slammer - Posted - 06/10/2010:  06:27:47

When someone describes a banjo as being a "Hoss" or a " Paint Peeler", what in your opinion does that mean? Does it just mean louder than most banjos or can it be a good thing too? What makes Your banjo a Hoss? Slammer!!!!

stelling man - Posted - 06/10/2010:  06:58:04

To me, It means he's picking a Stelling..

STELLING MAN

Mike Rowe - Posted - 06/10/2010:  08:15:05

@stelling man
HEE HEE!

Lonesome Will - Posted - 06/10/2010:  08:46:48

It usually means he is trying really hard to sell a banjo! LOL

The Pope - Posted - 06/10/2010:  10:53:36

To get serious about your question, saying a banjo (or any instrument, I suppose) is a "hoss" is a way of saying that it sounds good to the person saying it. Other statements like "prewar sound" or "it sounds like its older than it is", etc., are completely subjective and in the ear of the person owning the banjo. IOW, YMMV. The only way to tell if it sounds like YOU like is to play it, or, barring that, to take the opinion of others who have heard it in person.

mikey5string - Posted - 06/10/2010:  11:10:33

i never like the phrases "peel paint off a wall" or "bark off a tree". that sounds like a negative attribute to me. it makes me think loud and obnoxious, headaches, piercing.

hollow, dry, woody, "rattle", growl, nasal....all adjectives i look for in banjo tone.

buffalograss - Posted - 06/10/2010:  12:28:14

....speaking of "Hoss'esss" and "Paint Peelers".......I have a "Killer" old Harmony for sale.

Kevin B - Posted - 06/10/2010:  12:32:49

quote:

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Originally posted by Lonesome Will

It usually means he is trying really hard to sell a banjo! LOL

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Forrest - Posted - 06/10/2010:  18:45:12

I always think of a banjo that is considered to be a "Hoss" as one that has a very strong presence with excellent tone and projection. Big and strong with plenty of girth, kinda like Hoss Cartwright from Bonanza.

goldtopia - Posted - 06/12/2010:  07:35:25

I get the impression that paint peeler means excessive sustain. Hoss sounds like a friendly horse, er hoss, to jaunt around the neighbourhood saying, Howdy folks.

Bill.O

bluegrassminstrels.co.uk

Bart Veerman - Posted - 06/12/2010:  09:12:32

Because of the bridge work I do I get a lot of emails where people describe banjo sounds in many, many different ways. "Peeling paint" comes up a lot and it's always used in the context of meaning super loud. I haven't come across the term "hoss" but I take it to mean big, or, a lot of presence, as in the huge guy Hoss, a character from the TV series Bonanza many moons ago (guess I'm showing my age here...).

jbanjoist - Posted - 06/12/2010:  10:08:42

Those folks apparently lack the vocabulary to appropriately describe banjo sound.

Oh YEAH! They ARE banjo players!