Sitting. It's the only thing that works for me. I even sit at all gigs now, even with my lightweight Nechville. I don't worry about that since seeing Ben Eldridge (may he rest in peace) sit through all his gigs right before he retired from the Seldom Scene. The Kruger Brothers sit at all their gigs. If these guys can do it, so can I.

And so can you.

Simply put, I can't stand it anymore (in the strict literal sense)! But I sure can sit for it.

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Originally posted by banjoy

Sitting. It's the only thing that works for me. I even sit at all gigs now, even with my lightweight Nechville. I don't worry about that since seeing Ben Eldridge (may he rest in peace) sit through all his gigs right before he retired from the Seldom Scene. The Kruger Brothers sit at all their gigs. If these guys can do it, so can I.

And so can you.

Simply put, I can't stand it anymore (in the strict literal sense)! But I sure can sit for it.

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AMEN BROTHER !

Have your back professionally inspected. A quality back brace plus meds if picking long term will alleviate pain. Keep the heavy banjo.

quote:

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Originally posted by banjoy

Sitting. It's the only thing that works for me. I even sit at all gigs now, even with my lightweight Nechville. I don't worry about that since seeing Ben Eldridge (may he rest in peace) sit through all his gigs right before he retired from the Seldom Scene. The Kruger Brothers sit at all their gigs. If these guys can do it, so can I.

And so can you.

Simply put, I can't stand it anymore (in the strict literal sense)! But I sure can sit for it.

---

If it's feasible, that makes good sense. After all, about a hundred years ago, sitting was normal for musicians.

When I’m playing a gig I take a stool. Between numbers, when the leader is talking, I sit. I stand while playing. Gives me a good enough break. We work one condenser mic so sitting during the songs isn’t an option.

At jams I sit unless something really gets in the groove. Then I may stand depending on what everyone else does.

I’ve got a folding bar stool with a back that I got from iKea that works well.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/franklin-bar-stool-with-backrest-foldable-counter-height-black-black-50406465/

My personal fix has been the gym. I’ll spare the long story, but the gym gave this 65 year old guy with a history of back injury, a new lease on life and banjo playing. My back was so bad that by 2017, I got rid of my heavy banjo, and started gigging with a 4 pound Deering Americana. In 2022 I got back in the gym, and got serious about strength training. In 2025, I bought another heavy banjo, and am loving life, and banjo playing pain free again.

I can’t stress it enough. My rheumatologist told me to use it or loose it, and I took it to heart.