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Hi,
My name's Rick. I've spent the last 2 to 3 weeks checking out Banjo Hangout and finally signed up yesterday. I've actually been researching everything I could about 5 string resonator banjos, brands, builders, lessons, cost to maintain, etc. at your forum and dozens of other websites as well as watching every YouTube video I could find on the subject. I turned 67 at the beginning of January and, after almost 50 years of my wife, Debi, saying "absolutely not" to my desire to own and play a banjo she, out of nowhere, said "if you want a banjo you should get one".
I've played guitar since 1961 and own many excellent acoustic and electric guitars, (especially Telecasters), tube amplifiers, etc. I own and play multiple other instruments as well. Yet ..... I've always wanted but never owned a 5 string Bluegrass Resonator Banjo. As soon as the wife gave the green light I dropped everything else and the quest began. Local stores + online. Because I've always listened to and been a fan of many banjo players and exactly what instruments they play I had that as a foothold to push up from.
I started with Deering, Gold Star, Recording King and Gold Tone. Going in I didn't know that 3 out of the 4 of those were made overseas. I know this is probably old fashioned but, I really wanted a banjo built in the U.S.A. I expanded my search and found many small shop builders around the country and focused on them. My goal was to find a true "forever" banjo. I'm to old to start at the bottom and upgrade every few years. I'd rather never have to upgrade at all. So I did everything I could to find the banjo I thought would hit my goal the first time out of the gate. I was surprised when I found myself down to 3 brands / builders I'd never heard of. All were working out of small shops in the U.S.A. and all had received great reviews as well as having at least a couple of videos on YouTube. I couldn't find any of their banjos locally so I decided to use the opinions of others X what I was able to learn from their websites as well as the websites of dealers.
My personal list of wants were a mahogany resonator, built much like the prewar Gibsons, no new tech, (pickups, etc.), and a nicely shaped head stock. Bling was not important. A high build quality and attention to detail were extremely important. The idea of having a banjo that's built in a limited amount, (not massed produced), was also high on the list. If I'm only going to have one I don't want to see a bunch of other players with the same model. I want it to feel special to me.
So I made my decision. I've purchased a banjo from a company named Davis. I bought the Davis Don Reno 5 string banjo. Although it was a bit expensive for a first banjo I just couldn't get past it. The quality and detail were excellent. The builders goal of researching and then creating the mahogany RB75 Don Reno acquired through a trade with Earl Scruggs added some historical magic to it. The worn look of some of the metal parts just added to the equation of what I wanted. Once I'd found it and then got to see and hear it played on YouTube and found a couple of excellent reviews it became the banjo I had to own. I purchased it at The Banjo Warehouse.
Looks like a great choice. Tim Davis banjos seem to be well respected here on the Banjo Hangout…
When the wife says you should get a banjo, then yes indeed you should get a banjo.
Many of us have a different problem: Trying to figure out if there's a way to have the FedEx truck stop by when she's not home.
Love it for you, sir! Enjoy! Welcome to the hangout. p.s. They do sell banjo mutes.
Welcome to the Hangout. LIke you, I am a person who likes to do a lot of reading/watching/"researching" before leaping into something. Knowing that you've done your homework, you won't regret buying the banjo of your dreams. Enjoy the journey.
Right, you won’t regret buying the banjo of your dreams, but like guitars there’s an addictive acquisition syndrome that came with it.
quote:
Originally posted by Eric AWhen the wife says you should get a banjo, then yes indeed you should get a banjo.
Many of us have a different problem: Trying to figure out if there's a way to have the FedEx truck stop by when she's not home.
Can I get a Amen?
quote:
Originally posted by arlumHi,
My name's Rick. …
Welcome to the BHO! I think that 67 is considered middle aged around here (my age, too) so here's hoping that you have plenty of years to enjoy your new banjo.
Please post pictures when you get the chance. We all want to see it.
Welcome Richard , I'm 83 & still pickin ! From all I know , I believe you made a good choice .
Definitely Amen, It's hard to not want another banjo for sure! Always looking to see what's out there for sale!
FedEX or UPS delivery timing problem? Have it held for pick up, many problems solved.
Excellent. I hope your journey is such that one day, far in the future, you look back at this post and laugh at yourself when see that you wrote that this would be your only banjo.
Congratulation on the excellent purchase. And welcome to the Hangout.
Tim Davis is a long-time and well-respected member of the Hangout. We all got to watch his transition from inlay and fretboards to full-scale banjo production.
At 67, three years ago, I purchased what may be the last of my banjos -- except for the one I'm trying to build! My wife even said I deserved to spend more than I did. But I was attracted to the idea of buying a mangled rescue mutt for cheap and seeing if I could bring it back. Which I did.
Your decades of guitar playing should help you tremendously in learning banjo. You'll discover that the basic major and minor triads and the 7th 4-note chords are only one note location different from their corresponding shapes on the first 4 strings of a guitar. Main thing that takes getting used to is the highest string being where a guitar player expects the lowest string to be. Calls for entirely different picking patterns.
You can do it! We're here to help and cheer you on.
Good luck with your "only" banjo. 
That’s a really nice banjo! Congratulations!!
!
Congrats! Like you, I started my banjo journey at 67,but going towards clawhammer. Also a guitar plater, and fiddler too. Let's enjoy the trip together!
You chose well.
That's a solid banjo that will inspire you to play.
Great choice.
Bobby
Welcome and congratulations
67 is pretty young around here. I'm 50 so I feel like a youngster which is kind of fun because in the rest of my life I'm So Old.
Learning an instrument does great things for our brains. Keeps the neurons firing. Enjoy.
"Honey it's not a banjo. It is a new kind of guitar with a round body. A lot of people are getting them lately so I thought I'd give it a try too.... " (Or whatever else you might think would work...) banjered
Thank you all. Your support is appreciated. I'm really feeling good about this.
Enjoy the journey, Rick!
Congratulations on your new banjo. It sounds like you did the research and now will enjoy the fruits of you labor. I am 69, been playing since I bought my first banjo when I was 21. I only recently sold my original, it served me well for over 45 years. A good banjo will do that.
My wife also played into my recent banjo purchase in a surprising way. When I finally got up the nerve to tell her I was thinking of buying a Gibson Mastertone from the 70's she started to do a bit of research. She happened to read a bit about Gibson banjo builders and said I should spend more and buy a banjo made during the short duration of Greg Rich's time at Gibson. So in the end, I'm daily playing a 1989 Gibson RB250 with a Kulesh tone ring and I can't imagine anything sounding better.
Enjoy playing your banjo, it's a gas!
quote:
Originally posted by Helix!
billy has a home with 4 wheels now,,, well according to his wife he does
Edited by - 1935tb-11 on 01/21/2022 07:54:21
LOL!
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