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A banjo can be a beautiful thing . . .


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. . . put a round 1940's sunburst on it, firestripe 'guard, Charlie Christian pickup, and palm vibrato- the folks at Gibson must've had a smile when they saw the finished product:

 

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Listing is worth having a look at; good info, and some Gibson terminology (love the case, too):

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1940-Gibson-ETB-150-Electric-Tenor-Banjo-TB-150-E-Custom-Order-/253024332779?hash=item3ae96cebeb:g:B7sAAOSwN2VZWXPw

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Round is the natural shape for a sunburst!

 

I liked this banjo / guitar - girl combo too.

I bet you did.

Very sweet. 'Just noticed- that's a 6 stringer; those chord shapes work for a guitar, though your recent cover (a real change of gears for you) had different, I believe( r).

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I had a similar banjo in the house for bit. Had a maple top, an old Crosley transformer, and a magnetic bar pickup. Was not a Gibson though. I always wondered what would posses anybody to build such a thing. Could not figure out if it was genius or just plain crazy.

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Yeppers. When I get tired of the old six strings - I get recharged grabbing my 5 stinger. Easier to fret, easier to pick!

Deering Boston. - steel rim - like a resonator guitar... sort of.

 

Yep! Nothing like a banjo to improve your outlook and get you out of a funk...

 

SoaowYKh.jpg

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Here is a photo to click on to see my 1970 Vega Wonder 5 String banjo. The banjo has a few interesting things about it. It was the 28th Vega banjo that the CF Martin Company made after it acquired the remains of the old Boston Vega Company. As a result, it has some Boston Vega parts in it and some CF Martin Vega parts in it. It also is a bit unusual in that its a Vega Wonder banjo, which is usually an open back banjo, but this one was a Vega Wonder Banjo made with a resonator from the factory. A friend of mine (who has since passed away) reasonably sold me the banjo about 12 years ago because he wanted me to have it. It has the original paperwork with it from when my friend bought it new in 1970, plus he told me the background on it when he originally bought it. I also have a letter correspondence he wrote to the CF Martin Company just after he bought it, asking how to properly set it up, and the CF Martin Company's response referencing how it should be set up and maintained, plus the serial number, etc.

 

I have about 4 other 5 string banjos in my collection, but this one is by far my favorite and the one I bring with me to gigs as some variety to my guitar playing.

 

I started learning guitar at age 9 and 5 string banjo at age 10. Originally, I learned from the red Pete Seeger How to Play the 5 String Banjo book. Then I imitated John Stewart's banjo playing in the Kingston Trio and then Earl Scruggs and then a ton of great old 5 string banjo players who I met over the years at the jam that I run (all of whom are now passed away.) My original folk style morphed into bluegrass style pickin' over the years, although I still certainly can do the original folk style I started with as needed.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

EDIT: ps. No clue why on my laptop PC the photo shows sideways, but yet it properly shows vertical on my iphone. Whatever.

post-61-039438700 1502764752_thumb.jpg

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There are a lot of banjo player jokes out there. And, it's often banjo players who tell them themselves. Personally, I never understood why to either. But, they are out there. Go figure...

 

Speaking of banjos, it is quite interesting how the 5 string banjo, known as the only all American instrument in origin, has a drone 5th string which closely resembles how eastern Indian instruments use drone strings, plus a 5 string's body and sounds resemble an oriental instrument (such as was used in Kubo and the 2 String's version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps.). And, speaking of bagpipes, don't bagpipes also use a drone tone? (though not a stringed instrument).

 

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

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