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In a blog essay posted on the Web site of The American Scholar before Mr. Mitchell's death, Mr. Zinsser said Mr. Mitchell's approach to broken-down pianos (which musicians sometimes encounter on tour) illustrated his approach to life. "I learned long ago that it does no good to complain," Mr. Zinsser recalled Mr. Mitchell telling him. Instead, listen to the keys and put their flatness or sharpness to use. "You say, 'What does it do?' " said Mr. Mitchell, sounding an imaginary clinker on a piano. " 'Will it do anything? Let's check it out' - NY Times obit, reference to http://theamericanscholar.org/what-does-it-do/#.Uj3ivWR4ZEu

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Author Topic: 6 String Banjos  (Read 15733 times)

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Offline uncle bud

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2007, 05:23:21 PM »
Oh, sure. Just drive that price up.  :P

While I want a guitjo, I'm actually saving for a Fraulini...

eBay has certainly driven the price of old forgotten instruments into the stratosphere in many cases. If I end up scratching my six-string banjo itch at some point, it may well be with a current builder like JohnM mentions. I haven't heard it in quite some time (John, bring it to Port Townsend again!) but I remember the instrument he speaks of having a wonderful sound. The player helped somewhat as well, as I recall.  :P
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Offline Rivers

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2007, 05:42:03 PM »
Sorry, I'm an eBay virgin. And intend to die that way.
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Offline Rivers

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #17 on: December 08, 2007, 08:47:29 AM »
I watched the last few minutes of the GB-4 auction, it went for $2,839 which I reckon is a pretty good price for the buyer. Price was creeping up, the winner bid only once, in the very last few seconds. Quite exciting.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2007, 08:49:39 AM by Rivers »
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Offline Flatd7

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #18 on: December 08, 2007, 10:50:35 AM »
Here goes another one, although with a nasty heel crack. That can be a bad repair, especially if it's been glued wrong or has some other botched repair. Should go for quite a bit less.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Vintage-Gibson-1923-24-GB-4-6-string-Guitar-Banjo_W0QQitemZ190179973917QQihZ009QQcategoryZ119025QQcmdZViewItem
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Offline waxwing

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #19 on: December 08, 2007, 11:01:33 AM »
Just sent seller a message asking for pics of the entire instrument, front side and back. Sheesh?!?

All for now.
John C.
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"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

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Offline Rivers

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #20 on: December 08, 2007, 11:32:53 AM »
The second one does have the trap door which is desirable. Looks a bit chewed up though!
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Offline Flatd7

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #21 on: December 08, 2007, 06:28:26 PM »
The trapdoors are nifty, but from my experience one thing you don't need with these puppys are . . . volume. My Vega has a beautiful bridseye maple resonator that I often remove. The Gibson's have a higher action off of the head, which makes fingerstyle a but easier. Many of the Vega's are so close to the banjo head it's nearly impossible to not get finger noise from the head.
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Offline Flatd7

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #22 on: December 11, 2007, 04:56:23 AM »
Hmmmmm? I emailed this guy about the case and crack and got the "oh, I'm sorry I'm traveling line". Strange how sooo many ebay sellers travel when they're selling items. Will be interesting to see where this goes. Some sad shoppers who missed out on the last one could get nuts and overpay. The dowel stick attaches at the heel and a bad crack can suck. Or it could just be a steam, glue and clamp. Hard to tell from the pics.

2 Hours. Very curious.
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Offline waxwing

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #23 on: December 11, 2007, 07:49:37 AM »
Yeah, I got the same "I'm traveling" response.

All for now.
John C.
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"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

http://www.youtube.com/user/WaxwingJohn
CD on YT

Offline waxwing

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #24 on: December 11, 2007, 08:10:04 AM »
Hmm. $2,175. Not as much as the other by more than the likely repairs, so pretty reasonable.

What do the old Vegas go for? Hopefully more in my range.-G-

Interesting bid history. The high bidder bid throughout the bidding, constantly pushing it up, getting outbid and bidding higher, then even made an unnecessary bid in the last minute. The second bidder only bid once in the final moment seeming to indicate he knew what he wanted to bid and saw no reason to play his hand before the showdown, thereby not allowing emotional bidders to take multiple bids against him. Hard to say if the price would have been lower if the high bidder had refrained 'til the end as well, I guess. Still, it's interesting to see how many folks treat ebay like a normal auction that would go until the bidding stops, as opposed to the sealed bid type of auction that is more similar to the showdowns that occur on ebay. Live and learn, eh?

All for now.
John C.
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"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

http://www.youtube.com/user/WaxwingJohn
CD on YT

Offline Flatd7

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #25 on: December 11, 2007, 01:34:07 PM »
$2.2k for a GB-4 with an original case isn't bad. If it is what it says, could be a nice investment. However, I picked up what looked like a nice Vega Banjolin last year with a heel crack that was really unrepairable. It's in pieces on a shelf. I got stuck with it but could probably sell the parts (Tuners, rims, dowel stick? and make back my money. But they're pretty cheap.

A good Vega Git-Jo could cost you the same 2-3K depending on the features, condidtion and seller. A white Laydie is cheaper than a Tubaphone. Resonators and cases drive up the price.

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Offline Mr.OMuck

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #26 on: December 13, 2007, 09:34:53 PM »
I have a Stambac. Made in Geneva Switzerland. All Mahogany with resonator and a ten inch sheepskin head. Not bad, gets me through the requisite Gary Davis pieces. The question is WHY were they making guitar-banjos in Geneva?
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My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music.
Vladimir Nabokov (1899 - 1977)

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Offline uncle bud

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #27 on: December 13, 2007, 09:52:16 PM »
Quote from: Mr.OMuck on December 13, 2007, 09:34:53 PM
I have a Stambac. Made in Geneva Switzerland.....

The question is WHY were they making guitar-banjos in Geneva?

So they could combine banjo playing with yodelling?

(BTW, welcome, Mr. O'Muck!)
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Offline Mr.OMuck

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #28 on: December 14, 2007, 07:57:33 AM »
Quote from: andrew on December 13, 2007, 09:52:16 PM
Quote from: Mr.OMuck on December 13, 2007, 09:34:53 PM
I have a Stambac. Made in Geneva Switzerland.....

The question is WHY were they making guitar-banjos in Geneva?

So they could combine banjo playing with yodelling?

(BTW, welcome, Mr. O'Muck!)

That's the first plausible explanation I've heard! And thanks for the welcome.
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My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music.
Vladimir Nabokov (1899 - 1977)

http://www.youtube.com/user/MuckOVision

Offline bloozinay

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Re: 6 String Banjos
« Reply #29 on: December 26, 2007, 03:16:52 PM »
I have a Framus  6-string banjo that I bought on ebay about 4 yrs. back. I use super light strings on it and it's got a real ker-plunky sound...nice for ragtime stuff. What I really like about it is that it's got a short scale. Framus probably took their tenor banjo neck and put a 6-string head stock on it. It's roughly a 3/4 scale.
I had a brain fart last year and started to put some medium strings on the beast...blew the string tree right off the head stock. I was able to fix it with a trip to the local hardware store. I see them selling on ebay for $300-400. I got kind of screwed on mine..it needed to be refretted, which I had done, but all in all, I like it!
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