Dean Backwoods Six-String Banjo (eBay sale)

[cannissolis]

I found a 6 string banjo (not a banjitar as the above is) here: ww w . yout ube . com / watch ? v= I - W VG - V r 0I w&feature = channel (remove all spaces)

[cannissolis]

There are basically 3 instruments that are generally thought of as being a Banjo. these are the 5 (usually) string, the plectrum & the tenor Banjo, these can all trace their lineage back to the African instruments such as the Akonting and Banza (various spellings) they do not owe their existence to other types of instruments, however many hybrid instruments have been created that are a cross between Banjo &: Ukulele, Mandolin, and in this case Guitar it is normal to refer to the two instruments.

[cannissolis]

why do people insist on calling these banjos? it is a guitar in stringing and playing it merely has a banjo sound board. if you can play a guitar you can play this. It is like saying that a mandolin banjo is a banjo or a ukulele banjo is a banjo. Does this mean that an f hole jazz gutar is a chello?

[groovydjs]

@cannissolis Wow, you're brilliant. And that would be spelled cello. These actually have been around since the 1800's and go by many different names. 6 string banjo is one of them. There are 4-5-6-7-8-12 string bass guitars. 5-6-7-8-10-12 guitars. 4-5-6 string banjos. Some companies refer to the 6 string banjo as the banjitar. But, yes these are banjos.

[cannissolis]

@groovydjs Thankyou for pointing out my silly spelling error. No its not a banjo its a guitar sorry! The soundboard does not define the instrument, otherwise a ukulele-banjo would be a banjo, a mandolin-banjo would be a banjo (also see previous comment re. f hole arch top guitars) otherwise everything with a wooden soundboard would be... well lets see now um.. a piano, a violin, a zither, a dulcimer, a harp a ukulele, a lute oh, no, wait, its not the soundboard that defines it is it?

[groovydjs]

@cannissolis I was correct, you are so amazingly uninformed. I hope you have better luck in life with things other than you instrument knowledge. lol

[cannissolis]

@groovydjs You will perhaps agree that it is possible to get such a thing as an electric banjo, yes? so if you took the strings scale length and tuning from the above instrument and fitted them to a wood body with pick up, it would be an electric banjo, er, just like all the rock bands play. Doh! I'll take my ability to reason over your brand of "informed" any day thanks

[groovydjs]

@cannissolis You can take whatever it is that you think you have and keep it to yourself and cruise along little man. I have no further use to be bothered by you. Goodbye.

[cannissolis]

@groovydjs Ah, yes, resort to insults when nothing is left? I was never bothered by you! goodbye.

[groovydjs]

@cannissolis Um, ok, bye.

[cannissolis]

@groovydjs bye bye

[cannissolis]

@groovydjs there are banjos with 6 and 7 strings but they have the shorter thumb string and re-entrant tuning (thanks for the string counting lesson by the way after repairing instruments for thirty years I feel so much more informed now having never seen any variations before ;-)

[metalmilitiacdr]

i want to get one of these. not sure when i will though, there are someother things i want to get before it. i was wondering if this just takes guitar strings or they have packs of six banjo strings

[northwestmike]

@metalmilitiacdr I found it played best with heavy electric guitar strings. However, I also think a classic banjo is a better instrument. I sold this banjo and want to get a five string down the road. Because of the tuning of a five string, you just can't quite get the same unique sound out of a six string.

[radialspokes]

Dean makes beautiful instruments that play and have great value. When owning one, be sure to take of the "Made in China" sticker behind the headstock, so you can brag to your friends it's made in the good ol' USA :-) It's really a great instrument for the price.