Basic Strum - Posted - 08/15/2009:  10:35:09

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Here's a current auction for the handles I bought, from the guy I bought mine from, but mine are black. Very comfy handles and the hardware is included, but I replaced the fasteners with brass screws, washers and nuts from the cardboard boxes we all love to rummage through at the hardware store. The pins that come with the handles are scary -- as are the original factory fasteners, as you'll discover when you drill them out. cgi.ebay.com/TKL-Leather-handl...86.c0.m14

By the way, the new mounting location I mentioned previously is for a non-resonator longneck banjo. The nose of the case will point up with the banjo inside the case. Bill

"If I knew I would have lived this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle

TonyS - Posted - 08/15/2009:  14:59:12

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That was the first thing I noticed when the Gold Tone arrived - something's wrong with the case!!!

Thanks guys, I'll check into it....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender " - Pete''s banjo
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use GOODSEARCH as your search engine to support your favorite charity!

TonyS - Posted - 08/21/2009:  15:28:33

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Bill Basic Strum - to answer your previous page question- there is a "should I buy Pete seegers book" thread here....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender " - Pete''s banjo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
use GOODSEARCH as your search engine to support your favorite charity!

TonyS - Posted - 11/29/2009:  07:37:17

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We know we like the LN for choice of keys - as for moving around keys with capos, which capo do you like and why?

mainejohn - Posted - 11/29/2009:  17:46:50

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quote:

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Originally posted by TonyS

We know we like the LN for choice of keys - as for moving around keys with capos, which capo do you like and why?

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"Basic Strum" (aka Bill Drellow) sent me a big Hamilton guitar capo like the one Pete uses on his lignum vitae neck. Squeezing the Hamilton is great forearm exercize and it gets the job done, but I prefer the plain old Shubb, as it's light, stays in place, and is easy to move. I save the Hamilton for publicity photos. Trouble is, I've never had a publicity photo.

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Edited by - mainejohn on 11/30/2009 06:18:54

Basic Strum - Posted - 11/30/2009:  02:35:22

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For that salty 50's-60's look, it must be a spring-backed Elton neckscraper with red rubber enema bag hose covering the cork. All you need to do to prevent damage to the neck is to stretch a piece of elastic between the spring and the neck. They turn up from time to time on ebay, but until one comes along, the only acceptable substitute is a Russell elastic with an argyle pattern. The only limitation of spring-backed and elastic capos is the need to remove and reattach them above the 8th fret because they can't slide past the 5th string peg. Rather than do that with the Elton, I keep a Shubb handy and go the 2-capo route to play Coast of California in the original key. Bill

jimpote03 - Posted - 11/30/2009:  13:20:43

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WOW! This topic sure is getting a lot of interest. I'm a beginner playing a long neck but my problem is stretching my fingers to a 3 fret cord on the first 3 frets - it's a long reach. Sooo, I put a capo at the3rd fret now it's easier for me to pay.

Jim P

mainejohn - Posted - 11/30/2009:  15:24:09

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Hi Jim...I wouldn't worry about the finger stretch issue. I play a longneck, and 95% of the time I capo at the third fret. But...if the situation calls for key of E, F, Bb, A and a couple of others, having the option of dropping the capo just makes those keys easier to play the music I like, at least the way I play.

Basic Strum - Posted - 11/30/2009:  17:39:46

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quote:

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Originally posted by jimpote03

WOW! This topic sure is getting a lot of interest. I'm a beginner playing a long neck but my problem is stretching my fingers to a 3 fret cord on the first 3 frets - it's a long reach. Sooo, I put a capo at the3rd fret now it's easier for me to pay.

Jim P

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What John said, plus ... make sure you're playing those chords as efficiently as you can with your left hand. Often, it's easier to barre the first fret than fingering the strings there. Depending on the chord you're trying to form, this can make it easier to reach to the second and third frets with your middle and ring fingers. Bill

Pentecostalpicker - Posted - 11/30/2009:  19:07:51

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HERE'S MY BANJO ON EBAY; HATE TO SELL BUT HERE GOES!!
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...540408496

Basic Strum - Posted - 12/01/2009:  03:22:50

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quote:

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Originally posted by Pentecostalpicker

HERE'S MY BANJO ON EBAY; HATE TO SELL BUT HERE GOES!!
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...540408496

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And you posted this to a thread whose topic is long-neck open-back banjos because ...?

Helix - Posted - 12/02/2009:  19:37:19

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I recommend 6 capo spikes. 7,8,9,10,12,14

A cradle strap.


And if you find the neck is too long, stand on a chair.



It was a bunch of ugly ducklings, now they're all grown up, a flock of swans.

whyteman - Posted - 12/03/2009:  14:04:20

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I feel about long neck banjos the way Wall Street feels about Goldman-Sachs:

Too big to frail.

Don

TonyS - Posted - 12/20/2009:  10:02:14

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OK - thread stalls
I think I'll just use the Keyser Quick Change...........

Feo - Posted - 12/20/2009:  16:05:46

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Inbetween periods of snow shovelling and back-pain today , I sat down with my voice recorder and pulled out my longneck banjo .....
I recorded alittle something on the fly .... maybe I shouldn't have sang but the tune wouldn't sound right without singing...
I put it up on my music page ... banjohangout.org/myhangout/mus...p?id=9445

They might not always be the easiest banjos to play but you can do some unique cool things with the long neckers ...

TonyS - Posted - 12/21/2009:  05:06:03

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Very nice Feo - can you explain the fishing line strings - the sizes, or is that test! I've heard of them used on guitars.

Feo - Posted - 12/21/2009:  05:43:19

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An update ... Jefferey Long just kindly added tracks to my Browns Ferry Blues ...now I can stand listening to myself alittle better - LOL

banjohangout.org/myhangout/mus...p?id=9445

I use fishing line on strings # 1,2, and 5 ...... I use 50 lb test for #1 , 60 lb for #2 and more like #30 for the 5th string .... I don't have a usable spike in the neck so I have to be able to really crank up the 5th string,hence the lighter guage on #5

TonyS - Posted - 12/24/2009:  16:19:06

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
And may all your necks be long - sorry, couldn't think of anything else....

TonyS - Posted - 01/14/2010:  15:37:53

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OK - got the Russell elastic - goes good with the 60's flower pattern strap from Levys!

TonyS - Posted - 05/08/2010:  11:24:11

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Anybody out there?
Or are ya all practicing and not computing?

banjopogo - Posted - 05/08/2010:  20:12:36

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When I was learning banjo, I had no interest in long necks, because I was a tenor,
and I could sing high melodies.

Now I'm a baritone. People's voices often drop with age.
As it is, I tend to tune the guitars I use for singing down a half step, and am even considering a whole step,
just so I can sing lower without having to play in a different key and transposing.

Also, I think I remember that Pete Seeger was a baritone too, and that was a factor in the creation of the long neck banjo.

ronwalker49 - Posted - 05/09/2010:  03:37:05

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I just finished my long neck conversion a couple of weeks ago and couldn't be more pleased......Got lots of advise here on the hangout then ordered a goldtone long neck from Wane Rogers.....Used a good time pot, cut a notch for a rolled brass tone ring (from Stew-mac) and finally got it all together (many times).....I can't believe how lucky I was to have the sound of this banjo please me like it does.....

The only real problem I have had is my arms are not long enough.....I can reach it (barely) but after a single song my shoulder, and arm aches....I was going to install Pete's I bolt and Uncle Fogey talked me out of it, so I spent over a month making different kinds of straps (and configurations) until I finally got tired of fooling with it and went the I bolt route.....Now I have healed up from the surgery and my banjo no longer hurts my belly....I love the fact that I can play in E which is where I sing and I love my new banjo, it's my favorite....

mainejohn - Posted - 05/09/2010:  16:00:41

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I'm so used to playing my two longnecks that whenever I pick up a "short-neck" I feel confined. I'm 5'9" and have no problem playing without a capo. It just takes some getting used to.

ronwalker49 - Posted - 05/09/2010:  16:16:18

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" I'm so used to playing my two longnecks that whenever I pick up a "short-neck" I feel confined. I'm 5'9" and have no problem playing without a capo. It just takes some getting used to".

Well.....I'm glad for you....

Basic Strum - Posted - 05/09/2010:  17:20:10

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To Banjopogo: Pete used to characterize his voice as "cracked tenor." He could sing in the baritone range, but he was a tenor (now he's a whisperer, but then again, he's 91 years old). Grab an old Weavers recording and listen to the quartet members singing their parts -- it's easy to hear who's singing what and where and whatnot.

To RonWalker: I'd like to think you didn't intend the sarcasm that "Well...I'm glad for you..." implies. A number of us have done our sincere best to help you, and tracked this thread for a LONG TIME, to offer you the benefit of our experience with longnecks. I'm 5'9" too, with a 32" sleeve, and I have no problem reaching beyond the nut to the D-tuners on one of my longnecks. It's all about where you wear the banjo, the angle off dead vertical, etc. But don't take our word for it: Bob Gibson, McGuinn, Henry Diltz, Peggy Seeger and Hedy West weren't exactly the starting lineup for the Celtics.

Bill

ronwalker49 - Posted - 05/09/2010:  21:19:05

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No sarcasm intended at all........Too all who have found something that works for them, I am glad for you......I spent a great amount of time and effort to avoid the ibolt just because most of you were "SO" set against it....As for your advise, as far as I know, this is the only advise I did not take....

If this is about traditionalism then it is meaningless to me...I have already had forty yrs of bluegrassers cramming traditionalism down my throat and it just won't take, as for the name dropping, I don't even know who these people are and couldn't care less.. My banjos are just like my fiddles or guitars or mandolins they are only tools....It's about the music with me and not the instruments......But the key phrase is "MY"....At the end of the day this stuff belongs to me and I will do what I want with it....

Basic Strum - Posted - 05/10/2010:  02:42:26

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quote:

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Originally posted by ronwalker49

No sarcasm intended at all........Too all who have found something that works for them, I am glad for you......I spent a great amount of time and effort to avoid the ibolt just because most of you were "SO" set against it....As for your advise, as far as I know, this is the only advise I did not take....

If this is about traditionalism then it is meaningless to me...I have already had forty yrs of bluegrassers cramming traditionalism down my throat and it just won't take, as for the name dropping, I don't even know who these people are and couldn't care less.. My banjos are just like my fiddles or guitars or mandolins they are only tools....It's about the music with me and not the instruments......But the key phrase is "MY"....At the end of the day this stuff belongs to me and I will do what I want with it....

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I wasn't namedropping. Namedropping is a negative term that describes comments such as, "Peggy Seeger brought one of her excellent tuna casseroles to my house when she came over for dinner last night." I was merely illustrating a point by invoking the names of five excellent long-neck banjo players who aren't or weren't particularly tall.

No one would argue with the notion that you can do whatever you choose to do with YOUR banjo. I also have a feeling that no one is going to drop whatever they're doing to offer you advice (not "advise") should you ask for advice again. As far as I can tell, no one has attempted to shove their beliefs "down your throat," as you characterize it, but rather trying to help someone who asked for help.

And you're a moderator?

TonyS - Posted - 05/22/2010:  16:05:27

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Aw...come on guys!!

Frailinaway - Posted - 05/23/2010:  08:29:51

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Somebody needs to have a cookie and a glass of milk during their timeout.

omiimii - Posted - 05/23/2010:  08:38:28

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quote:

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Originally posted by Basic Strum


you're a moderator?

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you didn't know that to be a moderator you have to
incite meaningless arguments? that seems to be
one of the requirements lately. that and rarely
using the bho.

watch out, he might delete you!

TonyS - Posted - 05/23/2010:  08:45:20

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...and all this relates to my Long Neck topic how?????

omiimii - Posted - 05/23/2010:  08:57:53

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sorry for taking part in throwing your thread of course.
back to the long necks!

TonyS - Posted - 05/23/2010:  09:20:20

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Ha! that's Ok
Throw anytime

stringbeaner - Posted - 05/27/2010:  09:21:36

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The first commercially printed Pete book was a Yellow cover which I still have one of.

stanger - Posted - 05/29/2010:  08:38:17

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Hi, Bill...
Is the yellow-cover Seeger book the one that was mimeographed?
regards,
stanger

rwietecha - Posted - 06/02/2010:  17:42:32

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I just saw the post, now I can come out of the closet. Had my vega since 2001 and love it. Would like to find somebody making fretless longnecks. Love the tone of the tubaphone tone ring while playing in the keys of E, F and F#. My arms are all strechted out from carryin' 5 gallon buckets of water down to the barn so the extra length of the neck is not a problem. I could probably go a few extra frets longer if I had to. I love this topic and have been enjoying reading everybody's comments.

TonyS - Posted - 06/03/2010:  04:18:34

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That's why I started this - plus I'm new to banjo but chose the LN as my first decent one due to pete Seeger (can we call him Pete like the others refer to Earl!).
Send us more info, you are free from the closet....

vega long neck - Posted - 06/06/2010:  17:21:12

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This has been a GREAT thread, especially all the fun comments!

The simple answer to tuning is that the easiest ("best" is, after all, a relative term) way is so that when the capo is on the 3rd fret it sounds like your tuning of choice on a standard scale neck. That puts you in A or E when played open, assuming your tuning would have created a C or G on a standard neck.

It's not just that the open position, remember that it creates a new banjo "voice" in the group/jam/choir/whatever when you are playing open (low) and the other instruments capoed up to get to key. It is a great boon for singers also; I find slightly better than half the songs I sing wind up in A or E.

Great instrument.

Scott

TonyS - Posted - 06/20/2010:  15:38:39

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So I got the OME stringe - Med. with the fuzzies to damp the tones. OK I guess, I'm too new to really tell the difference!

TonyS - Posted - 06/26/2010:  07:17:15

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...and (from another thread) what about NylaGuts on a LN?

Bisbonian - Posted - 06/26/2010:  07:47:26

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quote:

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Originally posted by TonyS

(can we call him Pete like the others refer to Earl!).

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He put out an album called "Pete", so I think it's fair game.

quote:

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...and (from another thread) what about NylaGuts on a LN?

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I'd be interested to know...are they long enough?

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Edited by - Bisbonian on 06/26/2010 07:48:53

stringbeaner - Posted - 06/26/2010:  10:34:43

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Hey, Mike! I kind of wandered off this thread for a few days. As far as I can recall, the first commercially printed 'Pete book' was the yeller one.I think the one before that was his 'hand made' one that he ran off himself. I got mine, well used, back about '58 or thereabouts. And I still have it. And, it's still fun to read and re-read.

majikgator - Posted - 06/26/2010:  11:06:48

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Bunch of pinko lovers (just kidding love ya Pete)

TonyS - Posted - 06/26/2010:  11:43:20

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I used NylaGut in the past and remember trimming some off? - I was more concerned with the sound and 'playability' when used on a LN and if it woud be "correct" to do so...

Bisbonian - Posted - 06/26/2010:  17:12:56

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quote:

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Originally posted by majikgator

Bunch of pinko lovers (just kidding love ya Pete)

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I'm not done all the way through, myself....

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Edited by - Bisbonian on 06/26/2010 17:13:27

john bange - Posted - 08/17/2010:  11:48:21

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nylguts are not long enough...I use fishing line...30lb 1st,50lb 2nd, 60lb 3rd, La Bella#17 wound 4th,40lb 5th...not floppy either. settled down in couple of days.

TonyS - Posted - 08/17/2010:  16:54:10

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Thanks! My next project......

TonyS - Posted - 08/20/2010:  04:36:58

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Now - without the capo - Which songs seem to work out really well on Longneck ?

JEA13 - Posted - 08/20/2010:  05:19:27

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TonyS:
Now, after having the long neck a while , what is your evaluation of it?