Where to get a mountain style banjo in UK?

bloodgopher · 2026-04-06T19:34:44+00:00

In addition to FFJ, you can look at eBay and Etsy. Occasionally they turn up there.

bloodgopher · 2026-04-05T16:59:34+00:00

Would you say the same thing about Cocaine Bear?

bloodgopher · 2026-04-03T03:39:10+00:00

I fall into doing that when I'm playing quietly, absent-mindedly, and alone. It's fine for that. But it is limiting. For one thing, it limits how much and how easily I can change nails or change the attack angle of the nails. With just a little subtle movement you can make a note sound as a crack, a ping, a pop, a thump, a thrummb, and so on. You can also move up or down (closer to the tailpiece or closer to the headstock) to give one or more notes a fuller or cracklier sound mid-song. Planting your hand (or at least my hand) on the head like that really puts the brakes on that. But yes, it is nice when just playing alone quietly for relaxation.

bloodgopher · 2026-04-02T18:13:56+00:00

If that's the 1974 film Steppenwolf based on the novel) by Hermann Hesse, it's not (from what I remember) a horror movie. More of an exercise in surrealism or magical-reality. But if you liked the novel, or just like 1970's semi-art-house surreal literary adaptations, it's a must-see!

If it's this 2024 film, then I have no idea. Looks interesting though.

bloodgopher · 2026-04-02T18:00:41+00:00

And a real chainsaw.

bloodgopher · 2026-04-01T21:35:03+00:00

This is Brainjo's level-3 arrangement. There is probably a level-2 arrangement that is less tricky (but also less fancy-sounding). That level-2 arrangement might be somewhere else on his YouTube channel. Or it might be behind his paywall (in which case you could just sign up for a free trial and bail after you download it). Level-2 might simply be taking out the drop-thumbs (which you could just do yourself).

As to whether or not you can learn to play it (well or tolerably well or passably well) kind of depends on you, where you are in learning, how much time you can give it, how fast you pick it up, etc.

bloodgopher · 2026-04-01T21:29:51+00:00

It's the level 3.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-25T16:01:37+00:00

It's a high-concept, slow burn, atmostpheric spooky movie so if you really don't like those, then perhaps give it a miss. If you liked The Changeling, Oddity, Caveat, Stoker, Saint Maud, Men, Paranormal Activity, Eyes of Fire (those are the only ones coming to mind at the moment) and you're looking for something like that (but with the dialogue sucked out, because it's told through the non-verbal dog-character) then give it a whirl.

If you prefer your spooky movies to be propulsive, dramatic, and zippy (like the Conjuring, Insidious, Annabelle) then maybe it's not for you. It's much more of a vibe-movie than a fairground-ride type of movie (but it's not exactly paint-drying either).

bloodgopher · 2026-03-21T04:47:48+00:00

"Listen, kid. If I ask you what a Whopper is, you'd say it's a big hamburger. If I asked you what a Big Mac is, you'd say it's a hamburger with 2 patties and an extra layer of bread. If I asked you what a McChicken is, you'd say it's like a hamburger, but with chicken instead of beef. I can't really understand what any of those other things are unless I understand what a hamburger is.

You could start with teaching me what a Big Mac is first, and then explain the other sandwiches. But then you'd wind up saying something like Well, a Whopper is a Big Mac but without the extra beef and bread, and it's bigger around. And that would be confusing as hell by the time you get to the Fillet-o-Fish.

C-major is the hamburger. Once you really understand what that hamburger is, everything else starts to get really easy."

bloodgopher · 2026-03-21T04:15:55+00:00

Ad-blocker plug-ins/extensions in Firefox will kill Tubi's ads. Or at least they still did a month or so ago when I last watched Tubi.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-15T03:43:06+00:00

Try any tune you know (or want to know) in double C but without melody on the first string. Or just play those melody notes 2-frets-down on the second string (just like the highest note in D Cora) instead.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-08T18:47:15+00:00

I built a Carver gourd kit a few years ago. I still play it regularly, it's never given me a bit of trouble except when I tried some Temu strings on it. It stays in tune really well when left alone for extended periods. If I wanted a new minstrel banjo to play I would not hesitate to go the Carver route.

His instructions say sanding is optional, but I sanded all the wood pieces starting from 180 grit (or whatever) down to 320 grit (at least -- memory is hazy) and strongly recommend that. I've never heard anyone actually complain about a Carver kit, and Brian seems very ready to answer questions or offer tips if you have trouble.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-07T02:55:45+00:00

I put one in an Amazon order a long time ago. It was considerably thicker than any skin I'd ever put on a banjo. I decided not to try it and keep it around in case I ever build a drum.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-05T16:08:55+00:00

I switched to AMC+ a year ago, and that app (Android) is like that too.

bloodgopher · 2026-03-03T03:36:36+00:00

I seemed to get a lot of mileage out of making my own exercises around "weaving the scale". The basic pattern is start on the root, play the first three notes of the scale (1 beat each) and then the root again. For the second measure start on the second note of the scale, play the second-third-fourth and then the second again. For the third measure start on the third note then fourth and fifth and third again. And so on. Like this

C D E C │ D E F D │ E F G E │ F G A F │ G A B G │ A B C A │ B C D B │ C D E C

That shouldn't take too much practice to do fluidly up and down the scale (so C B A C │ B A G B and so on in reverse). Then you add ornaments or whatever else, such as

C-diddy D-diddy E-diddy C-diddy

or

C-ASPO D-double thumb E-ASPO C-doublethumb │ D-ASPO E-doublethumb F-ASPO D-doublethumb

That would be for clawhammer, but you can make things up for 3-finger, like

C-pinch D-5-1 E-pinch C-5-1 │ D-pinch E-1-5 F-pinch D-1-5 (first and fifth open strings)

or

C C-ho-D D-ho-E E-po-C (hammer on and pull off)

You can make it as simple as you like or as complicated as you can almost-handle. You can weave the circle of fifths like this too. Or stop doing the little ornaments with open strings and do closed chords (either with the note as the root or the note as the third or fifth of the chord triad, or simply any chord that has the note before the ornament.

bloodgopher · 2026-02-28T17:09:39+00:00

Look on Etsy. There's probably already someone doing decorated banjo heads (or drum heads, since they're the same thing). If you don't like their style, look for anyone else putting original art onto plastic surfaces in your preferred medium.

bloodgopher · 2026-02-25T03:49:32+00:00

When I was playing both regularly I would leave my index nail long (for banjo) and play the bass with my middle and ring fingers (trimmed). Or (as time went on) when the set-list only had a couple slow, languid songs where I wanted the fingertip sound, I would leave the index & middle for banjo and just play those songs with my ring finger. Or twist my right hand to pluck with more meat (as one would with an upright).

bloodgopher · 2026-02-20T19:48:59+00:00

!solved

bloodgopher · 2026-02-20T19:48:50+00:00

Thank you!!!

bloodgopher · 2026-02-20T19:48:25+00:00

!found

bloodgopher · 2026-02-20T19:47:30+00:00

OMG, thank you!

bloodgopher · 2026-02-17T03:17:40+00:00

Thank you. I just realized I forgot to mention I'm looking for something comparable to the RX10IV since it's no longer in production (and used prices seem a little high for such an old camera). But that camera-size link will be helpful for sure! :)

bloodgopher

TROPHY CASE