I know there are lots of banjo threads, but I don't think I've seen some of my questions addressed.
I started on Clawhammer this summer with a borrowed instrument. Progress has been slow, but I think I'm ready to buy. I've seen the recommendations for the Deering beginning line, but think I'd like to go a step up from there. I've never really mastered any other instrument so there's not much I can transfer from anything else.
So here are some of my banjo newbie questions.
Playing: Can you recommend one particularly good beginner instruction video? or book? What are some good skill building drills? What skills should I work on early to make learning new tunes easier later on? How should I structure my practice time? How should I approach learning something basic for playing along at a song circle?
Buying: If I can only play one tune, how should I 'try out' an instrument? What do I look for? What's with the tone ring? What is the difference between the types of tone rings? What difference does the bridge height make? What about the material it's made of? What about the string gauge? What's the difference between 11 & 12 inch pots? Apart from weight, what's with the different number of brackets? If I start out with a light instrument, will a heavier one later be a big adjustment? Any other important construction considerations? What would you recommend for <$1000?