Hatrack River Forum: What's your tone ring?

This is topic What's your tone ring? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :

Sorry, couldn't resist. You see, Porter has been busy shopping for banjos lately, so I've got tone rings on the brain. [Smile]

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

*laugh*

Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :

It makes me laugh that my newspaper has a little column where they list the top 10 ring tone downloads for the week. [Smile]

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :

Porter intends to build his own banjos someday. That is quite ambitious. But for now, he just wants a better one than the one he's got.

He actually has a banjo student now, and is arranging to take lessons himself. [Smile]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Right now, this banjo is leading the pack for the banjo I am considering getting between now and Christmas.

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Porter, my respect for you just shot through the ceiling now that I know that you play the banjo. Awesome. [Big Grin]

Speaking of building, we had a kid learn how to and build the most beautiful electric guitar for his senior project last year. I was blown away!

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I'm not that great of a banjo picker yet -- it's been less than a year.

I really enjoy it, though. [Smile]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Is it cheating to play a 6-string banjo? I know a little guitar, and don't think I can keep two different sets of chords in my head.

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :

You know, last Christmas Porter *really* wanted a 6-string banjo. He already knew how to play guitar reasonably well, and he wanted to be able to play banjo so badly. But he was afraid of how difficult it might be to learn a whole new instrument.

I talked him into getting a real banjo instead and he is *very* glad he went with that decision.

The problem with a 6-string banjo is that you can't play a lot of actual banjo-type music on it. Learning to do finger-rolls on something that finger-rolls aren't written for would be far more pain, IMO, than learning a new instrument with the support of ready-made written and arranged music.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

There's nothing cheating about playing a 6-string banjo. Just don't make the mistake of thinking you're playing a real banjo.

It's actually not that tough to learn the banjo once you know the guitar. The first string is off by a whole step, but strings 2,3, and 4 are tuned exactly the same.

If you seriously are thinking of getting a 6-string banjo, make sure you get a decent one. You can't just slap a guitar neck on a banjo head and expect it to sound good. But some companies try it, so some six-string banjos sound really crappy.

It is generally held that the Deering banjo company makes the best sounding 6-string banjos. They have two: the D-6 and the B-6. The B-6 is less expensive and based on their intermediate (Boston) banjo, while the D-6 follows a more traditional banjo construction. Even though it's less expenive, many people say that for a 6-string, the B-6 sounds better than the more expensive one.

I had a chance to play one once. They are way cool.

They show up on EBay pretty frequently. I guess a lot of people buy them because they are so freaking cool, and then end up not playing them that often. They often go for as low as $800-$900. There's one on EBay right now with a starting bid of $900.

Off the top of my head, I know that they have been played by Indigo Girls, Rod Stewart, and Johnny Cash.

About a year ago, they sold on EBay the one that was specially made for Johnny Cash. Beverly didn't let me bid on it. [Frown]

Edit: The guy selling the one on EBay right now is saying that it's $250 extra for the case. Dork.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

*bump*

In case Dag was actually interested in an answer.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

I was, sorry. I thought I replied last night, but probably hit Go instead of Add Reply.

Thanks for the info. Assuming there's good tab available, I guess I'll stick with normal banjo if I take it up.

But I guess I ought to get some use out of my guitar before buying another instrument. I haven't played it in almost a year.

Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :

One of my two favorite songs (no kidding) is "Dueling Banjos"

The other is the theme song from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly".

Rock on!