Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?

Subject: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 11:44 AM

I've got a notion in my mind to learn tenor banjo primarily to play celtic music....(I haven't figured out how to sing and play my flute at the same time... :-D )

The problem: I have no idea about banjos...

Any suggestions?

I will probably look for a second hand one since a new one I saw (Ilda ? )started at $600...too much for me to spend for the amount of time I'll use it.

What should I look for when shopping for a second hand banjo?

Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Herge
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 11:51 AM

If your going to sing as well as play I would suggest buying a 'G' banjo. You can also play the melody to Irish tunes on it as well. You can pick second hand instruments quite cheeply. Good luck

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 02:11 PM

Hi. Whether you get a short neck or long neck 4 string banjo, how you tune it is crucial. There is no "one tuning", since you're using it for other than it's original purpose. (Jazz)
4 string banjos are easy to find, and ALWAYS negotiate, cause they sell MUCH slower than 5 stringers. If you're lucky enough to find a Gibson, Vega, Paramount, Orpheum, Slingerland, Epiphone, or other recognised name, still put in a lower offer than they're asking. DON"T buy a new one of ANY kind. The old ones are much better. Good luck.
rick

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 08:33 PM

I see my counsell is not enough for you Mary...
should I take umbridge or not..I shall ponder for the while if not the Stibbons

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 08:36 PM

An after thought occurs to me
Perhaps this is a sign that you think I have been neglecting you Mary as of late...
Grinning like you know what
Mick

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: bill\sables
Date: 05 Jun 99 - 09:48 PM

Mary, The usual tuning for Irish tenor banjo is one octave under fiddle E A D G , The scale length depends on your stature I play a standard length but ladies with smaller fingers than mine would probably feel more comfortable with a short scale, but remember if you use a shorter scale length you should use heavier strings to compensate. In the U.K. tenor banjos are more popular than 5 strings and so are harder to come by hense more expensive. Wether you buy second hand or new get one that feels right and is comfortable with a good sharp treble sound but dont forget you need a deep sound on the bass end also. When I bought mine I tried Clareen, Gibson, and a host of other less expensive instruments but I found the best sound at the time was from a Samick Priced around £700 ($1.000) Hope you get what you want. Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 06 Jun 99 - 02:16 AM

My dear Mick, I very much trust your counsel...and perhaps I will lay on the guilt trip and say I was feeling neglected (mega SEG!)...but it doesn't hurt to find out as much info as possible!

Thanks everyone for all the info thus far. What everyone has said about tuning and gauge of strings (MICK!) is checking out with other info I've found.

Now to call the local banjo band to see if they can give me leads on some instruments to check out...the music stores have been useless...

Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 06 Jun 99 - 02:16 AM

Mick, what's going on between you and Mary? Enquiring minds want to know!

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Legal Eagle
Date: 06 Jun 99 - 10:46 AM

Go to Andy Perkins, Faversham, Kent, England. He makes new banjos, buys and sells second hand, and plays good tenor (mostly Irish). Tel [phone]/533864. Don't forget the time difference if phoning transatlantic. He probably haggles better than you do, but try to haggle with him anyway.

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: bill\sables
Date: 06 Jun 99 - 07:50 PM

Mary , Try Stan Gee at www.geez98.freeserve.co.uk/gee2.htm He has quite a few Tenor Banjos for sale And I have always found him to be a fair and honest man to deal with. Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 06 Jun 99 - 07:53 PM

I'm thinking it would be easier for me to deal with someone here in the States...guess I should have specified that is where I am located.

Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 07 Jun 99 - 11:39 AM

Rick,
What's this? Are you after some juicy gossip for your radio show? Now even if there was something tell I'm far too much of a gentleman (stop laughing)to be indiscreet. I hope you are not a feline lover cos you know what curiosity did...
Here's another cat laughing..
Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 07 Jun 99 - 11:18 PM

:-D

~Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 05:04 AM

I've been checking out various sites on the web...This question may seem silly to you who know banjos, but where do you stop counting the frets? I've seen some banjos where the frets extend a few inches onto the head, others where they end just past the rim...can a tenor banjo have 21 frets? I've heard of 17 and 19.

I will do some research of my own to see what I find, but what exactly is the difference between a tenor and a 'G' banjo (as referred to by Herge above)???

Don't know if I'd have the nerve to bid on eBay.com auction site...(has anyone bid there???) There's a 1920's Gibson Tenor Banjo currently listed with current bid at $152-ish...[Actually I do prefer getting to actually see and hold the item before purchasing...so I doubt very much I'll go that route.]

I'll await any feedback.

Thanks again!

Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 05:10 AM

Cancel the question re the 'G' banjo...it dawned on me it is probably a 5-string and I confirmed that...my Dad has one, but I'd like to go with a tenor at this point (for variety).

Mary

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Jon W.
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 03:25 PM

I actually bought a tenor banjo from a guy on eBay - the transaction was fine, got the banjo, wasn't too disappointed considering I didn't expect too much. I bought it with converting to 5-string in mind. It was a cheap old Slingerland and the fretboard was dried out and cracking all over, but of course that's one of the parts I'm replacing anyway. Bottom line is that my experience was positive. Be sure to read the seller's feedback. There are many tenor banjos there, at good prices.

I don't know much about tenor banjos but I'm guessing the ones with 17 frets have a shorter neck than the 19-fret ones. I've never seen one with a fretboard extension over the body although that seems to be standard on banjo-mandolins (which are double strung and tuned an octave higher).

By the way you can play Irish melodies on 5-string banjo. There's a book w/CD by Ken Perlman that tells how (published by Mel Bay). I've learned a few from it.

Subject: RE: Tenor banjos: what manufacturer?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 09:19 PM

Hello Mary,

Thought I'd follow your recomendation and check this place out.

To the best of my knowledge, the only standard tenor banjos are the "normal" 19 fret model which has a scale length of 23" and the short scale 17 fret model which has a scale length of 21"

There are makers who do other things though. Sully (who I bought mine from) offers a 19 fret model with a 22" scale length model in his range.

Jon