Blues Banjo

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Blues Banjo Players

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This is a group for those of us who like to play blues on the banjo.

289 Members, Created 1/28/2011 -

Administrators: Marc Nerenberg (owner)

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From Gary Davis on 7/22/2011 9:38:04 AM

New to the group with limited skills. I'd like to retool a five-string for a deeper bluesy sound. Can the group discuss attributes of a blues banjo? Suggestions such as strings and gage, tone rings, brands and models would be helpful.

That spoon, that spoon, that spoon twang.

7 Comments
	Marc Nerenberg says: 7/22/2011 9:48:57 AM I am finding myself strongly favouring Minstrel Nylguts for that nice low tone (as well as a 'rounder' sound - if that terminology makes any sense).
	Gary Davis says: 7/22/2011 10:48:35 AM I believe it has an old wire set of medium gage on now. Does a heavier gage tire your fingers or restrict pull-off's? I have a string bending habit.
	Marc Nerenberg says: 7/22/2011 11:26:31 AM I find heavier gauge wire strings hard on the hand. I've been very favourably impressed with how much easier it is to play with Nylgut strings this past year...And the heavier gauge Minstrel set, that I have tuned quite low (C or D in a G tuning) have great growl for blues and are waaay easier on the hand than steel. I just acquired a 1925 Vega Tubaphone 6 string banjo. I thought it sounded really good with the heavy gauge steel strings that were on it, but it was wearing out my hands to play it. I put on a combination of Minstrel Nylgut and wound nylon strings - and it sounds even better than before, and feels great on my hands to play. I'll try to make a video of it in the next few days and post it.
	Jim Yates says: 7/22/2011 3:50:21 PM The other Gary Davis (the Rev) used an Ode (Boulder Colorado) six string with an aluminum pot. No idea about his strings or head. If you want a deeper sound, maybe a Fiberskin head would help. Marc, where do you get your nylgut strings?
	Marc Nerenberg says: 7/22/2011 7:07:49 PM I bought 15 sets at one crack from Elderly. But I ended up paying duty on them and paying a ridiculously high customs broker fee (whatever that is) ... so, for you (and myself, in the future), a better choice would probably be Rufus' guitar shop in Vancouver. They could probably send them by regular mail for a pittance. The Ottawa Folklore Centre also seems to carry them, but they had a very limited stock when I was last there. Besides, Rufus' Guitar Shop is run by my old friend Chuck Baker - who ran the Yellow Door Coffeehouse in Montreal for its first 15 or so years. Tell him I sent you.
	Gary Davis says: 8/1/2011 1:37:21 PM Thank you for comments on strings, and specific information of where to get them. I'm planning to place the Nygut set in Key of C (G tuning) and capo up to Key of D. And leave my wires on my Harmony, keyed standard G, and capo up to Key of A.
	majikgator says: 5/29/2012 7:57:01 AM Light gauge steel strings. They choke well, they thwack, and they twang and they slide well. These are things i personally like to hear in blues banjo, now that i think about it i like these strings for all types of banjo playing. Custom sets, that is single strings are available from Elderly for about the same price as a set. That's what i do. Glad to have found this group.
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Tablature: A few licks Linked by Snaps 4 years ago
Video: (untitled) Linked by Shawn Spiars 7 years ago: Hot Corn Cold Corn and Beethoven's Fifth.
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	This Land Is Your Land - Marc Nerenberg - clawhammer style Linked by Marc Nerenberg 9 years ago
	Needed Time (Daniel in the Lion's Den) Linked by Marc Nerenberg 9 years ago
	See See Rider Linked by Marc Nerenberg 9 years ago
Forum Post: (untitled) Linked by revellfa 9 years ago: I like to call my style "Mountain Blues"
Forum Post: (untitled) Linked by Marc Nerenberg 10 years ago
Forum Post: (untitled) Linked by Marc Nerenberg 10 years ago: This old blues song, learned from the singing of Lead Belly, was the closing song of the evening at Montreal's Yellow Door Coffeehouse Friday Night Open Stage of 17 June 2016, which I host.
Forum Post: (untitled) Linked by raharris 10 years ago: Bryan Sophia performs a version of Country Blues - a blues-ish tune! - popularized by Dock Boggs