My Fretless Appalachian Banjo: Sugar Babe

[bobehill]

Thanks. I've wanted one of these since 1968.

[FlatfootJohnny]

@bobehill I'll make you one ;-)

[raydirty]

just play the damn thing!

[Mrcaffinebean]

I would have gone with the shotgun!

[Aeschylus]

Awesome, well done!

[satan64209]

i want to learn how to play the banjo where should i start, and how do i get the plans to make that fretless banjo?

[killerbanjo]

@satan64209

The only FREE way ive found is on scribd(.com)

go there and search "foxfire" all the foxfire books are there and you can view them online or download them but you have to make an account to download them.

And learning the banjo, it all depends what you want, if you like bluegrass learn "Scruggs Style" and if you like Old Time then learn "Clawhammer" or any number of old picking styles like 2 finger.

Hope that helped, Ed.

[fastrnb]

@satan64209

A lot of libraries will have a set of Foxfire books, although you'd have to pay if you wanted to make templates out of the plans.

Lark in the morning sells a similar mountain banjo kit for ~$150.

As for learning-- if you want to learn old-timey music, your best bet books are Perlman's "Clawhammer Style Banjo" and either of Art Rosenbaum's books of "Mountain Banjo Styles." Truthfully, though, the best helper I've ever had was Youtube, just listening to a lot of old timey music.

[smokindog]

Sounds cool! Is that sawmill tuning?

I had all the Fox Fire books back 70's :-)

Now that I live in the piedmont region I ought to re-purchase them LOL

Very good job on the banjo!!

[rjfpace]

Good times!

[ravensdancing13]

Thank you for sharing that.. I dug out a relic of one that my ex left that he made. It has collected dust for a dozen years as a wall decoration. I replaced 2 missing strings with some dulcimer strings and have had a great time playing around with it. There is just a special charisma to their lovely sound. Enjoyed your playing much also!

[1cenobite]

what is the tuning for that banjo?

[LTmattYT]

THIS VIDEO SMELLS OF LIGHTER FLUID

[ThePatientLeech]

Awesome work on the banjo,and great version of the song too. I met Tim Eriksen last year great guy!

[katiepua]

My friend just made me the most gorgeous mountain banjo out of walnut and sacred heart (a purple wood). So looking forward to playing my heart out all winter. Love this song!

[70Mack]

I cannot explain ow much I would love to be able to learn to play the banjo,fantastic sound.

[thegreatestbak]

do it!!!

[70Mack]

Ive no idea how to even start,nobody I know plays or even owns one.

[thegreatestbak]

its easy. choose your style: bluegrass or clawhammer. Then save up for a cheap one. Then buy a few books and teach yourself! I started on the guitar and my professor also played the banjo and made me want to play. Its easy to learn, not as hard as it looks. Msg me for reccs if you want

[FlatfootJohnny]

Hey ive been learning clawhammer style (although it tends to be me more hamfisted than clawhammer lol) for just over a year almost exclusivley from Youtube...its very addictive. Ive even startde making my own banjos. As thegreatestbak says "just do it".

Sweet banjo there jonmusgrave and great tune.

[Sheamusj]

Thank you from Canada for the wonderful recounting of your hand-making of your fretless Appalachian banjo and for the lovely picking.

[twofromthevault]

hi where did you learn that sugar babe? thanks

[spiddlestix]

is that tuned to a minor ?

[veganstud]

I'm glad nobody had to die for the banjo. cool song and i not only do u play but u made it. And here i just watch banjo videos on utube.

[450RriderDylan]

that was great man you got the talent going on i really enjoyed it

[sparkfishes]

Thanks You gave us a lot of pleasure -You are a very talented person

[yunage]

Very cool. I made some modifications on a regular guitar two months ago (I made it fretless among other things). It's still a far cry from making an instrument from scratch, but seeing the pieces come together after weeks of work and finally being able to play it.. truly wonderful.

[soapistheenemy]

Could i get tabs?

Cool banjo,.

im thinking into making one too.

[johnorford1931]

Very nice work young fellah. It does seem rather high-tech though. Despite the blue notes you can play fretless, they must have originated as home-made instruments, using simple tools and materials. Adding frets would be a bit of a chore and might not be that accurate. Plain pegs and so on.

[greenday45251]

sounds good i made my banjo when i lived in alabama but i moved to adams sqaure and i got it fretted and fixed at the local sam ash NOT SPAM

[mcdanieltony]

You mentioned you were working on a recording in one of your other vids. Do you have any cd's yet? If so, where can I buy one. thanks

[mcdanieltony]

Great craftsmanship and sound.

[Aether91]

Great video! Wonderful song and craftsmanship.

[StareCalmo]

My mum has those books, as well. I think I'll take a look at them, building a banjo by hand seems like a pretty good time-pass. Nice work, your playing and craftsmanship are both impressive.

[FOGBIT44]

Nice job!! I play a (left handed) bluegrass banjo with FRETS!!!! Again good job and sure as heck looks like a lot of work!!

[BryanAJParry]

Fantastic!

[russell56443]

I have that Foxfire book,Great set of books!

Awesome picking and Banjo,you make it look so easy lol!!!!

[taghazoutoo]

this thing we have it in morocco long time check izenzaren best banjo palyer

[treatmentkid137]

to echo twisket: Fucking awesome!

[twisket]

Fucking awesome!

[playgroundslug]

damn thats sweet

[stopglobalswarming]

I like the sound and looks of it a lot. Why do banjos have 1 short string on where guitars would have the lowest note string?

[JonnyGrave]

great question-- the fifth string, also known as the thumb string was designed to accent the "backbeat," or the third beat in a 4/4 rhythm. the banjo is really more of a stringed drum. the rest of the strings are arranged like a guitar or any other western instrument, with the courses descending from bottom to top.

[pfcbeetlebailey2]

OK, the real reason is that the string is such a high pitch that if it was wound as tight as it needed at the head stock, the string would be under tremendous tension and would be much more apt to break.

[rmstudio]

Wow that things sound fantastic! Good job. Love that Claw Hammer playing too!

[Nupharluteum]

Congrats. I like your banjo.

[STP19]

Hi.

Many thanks.

I was so impressed with your playing I bought a similar Banjo from one of your Countrymen; (via e-Bay). I'm very pleased with it.

Once again, Many thanks

STP

p.s. from West Lancashire, United Kingdom

[Enysvar]

Firefox 3!

[VV44NNcc33]

My neighbors gave me a very old banjo like this. Its ancient, and it was set up in a peculiar way. The bridge was way up the neck almost where you could really only play the first five frets ( if it had frets )

[ladder4cman]

MAN! that is awesome.

[riverwindflutes]

How can I get in touch with keith young, I would like to build this banjo also?

[Levesque999]

Cool

[mjtracy]

Excellent. I love seen the true tradition being carried on.

[TomSmithMusic]

Hi,

I also made a banjo from the exact same Foxfire book. Made mine during the blizzard of 1978 in Massachusetts. Was stuck in the house for 10 days, so used the project to escape boredome. You can see mine on my Youtube site. Thanks for posting.

-tom

[Chax13]

Nice!

[baanjoguy]

Thanks I found a tab for it on Dwight Dillers site.

[baanjoguy]

By the way is that GDGCD or GCGCD tuning or other?

[JonnyGrave]

it's fCFCEb

[baanjoguy]

Great idea on using cheapo bongo for the head. That seems to be much easier than the way the mountain folk did it. Good job on the banjo build and the playing is nice too.....Cheers

[shallowcoat]

Hi Jon, Can you give me the ISBN on that Firefox book - oh, and I just want to say your playing is very, nice Simon

[TwangyMcStrum]

Nice banjo, i've built a fretted one. But I just bought the materials to make one similar to yours using an 8" remo tambourine.Does yours break down into 2 pieces very easily? I'm looking to make something that I can carry travel-on on an airplane. Thanks for the info on the foxfire book.

[crazyezra]

great vid! that banjy is pretty cool.

[locustvalleystring]

Jon, thanks. Nice job on the banjo construction..... and the playing. I converted a fretted banjo to fretless. Still learning the fretless feel. Larry

[sparkyfiddle]

Great demo Jon, I'm sure you've enlightened a lot of people. If you haven't already, check out 13STRINGS profile - he's hosting a sort of homemade instrument makers forum and has had loads of responses.