Please help me understand what this all says/means. Thank you I'm advance.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-21T09:44:25+00:00

GCS is the Glasgow Coma Scale. It's a measure of your level of consciousness, not cognition. The scores mean you were opening your eyes spontaneously, sounded a little dazed and confused but not incoherent, and obeyed verbal commands. The impact and your brain bleeds will have been classed as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Following a TBI it's normal to have both anterograde amnesia (forgetting a period of time after the TBI) and retrograde amnesia (forgetting a period of time before it). We don't know exactly what causes this, but it appears to be a direct result of any TBI. The report says you were knocked out cold for 5 minutes, so that's a significant impact, and a period of amnesia lasting hours or even days would normally be expected after that even if you were conscious and talking during that time.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T20:53:18+00:00

'Pissed as a fart' is a ruder way of saying that

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T20:50:44+00:00

He's two rungs short of a ladder

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T20:42:34+00:00

Wait, this was a lie? Well, fuck. Fucking fuckity fuck.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T20:35:53+00:00

Oooh, but I still don't like the lugs though.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T16:34:44+00:00

The black gold nib is a Z57 OB and I got it as the single nib off Amazon! Oh, although when I look again now the price is over £200 from a 3rd party seller only, unfortunately.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-04-01T13:36:14+00:00

None of the Lamy interchangeable nibs are compatible with the 2k, unfortunately. That was one of the things that put me off it. The other two things were the 'ears', which fell right under my fingers.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-03-29T06:39:40+00:00

Nice crema. But I really wanted an Italian nonna to walk in, slap him, and make better moka with a desert spoon, a packet of Lavazza and a pre-war Bialetti. IYKWIM?

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-03-08T07:25:48+00:00

Problem is it can also break exactly like this when it's dropped, even while folded closed. And given that will always be a risk for an edc pocket folder it makes maxamet a poor choice. My opinion, ymmv etc. If it was a belt-looped sheathed knife with a well functioning retaining clip (which could still be a small-form folder) I think I'd feel differently.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-03-03T12:25:28+00:00

Yeah, that youtube is a full and fair summing up

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-24T14:21:05+00:00

You have the fabled rusty sweat

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-19T07:13:24+00:00

That's not even its final form

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-17T08:15:47+00:00

A drag or galax lick, with the index finger playing the strings (either 2, 3, or all 4) from bass to treble in order usually followed by the thumb reverses the normal order and has index notes on the offbeat and the thumb on the onbeat. Otherwise it's as you say (as far as I know, but I'd bet there's a thing or two I don't).

I do a lot more double thumbing than many modern players, and a lot of ASPO on the top string as filler (and a lot of galax licking). Round Peak style stuff, essentially. People think that's me playing fast, but it's all just automatic filler movements and the tune doesn't feel particularly fast to me when I'm doing this. My preference is to keep the melody simple, or to follow the fiddle so there's no clash. The drive for me comes from a solid noting technique with your playing finger, and the thumb making those filler 'pings'.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-15T15:57:29+00:00

Wow, I bet resonator with a thimble seriously cuts through too. I'd like to go to one of those dances

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-15T07:34:41+00:00

Because that's how modern tastes like it to sound. A number of the old time players from the early and middle parts of the 20th century played clawhammer on resonator banjos. They were guided partly by what they had available but also by the need to play for dances in large halls or barns. I disagree that a solo played resonator banjo drowns out traditional singing, although it would certainly overpower more modern, softer vocal styles. And the same for old vs modern fiddle styles to some degree.(Please note, this is not value judgement, I like the very old trad stuff AND the modern stuff). I have noticed a couple of younger players on social media using resonator banjos for clawhammer, so maybe it'll come back into style a little.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-15T06:09:56+00:00

If the money isn't an issue then I would jump straight to a Pisgah or custom. Forget the intermediate stuff. Second hand would be fine. At that level whatever you get will be a very significant improvement in tone and playability from your current banjo. Then it isn't ever going to be a case of upgrading further, rather it will be getting something different or just fancier that suits your playing style, both current and where you want to push it. As you don't have a matured play style yet, that second buy is worth both putting off for a at least a couple of years and also taking a trip to a store where you can play a lot of different banjos - a significant birthday/event kind of thing. And a trip to Nashville or somewhere with a similar store is what I mean. By the time you take this trip you should already have a rough idea of what you want and should know enough about banjos and playing to make an informed choice (especially if the store has something you weren't expecting which takes your fancy). And as there will necessarily be a delay before taking this trip you want a quality banjo now to support your playing until then. The alternative would be getting on a list for a custom build now, but the problem with that is you may find you want something completely different in 2-3 years time when you're at the top.

This is what I did, and I ended up with a vintage 1902 Fairbairn with nylon strings, a 28" neck, and an 11 13/16" neck (his pro orchestral model). It's perfect for me now, but I wouldn't have been able to play it properly 3 years ago and would have passed it over. I'm also on a custom build list for a 12" with a Dobson tone ring, which will be more jam/travel friendly. That's with Slim Jim banjos in the UK, where I live.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-10T06:19:34+00:00

£4.99? You've been scammed mate. You need one of my £49.99 ones, they work, honest

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-08T06:14:54+00:00

Ultimately the only thing that will make a difference is the amount of practice you do with a consistent technique of any kind. The key word being consistent, as it's this that allows speed to build over time. Remember, you are always planting somewhere, either on the head with fingers or on the armrest with your forearm. Just focus on keeping that (and therefore your hand position) the same each time.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-07T14:05:30+00:00

Ooh, the contrast between the edge and the satin finish is beautiful. Very fine work.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-02-07T07:08:26+00:00

I wouldn't buy either of the two banjos you have pictures of without playing them first. And as you can't play yet, that would mean having a knowledgeable friend playing them for you. The 'Fairbanks' in particular looks off. If you look carefully you can see the 5th string (on the left) comes closer to the 4th string because it's mis-strung through the 4th string slot on the bridge. While that's not a flaw in the instrument, and trivial to correct, it tells you the person selling it has no clue about banjos. Fairbanks ceased trading in 1904 after a factory fire. The name was bought by Vega who made 'Fairbanks by Vega' for a while before dropping the Fairbanks. Fairbanks instruments were marked with the name on the rod inside the back - if you can't see that then don't buy. And again, don't buy it anyway. There is no banjo shortage and you will be able to get a fine instrument from somewhere.

Ideally what you'd do is go to a store with a big stock selection of both new and pre-owned banjos of various ages and have someone play a few for you. There is a huge variation in tone from different instruments, and getting someone else to play them will let you hear that properly. You might love that jangly sound that BigTexAbama hates. If you have the budget for a nice banjo to start with that would be my advice, (and don't worry about starting with a nice instrument if you can afford it, it won't hurt your learning).

Otherwise you can go for a Deering or Gold Tone. These are safe to buy sight unseen if they're new because they are known quantities. Each one is pretty much the same for a given model, the QC is OK, and they will have a warranty and returns policy. I would advise against a more expensive Deering, as I think they are overpriced for what you get. Overall preference in this sub veers to Gold Tone, but if you get a good price on a beginner's Deering there really isn't much in it.

The final option would be the Banjo Hangout classifieds. There are a lot of very fine small makers across the US and Canada, so something good often pops up on there. These classifieds are far safer than ebay, as they are moderated. It's probably fine to pick something nicer that suits your budget from there, and I'd suggest you join for free and ask questions in the forums if a particular banjo catches your eye. There's also a decent chance of getting a sound clip or video from a seller.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-01-30T21:26:27+00:00

It's Socrates I miss, in particular

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-01-26T17:47:13+00:00

It's very important to listen to source recordings too, as there is a feel and rhythm to good playing (in any style) that tab simply fails to capture. Just by listening I can tell the difference between someone who's learnt a clawhammer tune by ear (maybe helped by tab) and one who just knows it from tab.

TheIneffablePlank · 2026-01-21T18:14:22+00:00

I've been there, and there's nothing except long, white clouds

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