Bass Banjo!

Subject: Bass Banjo!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 04:05 AM

Just back from a wonderful birthday bash in Kirby Lonsdale. Saturday night saw a scratch band appear including guitar (Phil Atkinson - the birthday boy), melodeon (Our very own Spot the Dog) 2 saxophones, a fiddle, a mandolin and... a BASS BANJO! Dunno if it is unique but it was made from a bass drum with a long flat neck attached. Tuned to GDAE. Sounded pretty good.

No particular reason for the post - just thought someone might be interested:-)

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: GUEST,Gordon Johnston
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 07:44 AM

The bass banjo in question was very likely the one that was built by singer/banjoist Bill Lloyd. I had the dubious honour of playing it with a scratch band at the Lincolnshire old-time festival a couple of years back. The purists didn't like it even though the bass banjo is a legitimate instrument - check out any old 'banjo orchestra' photos. Was it fun to play? Yes, but painful (need heavy gloves)

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 11:11 AM

Goldtone Banjos out of Titusville Florida puts out a Bass Banjo for around $500. It also sounds pretty good, but the magnetic pick-up they have on it makes it sound like a 60's "surf guitar". This one plays like an electric bass and comes either fretted or bare neck.

Acoustically it is awsome in a bluegrass jam.

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Sourdough
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 12:14 PM

THere is a guy in the (San Francisco) Bay Area who has a badss banjo. I'd never seen one before so when he pulled it out at a Hyse Street Pier chany-sing, I asked him about it. He'd built it from a bass drum, too.

He semed like an interesting guy. He and his wife run an occassional sing at their home but I have forgotten or lost the details.

Sourdough

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Sooz
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 02:06 PM

There was one in the window of the Hobgoblin shop in Nottingham last time I was there. Mind you it may have been better described as a double bass banjo due its humungous size.

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Noreen
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 09:00 PM

Sooz- that may have been the same one that I saw last summer at the Hobgoblin stall at Cropredy. Never seen anything like it before- a bass drum with a neck and strings! Would love to hear it played.

Sounds like you had a great night, Dave!

Noreen

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 06:29 PM

Two such instruments appear on the vid "Times Ain't Like They Used to Be," vol. I. Made c.1930??

CC

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: GUEST,Luke
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 11:01 PM

Just thought I'd jot in. IThere is a fellow here in the states Named Reed Martin. he is a superb clawhammer player (5 string). He also plays an old very large 5 string strung with nylon bass strings which he calls a bass banjo. He does not play bass on it, rather dance tunes in the low register. It is a wonderful instrument which I havecoveted for many years. It is fretless and so warm and beguiling.

Luke

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: GUEST,Tim
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 08:05 AM

I once saw an instrument that was a bass drum, with an upright bass neck attatched. It was at Elderly's shop, and it was suspended from the ceiling in the foyer, so I couldn't easily ask to play it.

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 01:28 PM

The bass banjoes used in 20s/30s banjo bands were three stringed - I have seen photos - the body stood on a spike and the neck came out at the side rather than upright like a string double bass.
I have never seen one in the flesh, the closest I have seen was the Cello Banjo played by Tony Sullivan.
Quack!

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 04:10 PM

Just played Gold Star's four string bass banjo at capsule Music here in Toronto. Hmmmmmmm, limited appeal I'd think. Visually verry interesting.

Rick

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From:
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 12:41 AM

On the video "Times Ain't Like they Used to be" (Yazoo 512) there is a film clip of the Duke Davis Banjo band with what he calls "the world's largest banjo. (He describes it's construction, and claims the strings are made of Kangaroo gut.

It is worth looking at. The film is c. 1925. He has his hair all slicked down and goes "poopoopedo" as he spins the banjo around while he plays it.

Murray

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Jacob B
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 09:25 AM

The Music Emporium in Lexington Massachusetts has, in the front window of the store, a piece of plywood cut to shape and painted to look like an oversize banjo. It looks just like the real bass banjo that they have on a shelf at the back of the store.

Subject: RE: Bass Banjo!
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 02:36 PM

For what it's worth; 1850's "Minstrel" banjos were pretty big - up to 14" diameter pots, gut strung - and usually tuned a couple of steps lower than modern "bluegrass" instruments. although not a "bass" by any stretch, they have a very different, unique sound.

A local 'Catter has a "Ban-jar", or 6-string guitar-banjo, with about a 15" head and one helluvva sound. Since I played banjo before taking up the guitar, much of my fingerpicking style has evolved from banjo techniques, and it was certainly interesting to play this hybred. Although not at all common, they do show up from time to time, and this is not the first one I've seen. There was a guy noodling around on one at a Civil-War reenactment once, which was totally inapropriate - but there are other genres to which I would gladly bring one. If my Amigo ever considers parting with the beast I would be tempted to dicker.