I've always wanted to try one of these 6-string banjos. As you point out in the video, if you're familiar with the guitar... it should be a fairly simple transition. This looks like a pretty nice one. I had a Washburn electric guitar years ago and really liked it. Good review Steve.
Great review Steve. Listening to your opening music, Foggy Mountain Breakdown makes me want to break out my five stringer but I haven't played it much in the last few years. I still love the sound of a banjo, even on other genres of music besides bluegrass.
The body of a 6 String Banjo tends to be a little bit wider & deeper than a 5 String Banjo so that the Bass Strings speak more clearly. This instrument was originally use in Dixieland Jazz so that Guitarists could compete w/ those Blazing loud horns cause this goes back to the 1920s and 30s before we had amplification. Johnny St Cyr played this instrument & you'll hear this on alot of Louis Armstrong Recordings.
I did the note on screen "You can adjust the action with the co-ordinator rods!". You can but you shouldn't. The rods are there to hold the neck on and to keep the rim round. You can make very small subtle adjustments, mainly to get a clearer sound up the neck, but the most likely thing that will happen is that the rim will warp a bit and then the head won't sit properly. Especially on these thinner rimmed instruments.
Great point! Thanks for clarifying for readers! I did not intend to lead people astray to think that the coordinator rods are THE way to adjust the action! The string height above the frets is mostly determined by the height of the bridge! This is were most adjustment should occur to obtain the desired string height. The truss rod also plays a role in regard to addressing neck bow and relief, which can also affect string height. Thanks for watching and commenting!
As a guitarist I typically play with a pick & my middle & ring fingers. As primarily a telecaster player it helps a lot though it's a little weird when you are first learning. Cool video 👍👍
The strident sound explains why you would shut your door and put a sock in it it! My wife would lock me outside and toss away the key. You have tested 5 string models that seem “mellower” and likely more of what a normal banjo should sound like. Like you said coming from a ukukele to this one is a rather tough move. To each his own I guess 🤣
A while back I got this banjo. The sound was very disappointing. So I got rid of that smooth head and got a frosted head. The sound is so much better clearer and brighter. They should have put these on before selling. And I also got a set of Deering strings
I think they are made strong cause there is a lot of tension from 6 strings. I don’t like them to much if you play guitar tunes it just don’t sound right to me. I guess you can play some banjo tunes on them. I made a 5 string banjo last summer it’s like the old time style and I play old style banjo tunes on it. It was pretty easy to make it and it sounds good. It has nylon string is what I put on my banjos for the style I play. Good video Steve!!!!))🪕🪕🪕
Thanks! I have thought about swapping out the nut on this one to make it a fours stringer and put on the DGBE strings of a classical guitar set of strings.
Hey Steve, do you still have that double neck tenor/bass Aklot uke? I’ve been looking at purchasing one since I saw your video a little while back but they seem to not be available anywhere anymore.
This is exciting, your latest video is about a Banjo that you’ve been given by a friend, and also my newest video is about a Banjo, that a friend gave to me 😅😅😅 But, mine was broken, I made a cigarboxguitar out of it 😃😃😃 greetings from Germany
