Friday, May 14, 2010
Well after puttering around way too long I have finished another fretless banjo. Didn't like the ebony tailpiece so I modified a no-knot and put that on....... much better. I'm still remembering what a tweaky pain it is to deal with nylon strings and violin tuners. Perhaps thats why I finally cheated and put some steel strings on my first fretless; I couldn't accept all the time I spent fussing with the tuning on stage. I'll make the neck about another 3/32" or 1/8" wider at the nut for the next one, probably add a little more angle on the neck too. My first one was level but I had a handmade bridge that was pretty low; I'm using a Grover 1/2" no tilt on this one but need to lower the action some above the 5th fret (?).
Fun, fun, fun!!
Add Comment
Page 2 of 3 -
First | Previous | 1 |
2 |
3 |
Next | Last
Playing Since: 1964
Experience Level: Purty Good
Interests:
[Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]
Occupation: Aviation
Gender: Male
Age: 80
My Instruments:
ེ Seeger model Vega
ག Backyard "Fireside" kit
གྷ Stewart MacDonald old time
Resurected 18?? Buckbee short scale
2011 Home made fretless mountain
2011 Homemade "block rim" open back
2012 Deering Vega #2
2016 11" Homemade longneck, American walnut neck, curly maple pot and fretboard
2016 12" Homemade longneck, American walnut neck, curly maple pot and fretboard
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Pete Seeger, John Stewart, Jens Kruger, Mary Z. Cox, Ken Perlman, Ray Chatfield, John Hartford, Cathy Barton. Edwin Lacy
Classified Rating: not rated
Rate this Member
Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 2/15/2007
Last Visit 12/30/2018
Primarily a singer of folk and sea songs who accompanies himself but after moving to the Galax area of Virginia I have also been learning & playing a lot of old time tunes. Still performing occasionally, but usually without a band. Still mucking about, occasional gigs but mostly and jams and Fiddler's conventions.
Played real seriously for about ten years in 60 & 70s. Traveled and performed in area around Philadelphia playing the Coffee Houses, parties, school concerts and Festivals. Tapered off playing through next couple of decades (career and all those excuses) started playing regularly again about 2002, still with my ཻ Seeger model Vega long neck. Got into a few banjo camps and festivals to jump start the revival and have been having a ball ever since; after all Music fuels the engine of life!
Made an all walnut copy of a Frank Proffit banjo in the late 60s that traveled the world with me but it has finally became unusable and now adorns a grand daughters wall. I've made another banjo from a pile of orphaned parts, with the help of Stew Mac, and restored what we believe is a Buckbee given to me, unplayable, by a friend.
Christmas 2008 my wife presented me with a 12-string guitar and auto harp with the challange to re-learn these instruments so she could listen "to the rest of my music"........
