revellfa - Posted - 01/11/2018:  18:36:03

For bluegrass there tends to be a particular sound that everybody is looking, although there are slight variations in preference.

However there is a less defined preference for other styles. I've heard many discussion regarding different claw hammer banjos but I'm wondering what folks seem to prefer specifically for two-fingered style?

Is there a banjo or a type of banjo (wood, tone ring, head, etc.) that works best for you for this style?

banjered - Posted - 01/11/2018:  20:05:40

Comes down to goals and preference - unamplified stage performance, old time jams, to back up singing, crisp bluegrass sound or a mellow skin head thumper, loud/soft. You'll probably be picking over the head near the bridge like BG so lowered action as contrasted to CH, so many individual varibles for YOUR playing. banjered

Texican65 - Posted - 01/11/2018:  21:40:18

My favorite 2 (2) finger pickers are StringBean and Will Keys. String is more known for claw hammer...but there’s footage out there of him fingerpicking with two fingers...and I think it sounds awesome... very clear and sharp. Of course he played that old old Vega.

Will Keys is phenomenal too, check him out. I believe he mainly played an old paramount...and his playing is crisp and bright too. I like my banjos crisp and bright.

Dow

chip arnold - Posted - 01/12/2018:  05:34:21

Finger pickers tend to use resonator banjos, because without picks, the style is not as loud as clawhammer. That said, some of my favorite finger pickers get wonderful volume and tone from open back banjos. Pete Peterson plays an old Supertone and it's a killer. I play a /76 OME Juggernaut with the ""Silverspun"" tone ring. But like others have said, your choice depends on the sound you want. You can hear the OME on my BHO music page.

Edited by - chip arnold on 01/12/2018 05:40:52

VIDEO: Chip and Tish Arnold- Cold Frosty Morning
(click to view)

 

revellfa - Posted - 01/12/2018:  10:45:21

quote:

---

Originally posted by chip arnold

Finger pickers tend to use resonator banjos, because without picks, the style is not as loud as clawhammer. That said, some of my favorite finger pickers get wonderful volume and tone from open back banjos. Pete Peterson plays an old Supertone and it's a killer. I play a /76 OME Juggernaut with the ""Silverspun"" tone ring. But like others have said, your choice depends on the sound you want. You can hear the OME on my BHO music page.

---

Good point regarding resonators  and fingerpicking.

ive seen you play the banjo I prefer for this style, a Gibson Ball Bearing.

im honored you replied Chip as you are one of my two fingered heroes along with Wade Mainer 

rcc56 - Posted - 01/12/2018:  11:26:58

Q:     "Best banjo for 2 fingered style?"

A:     The one that responds best to your touch.  Try a bunch of different kinds of banjos.

The Old Timer - Posted - 01/12/2018:  13:36:01

Kirk and Sam McGee used to play RB 11s with skin heads with a mute on the strings behind the bridge. Wade Mainer played on a Granada with a skin head.

You can achieve a very similar tone with any "tone hoop" banjo with a plastic head. RB 100, etc. Not as sharp and "ringy" as a modern Mastertone with plastic head.

beezaboy - Posted - 01/13/2018:  04:32:21

Was Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio a "two finger" player?

chip arnold - Posted - 01/13/2018:  06:07:46

@revellfa, you must have seen video of me playing Donnie Gill's Gibson. We visited with him a few years ago. That was a heck of a banjo. Sadly, Donnie was killed in an ATV accident last year.

Gail Gillespie, who is a terrific finger picker and a member of BHO, also plays a ball bearing Gibson.

Edited by - chip arnold on 01/13/2018 06:08:39

Fathand - Posted - 01/13/2018:  07:25:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by revellfa

quote:

---

Originally posted by chip arnold

Finger pickers tend to use resonator banjos, because without picks, the style is not as loud as clawhammer. That said, some of my favorite finger pickers get wonderful volume and tone from open back banjos. Pete Peterson plays an old Supertone and it's a killer. I play a /76 OME Juggernaut with the ""Silverspun"" tone ring. But like others have said, your choice depends on the sound you want. You can hear the OME on my BHO music page.

---

Good point regarding resonators  and fingerpicking.

ive seen you play the banjo I prefer for this style, a Gibson Ball Bearing.

im honored you replied Chip as you are one of my two fingered heroes along with Wade Mainer 

---

A Gibson Ball Bearing is a good choice for any style, the sweet tone is very versatile.

chuckv97 - Posted - 01/13/2018:  09:22:10

A very good two-finger picker is Nick Hornbuckle - check out his solo starting at 2:58

youtu.be/AtEFXm7eobg

Mooooo - Posted - 01/13/2018:  09:33:23

quote:

---

Originally posted by revellfa

For bluegrass there tends to be a particular sound that everybody is looking, although there are slight variations in preference.



However there is a less defined preference for other styles. I've heard many discussion regarding different claw hammer banjos but I'm wondering what folks seem to prefer specifically for two-fingered style?



Is there a banjo or a type of banjo (wood, tone ring, head, etc.) that works best for you for this style?

---

Keep in mind this is all just opinion, but the way I see it is: Bluegrass is a genre of music with a few different styles of picking included in it. 2-finger is a style of picking and can be used in a bunch of different genres  of music. So, I think the type of banjo that would be best could be defined by which genre of music you are going to play. As to which banjo works best...I don't know who said it, but I think I agree that "the best banjo is the one you got"