Janet Deering - Posted - 10/30/2009:  14:48:04

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Many times I have watched the struggle between mates when one wants to buy a new banjo and the other is skeptical about the purchase.

Buying a new banjo can be as much an art as playing one.

Here are a few thoughts:

It's something you pay for once and it brings years of pleasure.

It is a natural anti-depressant, drug free, a way to lift your spirits.

It never goes out of style, or becomes outdated or obsolete like computers do.

You can't get into any trouble when you are playing the banjo.


Tell me about your banjo purchase and what worked for you.

Or is it best to trade, you get a banjo and she gets....

GerryH - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:14:42

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Mary Z Cox includes a letter to your signifcant other in the back of her Banjo Dreamin' Suwanee Nights Tab book that is aimed to help inform them of why you need a new banjo. Fortunately, I am married to a most supportive spouse who graciously indulges my Banjo Acquisition Syndrome. However, at 12 banjos now, each new addition tests her support of my hobby. :)
GerryH

coreyowen - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:23:48

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As one who is currently being beckoned by natural elements that want to be built into banjos and enjoyed by a banjo addict who is developing a burgeoning desire to enjoy many different banjo sounds, and whose spouse naturally and understandably wants to limit his accumulation of new instruments, I want to hear more!

steve davis - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:34:33

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I'd tell her it will be half hers if there's a divorce.Until then I'll make
all banjo decisions.

Dustyone - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:38:18

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Hi
I think some of the struggle might be between some ? is Honey why do you need a new banjo when you already have two? and if you buy this one we may not be able to pay the rent next month.

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Edited by - Dustyone on 10/30/2009 15:38:44

mtnpckr - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:39:41

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It is easier to beg forgiveness than to seek permission.

"Never take yourself seriously, others are always ready to do it for you"

xnavyguy - Posted - 10/30/2009:  15:45:51

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An agreement that works for me and my bride is that, whatever either of us spend on a banjo or anything else for that matter, the other one gets to spend an equal amount. Unfortunately, she says I can't count the money I spent to buy her a new car for her birthday. She said that was "special" and doesn't count.

Jerry

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance."

bil123 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  16:02:02

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I leave the house with a empty case and come home with a full one.... by the time she notices another i just say " I HAVE HAD THIS FOR SOME TIME"

Ks_5-picker - Posted - 10/30/2009:  16:11:38

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I tell her I need one to will to each grandchild.....# 8 is due next month.

Rod

Here's some music you might enjoy.

cdbaby.com/cd/roddurst

tinychat.com/banjolounge Come on in an enjoy!

jeremy blankenship - Posted - 10/30/2009:  16:36:21

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mtpicker nailed it for me! Its alot easier to say sorry and beg for forgiveness than to argue over the purchase, LOL! Or you can pull this card--- BUG THE CRAP OUT OF THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE UP! ;) both have worked for me in the past.

jeremy

Hatfield Special #26
shut up and pick!!!

RedZinger - Posted - 10/30/2009:  17:35:57

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1. It's not too hard to get the spouse to agree on a stable number of instruments, 5 or 6 or whatever you can get her/him to agree to.

2. Buy used to avoid the initial depreciation, and look for a reasonable deal.

3. Sell for at least as much as you paid or a little more.

4. Turn a small profit.

5. Agrue that your addiction is now a money making venture, which means you should be able to increase the number in 1 above by 50% or so. As long as you are not too wild you will then be able to purchase instruments relatively hassle free.

If that doesn't work, take up another instrument, buy a really nice one, then quit, sell that nice instrument and use the money to buy another banjo(s).

It's all about carving out a budgetary niche for your addiction.

Rob

CoE15NJV - Posted - 10/30/2009:  18:15:57

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ME: Good morning Precious! Have I told you how much I love you?
LOVELY WIFE: Awww, I love you too, Sweetums!
ME: How about we go out to that restaurant you really like tonight? Maybe you can buy a new gold necklace, or some such, so you can show it off!
LOVELY WIFE: Oh, Honey, I'd really like that! I LOOOVE YOU!!!!
ME: So you wouldn't mind if I buy a new banjo?
LOVELY WIFE: FAT CHANCE BUB!

Steven

1four5 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  18:56:11

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My wife is a photographer. It's easy. New banjo = new camera anytime.

Or, "you only retire once, I want to celebrate by spending my last check on a retirement present" ... that's how I got my Calico

Or... "I'll quit smoking and buy a banjo for what I would have spent on ciggys in a year. I promise, if I start smoking again, I'll return the banjo..." That's how I got my Vega Bluegrass Wonder

Or... "my good banjo is killing my back and I either need a light weight banjo, or we will go broke at the chiropractors office"
That's how I got my Goodtime


Dean

JayCee - Posted - 10/30/2009:  19:48:15

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"Honey, to improve his playing, Steve Martin has a banjo in every room of his house, (fact) so just be glad that I did not take up the drums." JayCee

gdoc - Posted - 10/30/2009:  19:55:22

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Oh? this ol' thing? I've had it for years.....

Truth is, I treat my wife with love and respect as she does me. If there is something either of us wants and we have the money, it's a done deal..... As it turns out, I want very little, she loves jewlery. No problems. Bills are paid.

And also..... she's always saying "go buy it, you worked hard."

Am I lucky or what?

ps... I open the car door for her.... old school

gdoc

PBGuardsman - Posted - 10/30/2009:  20:09:14

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quote:

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Originally posted by gdoc



ps... I open the car door for her.... old school

gdoc

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haha gdoc thats the way to go.

I've found that my attempts at education of the different particulars of banjos are generally thwarted by disinterest. That being said, when she comes back from the store and tries to show me what she got and explain how it is different, I generally zone out.

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 (NIV)

pick1936 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  21:20:01

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I just pick My Good Time, and let My wife play My Nechville Classic Deluxe, I think She likes it..



Rings Like Silver
But Its' Wood.

Lee Kelso

gdoc - Posted - 10/30/2009:  21:47:23

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Hmmm.

Cost of a Refridgrator.... $1,500.00 Last 10 years... not bad $150 a year.
Cost of washer/dryer.... Same...............same........not bad.
Cost of a new car..... $30,000.00 Lasts...(I don't want to go there)... thousands per year.

Cost of a new banjo (adverage pro model) $3,000.00 to $7,000.00....... Lasts.......my life time, my kids, their kids, their kids....etc... cost per year? 1 penny.
Now if you buy one of those banjos that cost 80k... well, the cost per year might go up to 10 cents. (gee, does Deeing sell one of those? (Grass Valley Festival big mouth)).


gdoc

Glenn Tate - Posted - 10/30/2009:  23:36:54

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I just bought her a new bass fiddle, and zipper case. Cheaper than a banjo, so I'm building up for a new banjo.

"The more you know, the more you know you don't know."

Glenn

myork1 - Posted - 10/31/2009:  06:00:28

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Hello Janet!
Good post...look at all these ideas and great stories. :)

We all have things we're PASSIONATE about.
This year I got another banjo (my 4th) and my wife got a cruise...took me along for the ride. You're so right about BUYING being as much of an ART as playing. You don't have to look very long on BHO to see some sharp ARTISTS who ultimately will get their way, maybe not all but most.

The PASSION formula means that someone who loves GARDENING might pay a THOUSAND DOLLARS for a Japanese Maple Tree! But they still want the cheapest mulch...because NO ONE is PASSIONATE about mulch!

Solution?
Buy GENERIC cereal and a DEERING BANJO! Oh, and taking your spouse on a cruise can't hurt.
:)

Michael

Have a Great "Banjo Day!"
BanjoDay@gmail.com
Michael York

rudykizuty - Posted - 10/31/2009:  07:22:09

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We have a simple rule between us. She doesn't ask why I need another banjo. I don't ask why she needs more shoes.

But in all seriousness, I am married to a financially savvy woman. When I took a chunk out of the stock market to buy a banjo because I felt the money was safer being invested in stuffing for a TKL case, she wholeheartedly agreed with me The money was intended to (partly) support my retirement. But with the way my investment account was looking, I estimated I could lose the money I spent in just 3-6 weeks anyway and wind up with nothing to show for it. Now I actually own something that I can look forward to having for those days sitting in the rocker on the porch.

Anthony Herner
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You have to practice even to be lousy -- Jack Benny

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Edited by - rudykizuty on 10/31/2009 09:22:04

Gomer - Posted - 10/31/2009:  08:34:55

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I have been plying her for several years, little by little. She knows that one day my Saratoga w/Swiss will be in the room and that there was little that could have been done. Carpe Diem

( )=====’==::

Abundant Opinions - Speculative Advice - Marginal Judgment

mybote - Posted - 10/31/2009:  09:22:38

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I got an Emperator 5 string, she got a Epiphone MM50 mandolin. I got a Goldtone OB250 AT, She got a 1/2 size stand up bass. I got a Gibson rb250, she got an Engelhardt full size stand up bass, I got a Crafters of Tennessee maple classic, she got a Martin DM acoustic guitar, I got an Otto Bausch 1875 violin, she pressed a pillow over my face while I was sleeping.

RayD - Posted - 10/31/2009:  18:21:44

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What it took to get my customized Chief banjo - a 6 month deployment to the middle east. However, after the deployment to Afghanistan the wife got a new kitchen (a few dollars more than the banjo by about 20K).

Cheers,

RayD

apherigo - Posted - 10/31/2009:  20:04:27

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I just buy lots of diamonds.

Aaron, North Carolina
--------------------
Maple Chief #75


1988 Gibson RB-3

Studebaker Hawk - Posted - 10/31/2009:  22:30:39

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My wife and adult daugher are currently on a two-week holiday, exploring the North and South Islands of New Zealand (we reside in Nevada, USA). And let me tell you, this trip ain't cheap. So-o-o-o... when it comes time for me to start shopping for a new 'jo, I'll have some REALLY good ammo to shut down any arguements she might throw my way. (Oh, baby, this is gonna be sweet! )

--Dean

arcticpoppy - Posted - 11/02/2009:  05:20:11

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Smile.
Then show him the picture of that Jason Romero banjo that stole my heart.
That's pretty much it....this time.
(May never ever work again!)

Janet Deering - Posted - 11/02/2009:  06:41:26

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You guys are great!

I always figure that when a married person buys another really great banjo, he or she must have a wonderful mate back home, or be a very clever individual.....

It's all about how creative a person can be. Keep the ideas coming.

This is fun ....


"Never Ration Passion. Life is Sweet." Mike Libecki

Dustyone - Posted - 11/02/2009:  07:07:43

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quote:

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Originally posted by Janet Deering

You guys are great!

I always figure that when a married person buys another really great banjo, he or she must have a wonderful mate back home, or be a very clever individual.....

It's all about how creative a person can be. Keep the ideas coming.

This is fun ....And may I ask Janet? what kind of banjo would you recommend?


"Never Ration Passion. Life is Sweet." Mike Libecki

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stelling man - Posted - 11/02/2009:  08:29:33

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My wife told me, anytime I wanted another new Stelling, just call Geoff and order It..

STELLING MAN

Eastbaygeorge - Posted - 11/02/2009:  10:31:21

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Back in 1961 I was trying to learn Scruggs style on an old Clifford Essex openback with no tone ring. I wanted a Gibson.

Wifey said I had to sell something, so I sold my 1958 Telecaster for $200. That was before the Vintage thing took off. I bought a bow-tie Gibson which I later had remade into a hearts & flowers maple, double-cut, which I still have, but now and then I see ads for old Teles at stratospheric prices and I wish I had been more determined to keep the Fender.

Eastbay George

1four5 - Posted - 11/02/2009:  10:47:27

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This brings up and interesting question....

What does Greg Deering do when he wants a new banjo?

Dean

Blake507 - Posted - 11/02/2009:  11:58:02

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He may just go out to the shop and build it.

As for me, I have been a banjo freak since 1976, but after a career change in 1980 I put the Jo under the bed. After I retired in January of 2008 I have been adding banjo's under the bed. My Sweetie only knows of the two that hang on the wall in my bedroom. She still works so I make sure that the UPS or FedEx driver only deliver on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday when she's at work. My bed is now out of room so I guess I am done.






Whether picked, hammered, or plugged-in, the banjo lives on.
Carpe Banjo!

Blake507
Danny Brown
Swayback Ranch
Blanket, TX

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Edited by - Blake507 on 11/02/2009 12:08:35

1four5 - Posted - 11/02/2009:  17:16:34

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PARTY at Danny's house this weekend!!!!!

Dean

Blake507 - Posted - 11/02/2009:  17:27:10

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Come on down!!!

Whether picked, hammered, or plugged-in, the banjo lives on.
Carpe Banjo!

Blake507
Danny Brown
Swayback Ranch
Blanket, TX

bilge rat - Posted - 11/03/2009:  12:11:58

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Just tell your GF that you went out and bought that shiny new ring she has been dreaming about.......(tone ring, that is:)

Tyler8 - Posted - 11/03/2009:  13:14:37

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I always get my wife some really nice jewelry at the same time as I get a banjo. Makes the whole thing "more expensive" but keeps the heat down around the house.

Tyler

philly - Posted - 11/03/2009:  14:56:57

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Any tips on selling your loved one? :)

Phil in Chambersburg, PA

Fred Frank - Posted - 11/03/2009:  16:24:32

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I liked that old school thing about opening the car door for her. Should I stop the car first?

Fred

escapee - Posted - 11/03/2009:  22:17:37

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I played Whiskey In The Jar for hours on a crappy old warpped and twisted AL banjo My charming wife heard it once to often and said ( Why don't you get a decevt banjo? With a hint of steel in her voice. A Deering Sierra came home the next day You just have to play terrible music for the right spouse,

Marty

The spirit is frailling,but the flesh is weak.

davey - Posted - 11/04/2009:  04:27:19

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Hi everyone, my first post in... oh quite a while. Again I am looking at getting back on the Horse ( so to speak ) so,to tell the other half or just order it... once I have made my mind up it's all over in any case

It's good to be back.
Dave

Davey
Sonny and Bobby Osborne... Legends in Bluegrass...
Gene krupa... Legend in drumming.

Janet Deering - Posted - 11/04/2009:  07:32:15

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Welcome back, Dave. Glad to have you join in.

Well, I wanted a new banjo. And, being a banjo makers wife, and managing the money, I could not seem to ever have one to take home because we could not afford it. We needed to sell every one to pay the bills. This is in the early '90's when our son was 17 and I wanted to get him playing the banjo before he left home. I signed us both up for banjo lessons. He borrowed Greg's banjo and I took our old SS Stewart to the first lesson. The teacher laughed at me with an old SS Stewart that was nor really playable, knowing we own a banjo company and told me to get a Deering!

Every banjo we made was sold, and so I put in an order for two Deluxe banjos to JD's Music and I turned our street address around from Kenwood to Woodken drive. From Spring Valley to Valley Springs. Put the order in and forgot about it.

I was doing the shipping myself at the time, so when the order came through to ship I was faced with what to do. I confessed to Greg that these two banjos were for me and our son for our lessons. Our son had asked for his to be red stained. Greg was not too happy with him since his grades were not good in school. So when Greg signed the serial number tags he put hearts and x's on one tag ( the red one) and he put #!*#! upset symbols on the other one. I had to laugh because I had ordered a regular model and Jer had the red one - so Jeremiah got the affectionate symbols.

Anyway, pleased with our new banjos we took lessons for a while and at least Jeremiah did learn a bit about how to play the banjo before he left home. I learned from personal experience how much better it is to have a new Deering than to try to learn on an old banjo that isn't really playable.

A while later we displayed the banjos at a festival and they were sold.... The customer who got the red banjo really loved the story of it's creation. I don't recall what happended to my Deluxe banjo with the upset symbols in it. I'm sure it will turn up someday with a customer asking what it means.....

Blake507 - Posted - 11/04/2009:  07:48:49

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Good story, that puts the factory and its production on a very personal level and makes the #!*#! banjo a collectible. You got to wonder where it is.

Whether picked, hammered, or plugged-in, the banjo lives on.
Carpe Banjo!

Blake507
Danny Brown
Swayback Ranch
Blanket, TX

erstokke - Posted - 11/04/2009:  13:00:53

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My advice is to marry a person who loves music. Preferably banjo music


My banjo is pre-war. Pre the next war
Jan Erik from Norway

TL - Posted - 11/04/2009:  13:19:58

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I got a new banjo for my wife, pretty good trade, eh!

I had played mid-grade, but decent banjos for years. I always dreamed of owning a top-of-the-line instrument but there was always something we needed that was more important. My wife managed a national chain retail store and when it went out of business, she received back her profit sharing. Before re-investing the money, she bought me a Stelling (that's it to the left!). Now I have a great wife AND a great instrument. I can now die happy!

gdoc - Posted - 11/04/2009:  22:18:21

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Ok, here it went to the test!

I put my Stelling up for sale to buy a Deering. I (myself) figured I couldn't afford both. To get my by in the meantime, I bought a Deering Goodtime. So far no problems, as I'm waiting on the Stelling to sell before I buy the Deering...

A couple days ago I came a cross another banjo that I also want very much. Ok, the Deering or the one I just saw....

My wife told me tonight for about the 9th time..........."GO BUY THE BANJO! YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY!"

My mom, 90 years old and very frugle, doesn't spend a penny un-needed......... "Gary, you worked hard all your life. Get it now while your still young! While you can still hear! While your finger can still play...."

Me: "Gee, I don't know... that's a lot of money to be spending, and really, this GoodTime is a really great banjo and I really don't need another."

Then I showed them both the banjos I want to get, the Deering and an older Gibson....on the computer.. just passing time.

Then they doubled teamed me..... end result, I'm calling to get the old Gibson tomorrow, and get the Deering after the Stelling sells.

Oh, by the way, I don't just open the door for my wife, I also stand behind her at the dinning table and move her chair for her. I don't sit down before the women are seated. Very old school

And Fred, waiting for the car to stop usually works best.... I can't run that fast anyway.

gdoc

erstokke - Posted - 11/06/2009:  00:18:59

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gdoc, your mom is a genius!
"Get it now while your still young! While you can still hear! While your finger can still play...."


My banjo is pre-war. Pre the next war
Jan Erik from Norway

gdoc - Posted - 11/06/2009:  13:07:18

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Ya Jan,

Somehow since I got out of my teens, she seemed to get a little smarter. Now that I'm 58, she seems even smarter yet...
Bought the 1926 Gibson yesterday, will arrive at my house next Wednesday. Will post a picture of it after it arrives.

ps, wife ain't so dumb either.... she knows more jewlery is in the future now.

And Janet, thanks for putting that burr under my saddle..........

gdoc

Beardog - Posted - 11/07/2009:  06:43:21

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The first expensive banjo that I bought shocked my wife. Now, she doesn't even keep up with what I am buying and selling. My reasoning with her has been something like this:

If I buy a $5000.00 banjo, and sell it a year later for $4000.00, it only cost me about $80.00 a month to own!

If a serious hobby costs only a couple of grand a year to feed, that's not too bad.

Think about the model airplane guys. They spend thousands of dollars on a plane, then total it and start over! My sister collects corvettes, and pays several thousand dollars per year, just to store them. If a 45-50 year old person goes out and buys an expensive sport car (or boat, or whatever), to appease his (or her) mid-life crisis, that is a lot more money than several banjos would cost. A trip to Europe costs more than a top-end banjo, and 2 weeks later, the trip is history.

Those were some of my arguments, and I stuck with them....now, I buy/trade/sell what I want!

Beardog