Contrabass Digest

2001-08-11

From: Heliconman
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 21:47:38 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] Contrabanjos

In a message dated 8/10/01 5:13:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time, gdgreen writes:

<< Craig said:
 >B0, eh? Please tell me the scale is at least 34". I saw an episode
 >of "New Yankee Workshop" where a guy was making fretless
 >5-string banjo's. Alas, not bass, but they have a nice sound.
 
 Yes, exactly 34"...  A little research turned up a whole web page
 about the axe (aka "banjozilla"), at Johnson's Extremely Strange
 Instruments - see http://www.xstrange.com/bassbanjo.htm
 He says that future instruments (if anyone is interested) would be
 more like string basses: 4 string, fretless, 40-42" scale, for around
 $1,200.  Anyone interested?
 
 Enjoy!
 
 Grant  >>

The banjos at this website look like they would be the bass banjos as
compared to what would probably be called the contrabass banjo that Scott
Robinson of New York City (also a CB sax player among MANY other things!!)
bought at a recent flea market in western Massachusetts. This CB banjo had
regulation drum heads from I think either bass drum or timpani (about 30")
with what looked like a grafted string bass neck. Nice tone from the few
notes I was able to pluck before the seller told me it was taken! I'll have
to drop Scott an email to see how his CB banjo chops are progressing. Maybe
we can get a picture or two!
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 21:21:36 -0500
From: Jim Quist
Subject: Re[2]: [CB] Contrabanjos

> I'll have to drop Scott an email to see how his CB banjo chops are
> progressing. Maybe we can get a picture or two!

I'd be interested in seeing that banjo and hearing Scott play!

Jim

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