Classic Banjo

For enthusiasts of classic fingerstyle banjo.

Rob MacKillop

Rob MacKillop's Blog (42)

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43. Nylon and Plastic versus Gut and Calfskin

I sent my Parslow off to get a new skin and a couple of tweaks here and there, and it came back to me yesterday. I initially requested a high-quality calfskin, but the repair man suggested I get a fiberskyn for greater volume. As this was to be my ensemble instrument, increased volume seemed like a good idea. The neck angle was also adjusted, and a higher bridge installed, giving a sharp break-angle between tailpiece and bridge, but with a low overall action.

Yes, it is a LOUD

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Added by Rob MacKillop on May 5, 2010 at 2:39am — 6 Comments

42. The Rob MacKillop Range of Gut Strings!

I've been working with Clifford Essex Music to develop gut strings that don't fray, tune up to pitch quickly, are long-lasting, and are available in two tunings - for C and A. The string they came up with does all these things, and I'm really pleased with it. I was amazed, though, when they decided to call it the Rob MacKillop Range, and roll it out for ukulele and classical guitar as well. Here is my 'corporate statement':

"I have used gut strings on lutes, guitars, banjos, an

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Added by Rob MacKillop on March 15, 2010 at 2:30am — No Comments

41. One Year On

I joined this group on March 4th, last year, at the invitation of Carl. Within a week I had tracked down my first classic banjo. I can say categorically that I would not be playing the CB were it not for Carl, this site, and the encouragement I get here from you guys. It's been quite a year. Highlights are, of course, the members' videos - from complete beginners having a go, to seasoned players who enjoy sharing. There have been no serious disagreements or uncordial discussions - incredibly

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Added by Rob MacKillop on March 9, 2010 at 8:50am — 3 Comments

40. Won a Zither Banjo on Ebay

Just won a Temlett zither banjo on ebay for an incredible 99 UK Pounds - 150 dollars. No other bidder. Looks in a fairly good condition - see photos added to Photos page. Surely I have enough banjos now! Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on March 7, 2010 at 12:17pm — 17 Comments

39. Banjos arrived!

My banjos finally arrived after three weeks in UK Customs, and thankfully they are unharmed. Three cheers.

Banjeaurine - apparently by Cole, though that might not be proveable, but is certainly a beautiful instrument, especially the neck and fingerboard, and pegs too. Annoyingly Bernunzio's gave me the wrong bridge - ebony-topped, and too short: I can't play above the 12th fret because the strings hit the 17th fret. The bridge is half an inch high, so maybe 5/8ths would do it.

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Added by Rob MacKillop on March 3, 2010 at 8:49am — 6 Comments

38. Grimshaw Exercises

I've added a page to my website devoted to my working through Emile Grimshaw's exercises from How To Excel On The Banjo. I've included TAB scores in pdf form and a video of each study. They might be of interest or use to some of you here.

I think Grimshaw wrote the most wonderful studies for the classic banjo. They don't sound at all like 'exercises', but are very musical miniatures that not only develop your technique but also develop your musicianship at the same time - the p

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Added by Rob MacKillop on February 27, 2010 at 3:23pm — 4 Comments

37. James Joyce and Christie's Minstrels

I have been re-reading The Dubliners by James Joyce - the first time was 30 years ago (getting old!). Anyway, the last story in this collection of short stories is called The Dead. To cut a short story even shorter, some friends are at a party discussing the weather. One lady laughs at her husband for asking her to wear galoshes - coverings for over boots in partricularly inclement weather - and another says the word is funny and reminds her of Christie's Minstrels. This was published in 1914

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Added by Rob MacKillop on February 17, 2010 at 6:44am — No Comments

36. Let's Get Ready For St Patrick's Day

OK, it's a bit early - St Patrick's Day is not until March 17, as many of you will know, but I am suggesting we have a few video or mp3 uploads from the members here. So, here are three scores (including TAB!) and mp3 files from an edition I'm working on, called The Early Irish-American Banjo.

Get practising!

The sound files were done on my Luke Mercier banjo after early Fairbanks, with gut strings by Clifford Essex. I asked Clem from CE to put together a set for

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Added by Rob MacKillop on February 15, 2010 at 10:00am — 10 Comments

35. Banjo Comings and Goings

A month or two ago I sent Bernunzio's a baroque guitar in a straight, no cash-involved exchange for two banjos - a Pollman 'mandoline banjo' and a Luke Mercier flush fret. They arrived and got returned the next day...What was wrong? Well, the Pollman was just poor quality throughout. It sounded like a cheap guitar. Totally uninspiring, which is a shame as I had become excited about them after playing one at the Edinburgh University Collection. But, as we know, Pollman used a lot of different

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Added by Rob MacKillop on February 11, 2010 at 3:09am — 15 Comments

34. The Early American Parlor Banjo - mp3 files

Hi Folks, On this page [url]http://www.classicbanjorm.com/parlor.htm[/url] you can download for free all the mp3 files from an edition currently under consideration by Mel Bay. They said it might take a few years before it sees the light of day, but they are happy for me to release a CD in the meantime. I contemplated making a commercial disc, but as I am not active as a performer it would be a difficult sell. Besides, eventually the book… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on January 30, 2010 at 8:20am — 4 Comments

33. Parslow and Mathew's banjo pictures

I've uploaded photos of my new Parslow banjo, c.1900, England. I really like this banjo. Weighs a ton. Great slab of a neck. Beautiful metalwork. The only negative thing is the first and second-string tuners which slip a lot. I adjusted the screw on the back of the tuners, and now they don't slip, however, they are very stiff to turn. Phil of Alvey Turner says he has period replacements. We shall see... Also uploaded photos of the Mathews banjo in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on January 23, 2010 at 10:38am — 8 Comments

32. Tried a Pollman 'mandoline-banjo'

Edinburgh University has a wonderful historical musical instrument museum, and among the harpsichords, lutes and guitars you will find a few banjos - Mathew and Windsor from England, and Pollman from the States, plus a few anons. They also have an original Martin, which I used to record Capitol March by William Fodden, on a (thankfully) long-forgotten CD. The Pollman they have is a low to mid-grade instrument, doubtless made for Pollman by somewhere else. Only the first three strings were playa… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on January 17, 2010 at 1:38pm — 3 Comments

31. One String Waltz - on two strings!

I've just uploaded an mp3 of Buckley's 'One String Waltz', and a pdf of the score. There are no left-hand finger or fret directions in the original, so this is my arrangement, or realisation of it. I found it impossible to keep to one string, as per the title, so played one variation on the fifth string. What do you think, o wise ones? The problem is the fifth string will be out of tune when fretted if the 5th-string nut is not exactly aligned with a fret.… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on January 7, 2010 at 10:30am — 9 Comments

30. New banjo in part-exchange for my SSS Orchestra

I really enjoyed my fretless SSS Orchestra banjo, but in truth haven't played it for ages. It's one of those instruments that is more fun to have than to play, if you see what I mean. Anyway, the poor thing has been neglected. I've also been on the lookout for a decent English-made banjo as I plan to get into that 'stuff' later this year. Also, a student of mine is buying my Thompson and Odell. I wanted to upgrade my circa 1900-banjo. I'm glad he is getting that, as we can work on duets. Well,… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on January 5, 2010 at 3:30pm — 10 Comments

29. Gut Strings

It's not been easy getting Aquila gut strings for gCGBD tuning of late, so I found myself ordering the La Bella set. As I took them out of the packet I noticed that they certainly felt different to the Aquila gut, smoother, more nylon-like, which is odd...Anyway, I put them on - guess how long the first string lasted? I tuned them up and put the banjo aside. Five minutes later - pop! The first string broke in the middle. Jeez... There is something they do in the processing that takes the longev… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on October 19, 2009 at 9:30am — 14 Comments

28. Tone and Phrasing

It is of course difficult to talk objectively (or talk at all) about tone – the subjective element is so strong: we all sound different, thankfully. But I think that, on the banjo at least, there is a case for saying there is a connection between a general concept of tone production for a given historical period and phrasing. I’ve just been listening to Vess Ossman and his follower, Van Eps. The tone is bright, one could say aggressive, rhythmically as tight as anything could possibly be, and c… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on October 6, 2009 at 5:19am — 18 Comments

27. A New Banjo Arrives...

I've been giving a lot of thought to getting a newly-made banjo that would be suitable for Converse's 1886 Analytical - a wooden rim, gut strings tuned to eAEG#B, fretted, looking to the future yet still steeped in the past. It was hard to find a maker who could do that. Many makers would adapt a later design, usually by just putting gut strings on...and some makers specialised in earlier periods such as the wonderful Ashborn instruments and Bouchers. I finally found a luthier in Canada, Luke M… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on September 30, 2009 at 11:56am — 6 Comments

26. The Dell Schottische

My first video for a while. I'd forgotten I'd just had my hair cut for the summer - looks like a different person! But enough of me, this Converse fellow wrote some nice tunes. There is one passage which caused me some headaches. I'll attempt to tab it here: --------4--9--7----------------------- -----3---------8-------------------- --2------------6----------------------- --2------------9----------------------- ----------------------------------------- The 4 to 9 on the first string is a slide… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on August 13, 2009 at 5:30am — No Comments

25. The Devil's Claw

Good to see this site developing. Apparently we now have 68 members, although Doug Back seems to have joined three times :-) Well, why not, indeed? And quite a few new members from England, where the classic style of banjo playing has managed to hang on pretty much uninterupted from the late minstrel period to the present. I hope we get some videos, soundfiles and blogs from our new members. I'm managing to keep playing - though not as much as previously - but things are looking up. I'm taking… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on August 11, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

24. Irony

A year or more ago I got my first banjo. I didn't know much about all the different types, and ended up with a fretless Enoch Tradesman. I tried minstrel stroke style and failed miserably. I just didn't like stiffening my index or middle finger, which seemed necessary for the technique, not VERY stiff, but just enough to give a firm downward stroke. Anyway, I couldn't do it, sold my Tradesman and returned to my other instruments. Then Carl invited me here and I fell in love with the classic styl… Continue

Added by Rob MacKillop on July 24, 2009 at 1:50pm — 2 Comments

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