VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Snow flakes

Three.

Bill,very nice wood work and they are absolutely gorgeous. I noticed the first picture is a five string and the other is a four string. Was there a reason for building the five and four string. I have been playing the five string banjo (Bluegrass Music)for many years and I have never seen a solid resonator on a banjo. I would love to hear they sound. If you ever decide to build another one it would be cool to have your son draw some Chevy's on it or your Chevy on it. I think that would look very nice. Bill Barker also plays the Banjo. Very nice...Oscar

My sister plays a 4 string so that's what I gave her.

These, obviously, are not your standard banjo. They take a little getting used to. While they still have the twangy sound of a conventional banjo it is not as acute. Also, as I said earlier, these banjos can be played softly. That's something that can't be done with a conventional banjo.

Because the soundboard is wood the sound produced is more mellow than a regular banjo. Also, the more it is played the better it sounds. Kind of a "breaking in period", like after rebuilding an engine.

I hope to make more but cannot say when or if I even will. First I have to get my shop set back up. That should be within a few months. Then it has to be remembered that I am recently disabled and am not sure I will ever again be able to use those shop tools. I'm hopeful though that I will be able to use them some, if only a few minutes a day, several times a week.

One thing is certain, I will never again make items that are even remotely heavy or bulky.

Enough of that. If anyone is interested in a banjo or anything else I make I'd ask that they make a note and in about 4 months contact me and ask if I am ready to make anything. Hopefully by then my shop will be set up and I will know more about my limitations.

Snow flakes, Snowflakes, we have snow flakes in Minnesota, about 7 every 10 minuets, but they are here.

rbl2,
It would be interesting and I'm sure enjoyable if your sister taped some music with her banjo, sent it to BB and see if he could put it on this site for us to hear. Then we would know at least what the 4 string sounds like. Would also like to hear the 5 string if this could be pulled off. Not asking too much.

I can ask my sister but can't promise anything. She lives a brazillion miles from here and knowing her she doesn't have anything to record with and if she did she wouldn't know how to turn it on.

The 5 string is behind me on the wall. It has 3 strings on it. It wouldn't matter if I bought new ones because no one here can play it.

rbl2 maybe some day You. Chipper, BBB and I can get together and BBB can teach us how to make mooosssiicc!

I can play a harmonica if that counts for anything.

Great wood work, great hobby; love the smell of sawdust.

Yep. The smell of sawdust is as addicitive as the smell of a 60 year old car running on leaded fuel with a little oil or grease getting hot on the block. :)

Here's a couple of songs that sound pretty good when played on the banjo.

http://seattlebanjoclub.com/music/practice.htm

I just got off the phone with my sister. She's not very computer literate but said she would have a recording/video made of her playing the banjo. She'll need to find someone to help her. She said this may take a week so y'all be patient and with any luck I'll be able to post a video of my scrap wood making funny sounds in a week or two... or three.

I forgot I can play a phonograph, an 8 track,and wax paper on a comb and one or two songs on the harmonica, which we called a French Harp ....way...way back when I was a button. I later tried to learn to play the jug but never had one tuned right, I kept drinking the tuning fluid so only ended up having just a bass jug, but by then it sounded good to me.

MrMack, I would bet that you also do a find job playing the radio. Good ole Texas twang...Oscar

And string instruments, like stringing people along? :grin:

I always thought "playing around" was not a good thing...lol.

It is when your "playing around" of golf.

May I join the orchestra? After emptying enough bottles, I have discovered that adjusted with water they make a whole organ when blown on.

Stay tuned! :grin:

A friend of mine can play a tune using a wine glass but I have not been able to the times I have tried and sadly he will never repeat it.
Tony