Banjo Heaven: August 2023

Friday, August 18, 2023

Stay Away From Banjo.com

I am so frustrated with Banjo.com. Please do not do business with Barry Waldrep! It took me 20 MONTHS to get my money back from him. I had placed an order for a banjo with them on May 2, 2022. Everything from that point on turned into a nightmare! I will explain the details in this blog, but as an introduction I'd like to warn everyone to avoid this guy. He lied to me, plain and simple.

I firmly told Barry before I ever gave him a penny that I DIDN'T want to wait several months to get a banjo. That was on May 2nd, 2022. Barry lied to me, misleading me to believe I'd receive a banjo in 4 to 6 weeks, or sooner. It took 5 months and no one from Banjo.com ever bothered to contact me to let me know what was going on. Barry blamed Deering, and even encouraged me to call them to verify that the delays were not his fault. Yet, it is his fault because he misled me from the very start, by telling me that it would only be "4 to 6 weeks, or sooner."

The following was written in August of 2023...

This is crazy! It was one year on May 2nd, 2023 that I have been waiting for Banjo.com to ship me the Golden Ere Banjo that I paid $4,899.00 for. Barry Waldrep is the owner of Banjo.com. I humbly DO NOT recommend that anybody order a banjo from them. I have been very kind, patient and understanding with Barry, but he has avoiding giving me a timeframe twice when I asked.

I ordered a Deering Sierra for $2,799.00 from them May 2nd, 2022. Barry's exact words to me in the email was "hopefully it will be four to six weeks for the banjo to arrive." We'll, those 6 weeks passed, and then 2 month, 3 months, 4 months, and nobody bothered to tell me anything from Banjo.com. That is no way to run a business! The banjo finally arrived in late September. It had a bad buzz on the 4th and 5th strings. The intonation sucked royally on strings 2 and 3, especially on the first few frets. It was unplayable.

I have been a musician for 30 years and know how to set up stringed instruments. So I replaced the strings with some thicker ones. I loosened the truss rod a bit to distance the strings further away from the fretboard. I also tried adjusting the bridge position. Nothing worked, not even helping a bit. I hated the cheap feel of the neck on the Sierra. Deering in my humble opinion falsely advertises that the Sierra has the guts of the really expensive banjos that they sell, it just lacks the aesthetics (nice looks). That is false! The Sierra's neck is crap and it feels cheaply made, in my humble opinion. Also, Barry's technicians install the railroad spikes 50% close to the 4th string, which was ridiculously too close.

So I kindly told Barry Waldrep that I didn't want the Sierra. I appreciate that Banjo.com has a 30-day return policy, no questions asked. So I spent $100 of my own money to ship it back to Banjo.com in Wedowee, Alabama. Barry recommended that I upgrade to the Deering Golden Era banjo, which I agreed upon, for $4,899.00. I kindly asked him the time frame for delivery, but he refused to give me a straight answer. I asked him twice, but he wouldn't tell me, and I didn't push him because I am a nice guy and I figured he was worried that I might get upset if he told me it would be another 5 or 6 months (which it was). I left it alone and waited patiently.

Then when I asked Barry (because no one at Banjo.com told me a darn thing) in February 2023 what was going on with the Golden Era, he tells me it should arrive in April. So the banjo comes in and Barry asks me to tell him where to install the railroad spikes. I sent him these two photos to show him exactly where I'd like the railroad spikes installed...

How To Install Banjo 5th String Spikes
(by Banjo Ben Clark)

To my dismay, Barry Waldrep got upset with me and blamed me that the new Golden Era has a bad buzz on the 5th string, because they installed the spikes where I asked them too. That is bullcrap!

First, they do this for a living and should have told me upfront before installing the spikes, in a place that would cause a buzz, if they knew it would. I mean, they've done this thousands of times, right! Banjo.com advertises that they are the largest Deering dealer in the United States. What that really means is that they are out of banjos all the time, and you will need to wait one year or more for a new banjo. I will NEVER order from these people again, and I kindly suggest that you don't either! I am so disgusted.

Second, I sent them photos of where Banjo Ben installs them, where THEY SHOULD be placed. So it is total bullcrap from Barry that I am asking them to do something out of the ordinary or strange. Barry needs to run his business much more professional, or he will lose customers. Banop.com has lost my business!

I have told Barry repeatedly that I don't mind waiting, and I don't. But I do mind him not giving me a straight answer twice, when I kindly asked him when the banjo was anticipated to arrive. If it will be 6 months, I have a right as a customer to know. Barry has my money, paid in full.

I also do mind that he blamed me for their shoddy workmanship. You can look at the preceding photos for yourself. Would placing the spikes in these positions really cause the 5th string to buzz? If so, why does Banjo Ben install the spikes there? I didn't get these screenshots from some bozo on YouTube, I captured those screenshots from Banjo Ben Clark (which is where I should have bought my banjo from in the first place). Damn it! Please do not order a banjo from Banjo.com. I am being your friend. I regret that I ever did business with Banjo.com!

The following was written on March 28, 2024...

Barry finally refunded my $4,899 in January of 2024. He mailed me a Cashier's Check because he said it had been so long since the initial credit card translation, that their system wouldn't recognize the charge. After all was said and done, I got absolutely nothing out of the whole 20-month long ordeal except hundreds of pissed off days, waiting endlessly, being totally ignored by Banjo.com the entire time, and super frustrated. IT'S NOT WORTH IT!

I have read similar complaints online about Banjo.com, that they take forever to send what you ordered. All I know is that if Barry hadn't lied to me in the first place to get my money, none of this would have happened. He can blame Deering all he wants, but he lied to me, period.

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The "Double C Tuning" is so happy and pretty to learn and play. I enjoy this tuning a lot. It has a natural feel to it. Here are some basic chord positions to familiarize yourself with it. Dave Hum loves this tuning and I see why. You simply raise your 2nd string from a B to a C, and lower your 4th string from a D note to a C (hence, "Double C Tuning"). Below is a list of Dave Hum's songs in this wonderful tuning. I encourage you to try it!

“When you practice slow, you learn fast.” —Barry Hunn, Deering Banjo Company

Dave Hum's Banjo Tunings

Standard - gDGBD
Double C - gCGCD
G Modal - gDGCD
G Minor - gDG(Bb)D
Open D - aDF#AD
D Minor - aDFAD
Other D - aDGBD
Reuben's Tuning - f#DF#AD

Dave Hum shines on whatever tuning he plays, but I really enjoy his work on the "Double C tuning" (e.g., Maid Behind The Bar, Gaspe' Reel and Coleman's March.)

Dave says: “I like to set up my three main banjos so I can get a compromise between a dry snapping tight head sound associated with the Bluegrass sound and a mellower warmer tone for the Celtic, old-time and ragtime tunes. I have found that some condensed foam inside the pot helps and a combination of medium strings and a not too tight head with the tailpiece parallel to the head helps me to achieve the tone I like. Each banjo has its own character and tone and I am forever tinkering with them to see what gives - which is half the fun!” (quoted from his website)

My banjo is a Recording King Elite 85 with a maple neck. It has a longer than standard neck, at 27 3/8" verses the standard 26 1/4" neck, which I really like. It is built to exact Prewar Gibson specifications. It has a great tone, but I'd say about 80% of a Gibson. I've learned that much of the tone comes from the player's hands, and not the particular banjo brand that is being played (to an extent). Dave Hum's awesome sound comes from his skilled hands. Dave controls the banjo, masterfully, he doesn't allow the banjo to control him.

I did try the things which Dave mentioned above, like loosening my banjo head, putting a block of foam inside my banjo, setting my tailpiece parallel to the head, and putting on some heavier gauge strings (12,12,16,24,12). The result, after 3 months of playing it that way is that I very much like the foam inside, because without it I get overtones that throw off my ears while playing. The foam trick is brilliant, I think.

I prefer my head tight, so I went back up to between an F# and a G# (when you tap on the head you'll get a pitch to tune the rightness by). On my Recording King, it seems that F# is as high as I can safely get without risking over tightening the head. I kept the tailpiece parallel. My string action is as close as I can get without an annoying buzz. I actually have a very slight buzz (at times), that I don't mind, having the strings nice and close to the neck.

I am learning to pick the strings more firmly, like Dave Hum does, which makes a BIG difference in my tone overall while playing! It is important not to try to play just like Dave Hum; but rather, learn TECHNIQUES from him, and apply those skills to your own playing, and you will become more like Dave that way, than merely trying to copy him.

One thing that I have notice is that Dave KNOWS the songs he is trying to play. It is easy to wing through a song without really buckling down and getting into the nitty-gritty of the tablature, which is a mistake. Learn slow, and then work up your speed playing accurately. YouTube is an awesome tool, which allows you to slow down the speed of any video, so you can see what is going on. For many of Dave's songs, like Mason's Apron, I am still playing it at 3/4 speed, because I cannot keep up with him...lol. That is perfectly okay. Music is not a competition, which Dave Him himself once said. Enjoy!

Dave Hum's Banjos

Dave Hum's main banjo is a Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs's Standard) banjo, a reissue of the original Gibson classic.

Gibson ESS (Earl Scruggs Standard) 1992

SET UP:

Head - Remo
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D (strings 2 and 3) and Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 12,12,16,24,12
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Nashville, USA
All other parts standard Gibson.

Baldwin Ode Model D '70's

SET UP:

Head - Renaissance
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D/Scruggs
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Moon Lightweight 1/2
Origin - Arkansas, USA
All other parts standard Ode.

Epiphone MB250 '90's

SET UP:

Head - Five Star
Tailpiece - Fults 1934
Tuners - Keith D
Strings - D'Addario
Gauges - 10,12,16,24,10
Bridge - Snuffy Smith 5/8
Origin - Made in China
All other parts standard Epiphone.

Dave uses a Compact 60 AER rechargeable acoustic amplifier, which runs roughly $1,000. The amp plugs into the wall to recharge (no replaceable battery). I just run my MP3 player through my JBL Xtreme speaker using Bluetooth, and don't mic the banjo. There's really no right or wrong equipment set up, whatever is available and works is fine with me.

Dave mics his banjo using a Shure Beta 98D mic with A98D bracket clamp. What NOT to buy...

NOTE: I bought a “Feather” Goose pickup for $199 and hate it. It whines continually from feedback, and has wires all over, ripping off when I forget they're attached by clip to my waist. The item comes with umpteen parts that you have to assemble, and it is not easy. Please don't waste your money on it!

Music truly does make the world a better place.

Banjo Has A Steep Learning Curve

Like pedal steel guitar (my favorite instrument), the banjo has a steep learning curve. That simply means the hardest part is getting started. If you can stick with it long enough to learn a couple dozen songs fluently, you'll be off to a fantastic start. I learned 5-string banjo fairly quickly, finding out that there are common picking patterns that once learned, overlap into nearly every other song. I encourage you to learn Blackberry Blossom right away, which will teach you melodic runs.

At first my picking fingers stumbled, because my brain wasn't familiar with the tabs. Friend, if you can play even one thing fast, you can play anything fast once you learn it. Also, I learned 30 years ago while learning to play pedal steel guitar, that my brain processed what I learned at night while I am sleeping. You read right! So when you are plowing away, and it seems hopeless like you'll never get it, during the night your brain will process what you've learned. It's similar to workout out in a gym. You don't build muscles at the gym. You lift heavy weights at the gym. But then during the night is when your body builds new muscle.

I also recommend learning the song, Sailor's Hornpipe, which is another great song to learn your melodic runs. After a month I was playing subconsciously, which is called "muscle memory." I didn't stumble anymore when playing melodic runs, because my fingers already knew what to do. Trust me, if you practice for at least a solid hour every day, you'll quickly advance on the banjo, but you must apply yourself to learn the tabs.

What I am about to say is IMPORTANT. Start out going very slow, to accurately pick every note in the tabs. Your speed will increase in time, as you become familiar with the song, and don't have to think what comes next. Dave Hum is a master of chords, progressions and single note scale runs. What makes Dave Hum so different than all the other banjo artists is that he simply follows the chords and does his own thing musically.

I love Dave Hum and could relate to him the first time I heard him play the banjo. The song was "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett." I cried when he started playing those triplets in the second half of the song. I had never heard anything so pretty. It took me awhile to figure out how he is doing those triplets, but it is super easy once you get it. I slowed it down using MixCraft software so I could hear exactly what he's doing. It reminds me of being on a river boat on the Mississippi River.

Friend, when you're as good as you want to be, you're as good as you're going to get! Hawaiian steel guitar legend, Jerry Byrd (1920-2005), taught me that. Anyone can play the banjo if they are willing to work at it. Talent is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration! Intellect also plays a big part, which I learned about the pedal steel guitar from my musical hero, Lloyd Green.

The best way to learn the banjo, once you have the tabs in front of you, is to study Dave Hum's YouTube videos. I downloaded all of them and converted them into mp3 files for my own use. Play along with his songs. I so much wish Dave's backing tracks were available. His backing tracks are superior to anything available on the internet that I have found. Those wonderful driving tracks are a wonderful canvas for Dave's awesome banjo artistry. I wish Dave was still with us. He sadly died of cancer at age 46 in 2012. It is quite amazing to me that he had the physical and mental strength to record so many of his greatest banjo videos—with cancer, an eye removed and part of his picking fingers amputated. I thank God for Dave Hum and his cheerful music!

I wrote these words to encourage you dear banjo enthusiast. I used to think I would sound like Dave Hum if I bought a 1995 ESS Banjo like he used. Not so! Dave had an aggressive picking style, taking charge of the banjo, and used amazing advanced techniques. TECHNIQUE is the key word (how he majestically manipulated the strings to get the sounds he wanted). You need to watch his subtleties while he's playing. If your playing doesn't sound like him, then you're not doing something the way he's doing it, and that is technique!

One thing that Dave does is he applies quite a bit of picking pressure on the strings, driving the banjo. That is why he needs to wear metal thumb picks and use Velcro to keep the picks from flying off his fingers!

Make Your Own Backing Tracks

I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of backing tracks available online, AND MOST ARE WOEFULLY LACKING ANY REAL INSPIRATION. Some tracks I've found are superb (like Jay Buckey), but there's just something about the simplicity of Dave Hum's tracks, with just a bass guitar!

If the backing track doesn't move the player, you're not going to “feel” the music! Dave's tracks are profoundly simple and have a happy energy to them, reflective of Dave himself. In my humble opinion, Band-In-A-Box is lame compared to Dave's tracks. If anyone has ever tried to make your own rhythm tracks, then you know how difficult and time consuming it is, so I wanted to share some helpful ideas.

Songs are generally composed of 16 to 32 bars. The first thing you need to do is find a song's chords. I found a helpful website which provides the chords to hundreds of oldtime songs, many of which Dave plays on YouTube. For example: Here are the chords for a jig titled, “Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife.” Here is Dave Hum playing the song (awesome). And here are some backing tracts that I made, which you are freely welcome to use and share. By the way, I NEVER sell anything or receive donations. IT'S ALL FREE (as it should be in my humble opinion). All my music is free, and you are encouraged to freely share my backing tracks with others! I am still learning how to make tracks, so I am progressing slowly.

If you'd like to work at making your own backing tracks, as I am doing, you'll need a bass guitar. If you can play guitar, you can definitely play bass, which is simply the four lowest strings on a guitar! Dave Hum's backing tracks are simple, usually just a bass and perhaps a tambourine for simple percussion. Many of Dave’s songs use only a bass guitar.

Buy A Shubb F5 Capo

I really like my Shubb F5 Capo, which stays on the banjo. I had purchase a cheaper Paige banjo capo for about $40, trying to save money, but I hate the thing because it falls off the banjo neck every time I loosen the tension knob. If you're going to spend $40, you might as well splurge and spend the $75. I assure you that you won't be disappointed.

When playing in the key of G, I just loosen the tension nut and slide the capo up over the nut, which works fine. Plus I like the shiny look of the Shubb F5 capo. It is small and easy to use.

I also like that the capo firmly presses the strings down, eliminating any string buzz. I had also purchased some of the cheaper clamp-on type capos for $20 and under, which are okay if that's all you can afford, but you have to play with them oftentimes to get the strings to stop buzzing.

I really like the Shubb F5 Capo!

Banjo Heaven

Friday, August 18, 2023

Stay Away From Banjo.com

5 String Banjo Instruction [1967] - Earl Scruggs

Wikipedia

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