his web site - has all the run down on
his gear and set ups
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by BrendanDoherty
Re: Banjo Question
In the States, Paramount As are fairly popular. I was in Dallas recently and there were three at the O'Flaherty Retreat. Ken Fleming plays one (he is the director of the Retreat) and you can usually find one on ebay or with one of the dealers.
They are maple banjos with the Lange archtop tone ring. They are loud and more in the treble range. Overall, very good banjos.
GO'C does not play one, but the Paragon is close in many respects. I think that if you are looking for a professional banjo that is good for ITM, the Paramount A is a fine choice.
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by mikeyes
Re: Banjo Question
Paddy if you want a top of the range Paramount Leader and have LOTS of euros try http://www.banjoworld.de/Sale511.htm
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by Red Robin
Re: Banjo Question
Thanks for the feedback. I must have got Gerry's Paramount mixed up with Paragon!
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by PaddyCmusic
Re: Banjo Question
correction - epiphone concert style recording that Brosna Graham has
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by BrendanDoherty
Re: Banjo Question
You can get a close look at Brona Graham's banjo on http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_232_3_brona_graham_on_banjo/ where's she's shown playing a couple of reels during the recent Comhaltas Tour of Ireland.
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Banjo Question
The banjo on the "Dreaming Up The Tunes" album cover is almost certainly a Paragon. It has the scalloped tension ring, two tone resonator, and appears to have the standard Paragon shield on the peg head (although, that's obscured by text a bit). The Paragon is... well... the paragon of banjos for Irish players, and they're fairly hard to come by, and quite expensive when you do find them, generally.
I have a Paramount C that I have played, although, it currently sits untouched most of the time, as I favor my Orpheum #2 a bit more.
I am pretty sure that Brian Kelly plays a Style A.
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by Reverend
Re: Banjo Question
Brian Kelly plays a fantastic banjo for Irish music- it's actually an Epiphone Recording A.
# Posted on December 23rd 2007 by banjoian
Re: Banjo Question
Hmmm, that's cool. I think Mike Keyes has one of those too.
But the banjo on Brian's album cover, and the one he's using in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWdtaQi8bE) seems to have the very distinctive diagonal diamond inlay pattern of the Paramount A.
# Posted on December 24th 2007 by Reverend
Re: Banjo Question
Both the Epiphone Recording A and the Paramount A have that pattern. No doubt the neck is a Rettenburg in both cases. In fact, the tone ring is the same, too. The Epi is walnut, however.
Mike Keyes
hyyp://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on December 24th 2007 by mikeyes
Re: Banjo Question
I play a Style A and love it. It's my first Banjo so I don't have anything to compare it to but I have no complaints with it.
I hate disco:
I haven't had any problem with the original tuners and keeping it in tune. In fact I'm amazed at how well they work.
# Posted on December 24th 2007 by whangee
Re: Banjo Question
Brian McGrath plays Clifford Essex Concert Grand. Max Parsley plays a paramount A - he's banjo player on the album of Kevin Keegan, the Galway box player.
# Posted on December 24th 2007 by seankeegan
Re: Banjo Question
I'll give Max a listen so, thanks Sean.
# Posted on December 24th 2007 by PaddyCmusic
Re: Banjo Question
whangee - re comment on tuning with original pegs on older (say pre WWII) banjo's eg paramounts
I can get my paramount A tuned spot on and holds pitch ok - it's just not as easy as tuning guitar (gear ratio of about 25:1) or new banjo Schaller tuners gearing ratio about 15:1
esp when you're in a hurry or noisy environ
# Posted on December 25th 2007 by BrendanDoherty