John, I play a LOT of instruments. I dont find learning several types or styles hurts progress, and may even enhance that, as muscle control practice does transfer, and certainly knowledge does too. But you do need to put the time in on each. If thats a factor, then wait. But, dont be the guy who wishes he hadn't passed up that dream instrument years ago!

John- if you liked it, buy it. You only live once.

As Wrench13 stated above. Playing different instruments just widens your perspective of your main instrument.

As someone who considers myself a fairly well versed multi-instrument player, learning and becoming comfortable on several instruments just helps you with your main instrument. You can step back, get some different sounds, different techniques, different tunes, and when you come back to your main instrument, apply what you have picked up. It in no way is going to affect your progress with clawhammer banjo. In fact, in many ways it may accelerate it. It’s all music.

If it’s not going to bust the bank with you, run back there, tell yourself “Happy Birthday” and have fun with the new perspective.

John, I’m also a beginning banjo player. I bought my first tenor banjo just weeks after my first 5 string and play them both every day. I play old time tunes clawhammer style on the on the 5 string. On the Irish tenor I mainly play Celtic tunes. Playing both provides me with a verity of style and music. Doesn’t seem to be any problem going between the two playing styles. I agree that if you think you will enjoy playing it and you can afford it you should go for it.

Chuck Lee makes excellent banjos. Didn't know that he made tenor models.
I owned a 12" Prairieville for a while and only sold it after acquiring a fancy vintage Vega Tubaphone. I should have kept the CL because it had the most comfortable neck of any banjo I have played. Sounded great strung with either steel and Nylgut strings.
I do not think that you would have too much trouble if you bought the tenor and then decided to sell it. Chuck's instruments seem to retain their value.

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Originally posted by Mark D

Chuck Lee makes excellent banjos. Didn't know that he made tenor models.
I owned a 12" Prairieville for a while and only sold it after acquiring a fancy vintage Vega Tubaphone. I should have kept the CL because it had the most comfortable neck of any banjo I have played. Sounded great strung with either steel and Nylgut strings.
I do not think that you would have too much trouble if you bought the tenor and then decided to sell it. Chuck's instruments seem to retain their value.

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What a hysterical bunch of messages!   I have to say that this whole forum is the most positive experience ever for someone considering buying and playing a banjo!!!   We never mind pointing out that it's hard to learn and a lifetime of commitment but when it comes to buying one, I think everyone here has an addiction!!

I've thought about it all night and watched some Irish trad music.  My work  at one job sends me to Dublin a few times a year and twice I've taken trips into an area called county Wicklow where the towns all have pubs and there are often families who show up to play.  It's pretty cool.   Maybe I would appreciate that' style of music!   I once walked through a section called the temple bar near the river in Dublin and every pub had music floating out and most didn't seem to be house bands.  Pretty cool style!   

We even have a name for it. BAS, "Banjo Acquisition Syndrome". There are worse fates.

Thank you kindly.

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Originally posted by Corwyn

We even have a name for it. BAS, "Banjo Acquisition Syndrome". There are worse fates.

Thank you kindly.

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More wholesome than other activities.  
 

I try to purchase very few things because I dislike "stuff".  My wife has "allowed" or put up with many of my old guy hobbies but I'm cautions about adding them too fast or riving too deep too quickly.  She let me build a combination woodworking shop and storage for my rowing scull and dude workout shed in the back adjacent to the chimney of a farmhouse that burned down on the back side of the property.   I went deep on that one with my workout buddies using Amish-style beams.   And she has let me gradually get finer and finer espresso machines upgrading every few years.   When she asks about the costs of these thjngs (which again, I limit) I use the statement "I don't play golf, imagine how much that would cost and take up time".   This has worked to a point.   On the expensive banjo, my spouse is a lifetime Texan nerd and state elected official and when I showed that Chuck Lee had been profiled in Texas Monthly and that the instrument would be a heritage piece for me and interested kids or grandkids she was ok.   But I have to be careful to make sure these acquisitions demonstrate the ability to take up my time and be used.   So far no problems with banjo as I play it every day and it isn't sounding horrible.  
 

long story to say this would probably be one od those purchases that would raise the threshold of "what the hell are you thinking?" to my spouse.   Of course I could just buy it and claim it was "such a good deal I'd be crazy not to have bought it" and promise not to upgrade my expresso machine or grinder for another few years.   So hard to decide these things.

i do think i would try this style of banjo and the music sounds like it makes sense to me and i am from a pretty long line of Irish in my family.   Hmmmm

I broke down and bought it. Picking it up today. I'll post pics. I guess the addiction caught me.

It’s called a bug tussell. Town in Texas. 11 inch Dobson tone ring open back. I love these Chuck Lee instruments.

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Originally posted by jsinjin

I've been learning clawhammer for a year. I purchased an open back instrument made by a luthier last year that's a 5 string. The maker's name is Chuck Lee and he is in Texas where I grew up and still live.

Since I purchased the 5 string whyte laydie I have watched other Chuck Lee instruments and read about one in ft worth at a resale shop that is a 4 string tenor and the model is called "bug tussle" which is the name of a town in Texas that I've actually heard of.

It's a beautiful instrument and although it is very different from the 5 string clawhammer, I have spent the last year memorizing the fret pattern and notes for many tunings on the 5 string. I was amazed at how easy it was for me to tune it to CGDA (using a tuner I brought along) and then was able to pick out the scale using my middle finger in clawhammer style quickly and easily. I didn't have a pick with me and wouldn't have known how to play with proper technique anyway.

I didn't buy it but I seriously thought about it. The only reason I didn't is because my progress at leaning clawhammer music is quite slow and I don't want to dilute my efforts with another style. I also dislike collecting things but dang that was a beautiful instrument. My whyte laydie has a 11 inch pot and is quite loud and this 4 string tenor was a 12 inch and much more sonorous.

Someday maybe I'll be able to go into a music shop and pick up a banjo and just play it!

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I play seven different tunings. When I climb onto one instrument my brain goes with it. Think of driving cars. I drive an automatic, a six-speed standard, a three-on-the-tree 50 Ford and 2 model Ts. But I don't mix them up. Much of what you learn transfers from one instrument or car to the other. I taught band instruments for many years and I can still tell you all the fingerings. But every time one learns a new instrument, you don't start all over. Go for it! One always enhances the other.

From the vibes of the pictures, that looks like a really fine instrument! 

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Originally posted by jsinjin

It’s called a bug tussell. Town in Texas. 11 inch Dobson tone ring open back. I love these Chuck Lee instruments.

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Great looking Chuck Lee tenor ! Congrats.