Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale

Subject: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 06:06 PM

During last week's "Walkabout" I dropped into the Twelfth Fret here in Toronto, to do my normal folkie Layabout time-waster.

Grant showed me two fine new instruments from Saga. One is an old time open back frailer that is cheap ('bout 700 Canadian...which makes it about 20 bucks Yankee Ha Ha!) and SOLID! I think it's an improvement on the Deering GoodTyme for a number of reasons. The most important reason (to me) is that it has a "traditional" look. The Deering was obviously designed for those who don't care about stuff like that.

It wasn't set up well, but had a fine sound. The neck is "chunky" but should hold up well for those who are using heavy strings.

The BIG surprise was (also from Saga, and at the same price) a PICCOLO BANJO!!! (I'm sure I spelled that wrong..that's why I got "cutesy" in the header) YES INDEED. Those wonderful tiny five stringers that S.S. Stewart and others used to make, that are rarely seen, often hugely priced, and come complete with warped neck!

Believe me, the neck on this will NOT warp. It's substantial to say the least. The little banjo sounds great, and would be residing here if I could have snuck it past Heather (who would have made me disclose why I needed ONE MORE banjo!)

My guess is they're marketing it as a "travel Banjo" (for those wandering folkies who take 747s instead of hiway 66) but it's wonderful no matter what they call it.

Anyone else seen it?

Rick

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 06:50 PM

PICCOLO------> That's right! That would have been a lot shorter thread title.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 07:11 PM

Rick, I'm mailing you $20 US dollars. Would you buy it for me? I can include and extra .25 for shipping if you'd like...

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 07:11 PM

Thanks for letting us know Rick.
I will be heading down to the 12th Fret sometime this week. I'll take a look at those banjos while I am there. The piccolo sounds interesting. Never played one. Mind you I already have a good travelling banjo with my Goodtime. But you never know, its amazing how we can justify purchasing something we don't really need.

Rick, just a side question......if I need to drill another hole into the metal band that holds the bracket shoes, where do I go for that? Bruce Dowd?
I want to use a different type of tail piece but I need to drill a hole in that metal rim to hold it in place. This is for my spare Cortez resonator banjo I started with. The one you took the resonator off of.

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 07:27 PM

Bonnie, if you bring it by I'll do it.

Rick

Jeri. I think we're actually talkin about 350 Yankee. You gotta admit that's DAMN cheap for a good banjo! However, I'll take yer twenty bucks. That'll keep Heather fed for another week!

Rick again

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 08:24 PM

Oh thanks Rick! I'll give you a call.
You know this Cortez is a mighty fine spare banjo. I'm fiddling around with it to see if I can't improve on what I've got. Besides the tailpiece, I'm going to put on a thicker, higher bridge and try heavier gauge strings too. Just to see what happens.

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: Bert
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 12:39 AM

Apart from the extra string, what's the difference between that and a banjo ukulele?

Subject: RE: Tiny Tiny itty bitty wee banjo for sale
From: GUEST,marty D
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 12:43 AM

Banjo? I thought this was about a really bad song from my youth!

Oh wait a minute, that was about a BIKINI!

Marty