Banjo sales..Where?

Subject: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 11:45 AM

Hallo everybody..

                If one had had an industrial accident and lost the tips of two fingers ( as I have) and one had a particularly excellent banjo (that one was basically unable to play), for possible sale or exchange for high end mandolin, (like I have).. does one have any idea where one might advertise in UK?

          Regards to all from one very depressed Spot :-(

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Old Roger
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 12:38 PM

Banjo devotees search Ebay every day and good banjos usually command good prices.

What sort or make of banjo do you have.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 12:50 PM

Maybe you could hang fire long enough to think about things.

When I was in NZ a banjo player announced he was going to play Si Beg Si Mor on his banjo.

I smiled (knowingly) to the person on my left and he knowingly told me to hold my council just long enough.

Sure enough the guy played with his knuckles and instead of volume from a reviled frying pan - came this sweet soft, air.

A quiet Mr Red for the rest of the evening.

I guess it depends which hand................

so bottleneck banjo maybe?

Sometimes adversity can be an opportunity. Remember Django.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 12:54 PM

OR

I wondered about Ebay but not really keen after hearing various stories...Its a Stelling Bellflower with OHC and Fishman pick up (not that it really needs one!!). I love it to bits but it hurts to even try to play....   :-(

                Boo-Hoo...   Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 12:58 PM

Mr Red

    Point taken, but its 6months down the line and I can see no potential for improvement... I've "plateau'ed" with the healing - surgically its ok, neurologically its a feckin nightmare!!

             O well...c'est la rotten ol' vie!!

                               Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 01:00 PM

Suggest you consult offthread with Catter Don Meixner, who has had good experience with retrofitting people and/or instruments to restore playing ability. No stories-- problem-solving.

Suggest further that you consider the Mudcat Auction so that you can be sure it goes to a good home. Some Mudcatters making transatlantic trips have transported auctioned instruments when they've been auctioned. I have two; they arrived in GREAT shape and I believe at no cost to the person who helped Mudcat by toting them.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 01:02 PM

Hey Man....Talk to Don Meixner before you do anything. Okay?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 01:06 PM

You might not want to hear stories like this but there's a well known bluegrass band by the name of Mountain Heart. Their banjo player has only a thumb and the first finger on his left hand. He plays with his hand going over the top of the fretboard. And he plays as good or better as musicians with all five fingers.

I guess I'm saying don't give up hope just yet. If the desire is there you will succede. No need to sell the banjo now. It will still be sellable next year.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Amos
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 01:26 PM

I concur with the encouragement above, Spot. I would prefer to see you find a way to make music on it.

A

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Old Roger
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 01:54 PM

Hey Spot,

it's a good banjo. it would make a good price.

I am currently relearning banjo, guitar and fiddle after a stroke took away the use of my left arm. I had to start by learning to walk again.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about coping and learning strategies recently as you might imagine. before you give up on it consider learning a clawhammer (frailing) style and use a reversed finger pick to protect your picking finger. I think you would find that rewarding and probably less painful.

You have my good wishes for a happy solution.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 02:02 PM

Hallo

   Hey..some nice responses..thanks to all...!! Maybe I should hang fire a bit.. I'm just losing patience with the music at the mo....   rheumatics an all..Me hands like 2 bags o' sugar at mo...    Will reconsider...

                  Thanks again people...    Spot   :-)

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 04:11 PM

If you should decide at some point that you do want to sell the banjo in the UK, try Bill Sables. He sells instruments.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 04:29 PM

Do NOT go to Faversham. PM me for the shit.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 04:50 PM

Richard
   
            Not familiar with Faversham and shit....could you elaborate, please   :-)


                  Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: BanjoRay
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 05:48 PM

First point - I lost the tip of my LH 2nd finger in the early 70s when I'd been playing clawhammer (frailing) for 10 years. I'm still playing - I can play most of the fiddle tunes I know with one finger.

Second point if you're still determined - In just over 4 weeks there will be an opportunity to sell a fine quality bluegrass banjo such as the Stelling Bellflower at Sore Fingers Summer School which will be held at Kingham School, near Stowe-on-the-Wold. There will be two classes each of 20 people studying Bluegrass banjo, and another studying Old Time banjo. I don't know a single active banjo player who doesn't want a better (or another) banjo. If you send John Wirtz (who runs it) an email telling him of your problem, I'm sure something could be arranged. Contact details at the website.

Good luck - I really know what you're going through.
Ray

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 07:06 PM

I sent Don Meixner a PM with this thread linked.....he has gone through similar and actually worse SPOT and he has lots of good advice.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 07:53 PM

The Banjo Hangout site has a list just for sales items. http://www.banjohangout.org/classifieds/
You could probably list your trade inquiry there.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:41 AM

Eagle Music in Huddersfield, more banjos than I've ever seen in one place and Steve Noon is a bit of an expert, having said that you will get a better price selling privately than to the trade.

eric

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:04 AM

Hallo everybody

      Thanks to you all for support and encouragement...I'm keeping it for now. Maybe in a year or so me fingers'll have toughened up enough to try a pick... Having said that, I'll look at the websites out of pure interest.

                   Regards to all...Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 09:07 AM

Hi Spot.

Don't part with the banjo! You'll need it for rehabilitation. Both mental and physical. I have intended to write down some kind of comprehensive history of my injury and recovery. Now I guess is the time.

I'll try to get this done soonest. But hang on to all your instruments for the now.

Don

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:53 AM

Spot,
Been there, got the scar tissue and skin grafts. Don's right, hang on to your instruments. Took me two years to get on top of all the issues, and then all they said was "Oh Christ he's back..." You're not on your own, and there's plenty of support around, as you may already have gathered.
KYBTTS

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:09 AM

Hallo

   I don't think I dare sell it now, after all this input and advice!!
I don't suppose I have to rush... I forced a pick on one of the offending fingers yesterday!! (Feck!!)   It was more painful to get it off but it's a start I guess.... Will keep trying.

                      Thanks again folks...    :-)

                  Regards to all.....Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:29 PM

BanjoRay has given you some good advice. Go to Sorefingers and MEET some of the people there and you might wind up trading your Stelling for a good old time banjo. (And another one moves back in time from BG to OT. . .heh heh heh)

I've seen BanjoRay play and if I hadn't noticed the mangled 2nd finger I wouldn't know it. It is NOT noticeable in his playing.

My late father blew several fingers off his left hand as a teenager with homemade explosives. He told me that the hand was incredibly sensitive for some time following the accident, but the tingling and sensitivity died down as time passed. (Wish I could ask him "how long")
Good luck!

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: GUEST,Patrick Costello
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:40 PM

If you want to quit, then quit. Instead of selling the banjo my advice would be to hand it over to somebody who will use it.

If you want to play - if making music is something you want, or even need, in your life then go figure out a way to do it.

Nobody can help you do that. You have to do it on your own.

The people telling you to stick to it or offering some kind of advice are not helping you as much as they are making themselves feel better. That's the bit about advice in forums like this. It's just data with no real human interaction.

Our bodies fail. That is part of life. Instead of forcing a fingerpick on a stump, instead of trying to do exactly what you were doing before the accident, look at what you can do and make the most of that.

If that means putting the banjo across your lap and playing with a slide or making some of other kind of creative and artistic compromise so be it. It's just a banjo.

I'm a half-deaf epileptic. I found ways to work around my handicaps and now I have students all around the world. I made the most of my strong points.

Make the most out of what you've got.

-Patrick

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:40 PM

"The people telling you to stick to it or offering some kind of advice are not helping you as much as they are making themselves feel better."

You are fulla shit with that remark. Some of us have 'been there and done that" to one degree or other. Stuff it, Patrick.

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:51 PM

Spot,

Django Reinhardt lost two fingers off his left hand and was still able to produce some of the greatest music of the twentieth century.

Now, you have lost the tips off two fingers on your right hand ( I assume the index and middle) but there are two left.

Can you see your way to adapting the remaining two fingers to take the place of the index and middle ? Itshould be possible, but will obviously require a great deal of application and practice .

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 03:29 PM

I inherited an absolutely gorgeous banjo. It has a long history, was re-worked from tenor to 5-string by the wonderful Riley Baugus.

Problem is, I have so little time for music in my current life (insert appropriate whines and sobs here), and though I LOVE the banjo, I love singing more, so if there WAS time, it would be for singing.

Short story: I met a woman who is an incredible player, and didn't have one to play, so she is 'fostering' it, playing it and enjoying it, and bringing wonderful music to people with it. Someday it will be my turn again, but in the meantime, it's being played, and that makes me happy enough.

I know you not at all, but based on my experience, I would guess that whether or not you play it eventually, looking at it unplayed might not be any fun at all.

Dani

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:32 PM

Jerry Garcia was a good banjo player. He was missing the best part of one of his fingers on his right hand, I think it was his middle, although it could have been his index.

Wesley mentioned Mountain Heart. Barry Abernathy is their banjo player. Django was something, but if this doesn't inspire you nothing will.   

Mountain Heart, Barry Abernathy

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:50 PM

I've sold a lot of stuff, over the years and the money is long gone.
The stuff I didn't sell? It's here somewhere if I need to find it.
The banjo will be just fine under the bed for a while.
Recover, Spot.
And remember ...
Every time God closes a door He shuts a window.
Well something like that. It's supposed to make you feel good and shit.
Know what I'm saying?
Cheer up!
Jim

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 06:32 AM

Good advice all round - dont sell the banjo - I almost gave up a couple of years ago when I developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (probably thro' playing the banjo?) Took a while to get playing again but glad I did. I also have arthritis in fingers & have learned to adapt my own style using just thumb & first finger. While not playing, I started building a few banjos, mainly for myself, which also helped & taught me lots about these fantastic instruments.
Play it with your feet if necessary, but keep the banjo and you will be glad you did
best wishes Pete

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Spot
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 03:04 PM

Steve   
    Barry Abernathy is incredible...Its time for me to wake up and stop moaning!! Thanks for that ...

                Thanks everybody...Spot

Subject: RE: Banjo sales..Where?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 06:41 PM

Spot,

You're welcome. I have eight healty and two decent digits (broke my right index and left finger playing hockey, they are not 100%). I wish that I could come even close to what Barry does. I have no idea how he performs the left hand techniques like he does. His right hand is a jackhammer. Absolutely amazing.