For 4 years I have tried to learn this confounded instrument. I have practiced rolls for hours and hours...to no avail...I cannot play ANY roll 10 times in a row without error...I have learned NO songs...cannot even play Cripple Creek..I hadf a "cheapo" banjo, and felt an upgrade was in order...so I bought an RK R35..woo - woo. supposedly set up...strings buzzed...I looked at blogs and blogs and blogs...I tuned the head...adjusted the bridge ...replaced the tailpiece...A Chinese Piece of sh** is a Chinese piece of Sh#&*.
I read that I should take lessons, so I went to the local "lesson giver". Fortunately for me, while I was waiting to talk to him about lessons, I overheard a conversation between him and a friend of his. His "philosophy" is "I don't care if they learn anything or not, as long as they pay the money...I don't even care if they don't show up" That's the attitude I decided not to deal with.
So I bought DVD's ,CD's and books....
last night I had an epiphany. I took a double bit axe to the neck of the Recording King CRAP...removed the metal pieces , and threw the wood in the fireplace....FRUSTRATION OVER.
16 Comments |
 | Glenn K says:
1/2/2015 2:48:03 AM
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your R35. I've had mine a couple of years and I think it's a great banjo. I'm no expert player but as someone on here has said "it's your banjo, play it anyway you want". Once I got that through my head I quit worrying so much about trying to get every little note just perfect and started to have fun and seem to get better.
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 | SmokinJoe says:
1/2/2015 7:59:27 AM
Is this for real?!?
I'm mean you have every right to chop up your banjo and burn it, if that's what you want to do. But I just cant imagine that anybody in their right mind would do that to something that costs $1,000 (give or take). Why on earth wouldn't you just sell it and try and get some of the money back out of it?? Or if it really was a "defective" banjo, why not get it replaced?? They do have a lifetime warranty.
This story is amazing.
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 | beegee says:
1/2/2015 9:51:59 AM
A poor workman blames his tools. I can understand frustration, but, wow....
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 | CoachPete says:
1/2/2015 9:54:11 AM
Obviously, you have a very good reason for enlightening us on your anxiety. Mind if I ask what that reason is, as well as your rational objective(s)?
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 | 7wolfman says:
1/2/2015 9:55:55 AM
Smokin' Joe...FRUSTRATION.. I finally got it through my head that I am NEVER going to play anything on this thing...and constant having to have it in the shop...neck problems( slots cut too deep in the nut) ...fret trouble..strings not aligned over the neck ...bridge screwed up ... and I ain't smart enough to repair that crap ...so I had to pay...and pay...and pay....it was better to end it's poor miserable life than to inflict it on someone else.....
There is some regret on my part...I regret that the onerous bozo's that built it , and the drudges that sold it to me weren't here to share in it's fate. I guess a beginner should not try to learn on a Chinese crap shoot. Maybe RK makes a few decent instruments ...but if any one ever asked me if they should buy one, I would tell them they would be better off with a cigar box and some rubber bands.
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| 7wolfman says:
1/2/2015 10:10:44 AM
beegee, I don't blame the banjo for my shortcomings...I am probably just too stupid to make my fingers do what they are supposed to do...that's on me...and maybe I could have lived with that , and sold the banjo to another , better equipped human. My total frustration was with the instrument that was in constant need of repair...perhaps that is the situation with all banjos...the strings buzz. the neck needs constant adjustment, the head needs tightened...no loosened...no tightened...
And I guess you have the expertise to constantly be adjusting heads, necks, bridges and tailpieces.
As I said to start, I am never going to be a banjo picker,and that is on me, not the banjo....the fact that the RK is a piece of crap is a whole different issue
Coachpete, I just wanted to be able to read your smug ,superior response. Thank you, your superiority to any mere mortal who thinks a thousand dollar banjo should not need constant repair is refreshing.
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| 7wolfman says:
1/2/2015 12:33:34 PM
Smokinjoe . you might want to check that "lifetime warranty" if you have spikes for the 5th string...the warranty is void.
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| beegee says:
1/2/2015 3:20:02 PM
I have owned 4 RK banjos and presently own 2 and have never had a problem with any of them except my Osborne Scout where the Sonny Osborne Signature block fell out. But I just glued it back in. My RK 75 Elite is one of my favorite banjos, stacking up with my high-dollar banjos.
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| CoachPete says:
1/2/2015 6:27:26 PM
Thank you for your gracious response. Please share with me how you came to your conclusions, interpretations, and objectives.
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| 7wolfman says:
1/2/2015 8:28:19 PM
Coach...Bourbon ...Eagle Rare...10 yr old..single barrel...90 proof !
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 | Squatty Body says:
1/2/2015 11:17:13 PM
You torched an RK35, without coming here for help, without trying a different instructor, without contacting Recording King, hmmm and "you don't blame the banjo"??????? Maybe you need to switch to wine!
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| 7wolfman says:
1/3/2015 3:31:48 PM
Squat...Recording King warrant void...spikes for 5th string.....and I'm sure everyone here would have been happy to take it off my hands ...(if I was willing to give it away) The banjo is in a much better place now....
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| CoachPete says:
1/4/2015 11:26:21 AM
Am I to understand that your posts were created under the influence of alcohol?
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| Squatty Body says:
1/6/2015 6:15:03 AM
OK, how about sending me the metal pieces?? And anything else you didn't torch?? DVD's, Books, Etc. I'm frustrated too, but after a year, I feel pretty good about my playing. Not so sure about the family or anyone else. It is a great way to wind down after work and I have enjoyed trying different adjustments, bridge, strings, you name it.
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 | banjohack says:
1/15/2015 5:15:42 PM
This has to be a bit; trying to get a reaction from RK players. Good one wolfman lol
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 | Hello says:
1/30/2021 2:20:21 PM
While I am new to this group, I am not new to the internet.
Something smells "fishy" here and I believe someone is simply looking to see how many he can get to bite on this hook.
JMHO.
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