Let's Talk About Banjo Gear -  

As always Jim's the real thing, just a good old boy,, who makes the recording king, sing..

Jim, your whole channel has been a godsend for a guitar player transitioning to a new instrument. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in such an approachable and friendly way. Take care!!!

Hey Jim, I’ve recently found my great grandpas old banjo, and decided I would try and learn how to play, it’s my first time playing any instrument and it’s been one heck of a journey but you’ve been such a good teacher for the greenest of the green banjo players. I’m on your 4th video in your series you made a while back for cripple creek, and I’m having a blast learning here. Cant wait to see where this little banjo journey takes me!

I love the videos, I've been watching them since I started playing the banjo, and I am very thankful to have had such a great teacher, I've progressed so much because of you, and just wanted to say thanks!

I just got some of those picks in the mail yesterday and oh man, do I love them! I've only been learning to play now for 7 months and had been using the NP2 's until yesterday. These seem to really help my picking be smoother and I love the tone I can produce with them

Jim.you are a awesome banjo teacher.i think you are the best.thx.i have learned blackberry blossum from you.

Thank s for the good advice, Jim!

The only thing better than a good cookie, is a fine stringed banjo.

Thanks Jim!

Love the videos.

Nice video Jim! Much love from England 🎶

Jim, even before I had my banjo in hand the local Music Store owner, Vince, sold me what is supposed to be the most comfortable strap on the market today, the Neotech Super Banjo Strap. Once you have it mounted on your Banjo either end can be removed for ease of case storage. I'm glad I bought it as this beast weighs over 8 lbs.

Great vid. Very helpful to a Banjo novice. 👍🏻👍🏻

Thank you very much!

The best string cleaner I've found is Ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid. A couple drops on a clean cloth (gun cleaning patch works great) pinch the string wipe one end to the other. You'll be amazed at the gunk that comes off!

I found some random thumb pick that worked really well for me and then i saw that it was called clown barf! I was a bit surprised to hear you mention them

Great info

I've always used pro picks, both pointed & round tips, brass and regular silver colored (nickel?) ones and read your comments in another video that you use Ernie Ball PP which I've never seen for sale where I buy strings, etc. So.... I just ordered and received some and while they're taking a little getting used to, I LOVE them. The difference in direct contact they make with the string and the resulting strong sound is substantial and

The Ernie Ball, and the JD bluechip is my banjo pick combo! BUT I bought two bluechip, and it slips around on me...They're medium, and the small wont go on. What a predicament! Lol. So now I'm using the Dunlop Ultex for a while at least. As for my strap, I got a Levys leather strap with fur on the inside. I really need a new capo. Mine was like $18 and you can tell.... Its a Paige Capo. When I first got it, I though it sounded great, but now comparing them to more expensive ones, I can hear a huge difference! Enjoyed this video!!

I tried the PP's and that is what I use now. Thanks.

Ernie Ball Pickey Pickeys - WOW. I've got piles of finger picks that I've tried to use on my guitar with absolutely no success. I tried the Ernie Ball picks today and I'm sold. Don't get me wrong, I've still got a long way to go with finger picking but I can make music with these. Not thumps and loud twangs. I may have to try the thumb pick you mentioned too.

OK< I got in my order of Ernie Ball Picky Picks and they work a lot better then the Nationals that I have used in the past near and far but I think Imma gonna hold off on the $40 thumb pick. On your recommendation I also bought 2 of the DAddario Planet Wave Micro Tuners so I can just leave one on my Banjo and one on My Gibson G45 Studio, I really like the smaller size!

wowee check out that vintage fast fret, my wood handle one like that dried out a while ago when I left it open one night

I prefer Xl plastic golden gate thumb picks and Dunlop 0.18 finger picks. I get hang nails alot on my index and middle fingers if I use the straight type of finger pick.

Great video Jim. I love this sort of content. I enjoy tinkering with the banjo as much as playing it. I’d probably be a lot better by now if I’d practice more & tinker less 😂 I bought a drum dial & set it at 90. Just because that seems to be the most recommended 🤷‍♂️ How or what method do you use to set your drum head tension?

Thanks Jim from Nick in England.I love the tone you pull out of a banjo.Regarding the Blue Chip thumbpick(I use their standard one as there's no chance of you snagging your fifth string whilst picking).Does the Crowe variation have a longer blade?.My Dobro features a really high action and that would be useful.I like Shelor fingerpicks but once again they're pricey.Also a new compensated Snuffy bridge from Mike Smith,Schaller D-Tuners(though they can sometimes let you down),and D'Addario all the way re strings..009.5",.011.5",.013",.022"PBw,.011".My upgraded Aria Pro2 Hearts and Flowers with Steve Ryan flathead tone ring,one-piece flange from the same bronze? metal pour as the ring,and what is presumably a Cox rim will have to suffice Jim while my RK80 though LIVELY and having great future potential remains hard and 'new' sounding.A buddy of mine intends to get back into making his stainless fifth-string spur which sits,with a tiny pin on the fifth fret replacing the pip.The Aria also sports an English-made nickel silver modern replica of an Oettinger tailpiece that's,although costly,beyond superb.Couldn't justify the price re many banjos in my collection though.,but the old Japanese Aria(Kasuga?)took some years to settle down and the changes(done one at a time)HAVE helped to yield a peak tone.

On the case was a sticker for WTJU.....UVa's radio station?.......wahoowa!! I grew up in Charlottesville and grad. UVa in '91.

great video! I would be happy about a video with different cool licks ..

Thx Jim for the tips, I'm just starting out and I love watching your videos! Do you happen to have "Lucy in the sky with Diamonds" in your arsenal?

New to banjos, appreciate the lessons and good advice on your channel. I have a number of those micro headstock tuners (long-time guitar player) that tend to live on the instrument - saves scrabbling around for a tuner when you pick up a guitar that doesn’t have a tuner on! I have a couple of questions, if I may: Do people play bluegrass with just a thumb pick (ie without finger picks)? If using a cradle strap, is there any reason not to feed the neck end strap through a couple of hooks above the neck before going around the neck to the underside of the body, to avoid the banjo tipping forward?

This guy is so cool 😎

Amazon has the speed picks but I doubt I'll ever need 24! I like it because my picks don't hit at 90deg (note to self: work on that) and they are more forgiving. And I think the sound's nicer.

Hey Jim! It's your pesky Maine mosquito friend again. I bought the picks you suggested and always appreciate your input. Your presentations are always clear, concise and friendly. I'm still having my own issues with three-fingered, (yeah, two and a thumb), picking, but practice may overcome my shortfalls yet. I hesitate to ask, but have you ever heard of anyone using four fingers on the banjo? The first finger roll I ever learned was T-F-M-F-R-M-F-M. When I'm trying to learn banjo picking, my ring finger always wants to get into the act. Thanks for everything you do.

What makes the blue chip thumb pick worth it to me is the lack of buildup from the strings. I'm not constantly cleaning oxidation residue and dirt off of my pic so that it doesn't feel and sound scratchy.

Great insight into Jim on the road what was the first sticker on your case?

Loved it Jimbo! Hey, can I borrow your tuner? I lost mine! 🤣

Hey Jim, question about stuffing the head for live sound. Any recs? I have heard everything from t-shirts to foam. The group I play with makes it hard to use an instrument mic and I like to use compression + a bit of delay. Cheeeers!

I like the strangs made up and sold by Warren Yates. He like Jim Pankey is also a good man.

Jim I have the same picks you use and I was wondering do you off set your finger picks a little or center them I am not an experienced Banjo player just on your # 7 video. I love learning Banjo Thank you.

Can you please tell me the better of 2 banjos. An Ibanez b200 or the Washburn b10 please. I'm just starting and these are my two choices. Thank you so much for your help. And thank you for your lessons on RU-vid. You make it easy to understand.

Jim, have you or do you plan on doing a review on Black Mountain Thumb Picks? Not much about banjo players using them, I believe there are 3 thicknesses and curious which is best for playing Bluegrass Banjo, also wonder if a different thickness is better for open back thumb lead style

I tried these finger picks, and it amazes me Jim gets the tone he gets with them. I do not like them at all. I use the same thumb pick, and I love it.

Hi Jim, I am new picker. I got this banjo and I seen these nails on the neck and thought it was coming apart so I nailed them flush. Just thought share this with y'all.

Yesterday I was introduced to a banjo mute, which I see as a handy dandy lil' gadget, any input on these contraptions??

Question are Washburn b16 banjo's made in the usa? Thanks

i was wondering, i may have missed it in the description but, where can i get d tuners like that?

Jim is this banjo your RK R35 ? I recently bought a travel case that looks like yours . My case was $300.00 , but well worth the price . Ned compared the case to the Crossrock .

Hay Jim I'm new to banjo. I have an old Leo Master how can I make it sound brighter? Or is that even possible?

Thank you so much for making these videos Decided to sell my banjo as I never new just How much this instrument is hated . Selling mine fed up with the abuse I get . Happy New Year xx

Could you please tell me your experience with precise tuning - do you mute/separate the rest of the strings from the one you particularly tune? or are not bothered and tune them all at one without muting? I do experience strange interference and perhaps buzz when I precisely tune string one by one and mute the others using an electronic tuner. Nevertheless, I do have better result when mute the whole banjo ​without muting strings - sounds more natural and ​also I've noticed when tune with muting and then check again separate single strings tune is slightly sharper.

hi Jim! How do you feel about Aquila synthetic strings?

When i took your classes at kaufman you had a yoyo in your bag. Are u still a champion yoyoer? Charlie kemp

By some of the stickers on your case. Do you rock climb Jim?

The JD Crowe thumb pick is about the best $50 I ever spent. I will use nothing else.

Hey man what kinda Finger Pick do you Claw Hammer with???😎😎😎

How do like the rim mounted tuners vs head mounted like you got.

I use my Thumbnail 🌠🧙‍♂️👍

I am a small lady. Is there a light weight banjo that is easier to hold?

Sadly for me it’s EXTREMELY difficult to purchase good strings like D’Addario or Ernie Balls over here in my country simlpy bcos there’s perhaps one in a hundred or more Banjo player here. It’s just not worth hanging them on the shop wall. Since I bought my Banjo abt a yr ago I’ve only changed strings once cos I can’t find a good set.

Same finger picks for me,, same story

Is it normal for the bride to put a dip in the head when in tune?

Did u say 40 bucks for 1 thumb pick!