Pete Seger's other longneck banjo

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Long Neck Banjo

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... for those of us who prefer the tuning and singing differences the LN provides. All questions & help welcome!

273 Members, Created 1/30/2011 -

Administrators: TonyS (owner) , Gary Blanchard , pastorharry , vega long neck

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From phdm on 6/13/2014 11:57:01 PM

R.D. Eno noted in a recent discussion on Pete's unique banjo bridge, "You're talking about the Stu Jamieson bridge that Pete used for many years -- though toward the end he was using an ordinary bridge on a pot I never recognized (it was not the old Vega with the bracket band). "

This reminded me of a question I have had for some time about Pete's other longneck banjo which Mr. Eno refers to. For several years toward the end of his life, photos of Pete playing this other banjo seemed more common. I could never find reference to it, but it looked like a lighter weight banjo, modeled after his trusty workhorse. It's also did not have his unique Banjo bridge, a moon shaped standard bridge. Finally, in the March 2014 tribute to Seeger edition of Banjo newsletter, on page 5, Roger Siminoff noted the following:

( in 1976) ...."Pete requested CF Martin to make him a lightweight, longneck Vega banjo. Then, at the age of about 57, Pete had begun to sense that his banjo was feeling a bit too heavy for him (although he continued to perform with his favorite banjo)...."

I think, then, this clarifies what that other long neck banjo was – it was Pete's version of what some of us have - a lighter weight "travel banjo" , in my case, a Deering Good Time banjo. (I only wish Deering would make a Good Time long neck. Does anyone think there is a chance we could convince them to do this?)

Peter

3 Comments
	zac987 says: 6/13/2014 11:56:47 PM If they'd make it with the dark strain, I'd pick up a Goodtime Long Neck as soon as it went on sale.
	wesrichards says: 6/14/2014 3:54:14 AM I have been nagging Deering to make a Goodtime long neck since they started production. Periodically, I inquire again. They've told me -- very politely -- they won't make one because there's no truss rod in the neck.
	phdm says: 6/14/2014 9:39:49 AM Ah, very interesting. I gather there is general agreement by those in the know that such a long neck does require a truss rod?
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