Grateful Dead Music Forum

tcsned wrote:Here's another one of my favorites from this area, Wayne Henderson from Rugby, a small town just south of me. He's also a master luthier and is playing one of his guitars.

I think I saw a short documentary on PBS about Wayne???

TI4-1009 wrote:

tcsned wrote:Here's another one of my favorites from this area, Wayne Henderson from Rugby, a small town just south of me. He's also a master luthier and is playing one of his guitars.

I think I saw a short documentary on PBS about Wayne???

Yep, that's him. He's a real treasure. His guitars are great, he hand whittles all of his necks. He built one for Clapton a few years ago. He throws one helluva Christmas party every year that I've been to a couple of times. Doc Watson was at the first one I went to and I spent some time playing with the Kruger Bros at the last one. One of the benefits of living in the Blue Ridge

Bringing it back


So I'm looking into another instrument for my acoustic combo. I was tossing between banjo and mando. The realized a 4 string banjo is often tuned G D A E. And though, cool!, as it works for both. But now read that most do not consider the 4 string for bluegrass which is the area we lean towards.

I found this video that I think is pretty damn cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBTeD1e_-OA

So, for the folks who banjo, please let me know your thoughts.

4 string banjo won't sound bluegrass. It will sound more like a banjo/guitar. More of a Dixieland jazz sound.

You got to have the basic bluegrass roll going to get the "bluegrass" sound. That continual roll as opposed to any kind of strumming sound.

I think Mandolin is easier to transfer to from guitar (especially the right hand).

I play 5-string bluegrass banjo now (for about 10 years) but it was hard to get proficient even though I've played guitar for 20 years.

I cheated, I got a six string in Febuary...a lot of fun to play...this upright player and I are going to be playing Clash tunes and such out soon. London Calling is a riot on the banjo.

I guess that playing banjo can be a good thing to really learn about. I just hope that when playing it, it would benefit you for the good. Provided with some good banjo lessons and trainings, you can pull it off easily and with good sense.

I don't think playing banjo is hurting my guitar playing any, but I'm having so much fun playing banjo that I don't hardly pick up my guitar anymore. I hardly even check my email anymore. I've been falling asleep on the porch every night playing banjo, and my wife is referring to it as my "other woman". So it can cause you some problems...

javalina - I believe that comment was a spammer of some sort. Banjo is great for developing right hand technique - good banjo players' right hands are machines. It's an addictive instrument. I miss working at the music store and having one around to annoy folks with. One of these days I'll get one.

damn, those spammers always fool me... just a little thick, I guess.