Bolsover Gibbs On The Banjo.

[Joel Hooks]

This is an old negro song that says, "Oh lightly touch the banjo string and rattle the old jaw bone." -It is not well however, in the present generation, to be too light fingered with the Banjo string.  The Banjo and Piano when well and properly used, make an excellent combination, but if the Banjo is strung with strings no thicker than horse-hair, it is quite absurd to suppose the tone produced will blend well with the Piano.  Even the little high pitched Mandolin is strung with double strings, as is its big brother, the Pianoforte. when the delicate fingered Banjo picker, fearing to rumple the serene equanimity of his delicate finger ends, strings his Banjo with delicate shadow like strings, and touches them, oh, so very gently, he must not be surprised if instead of producing a clear musical tone, he simply evokes the ghost like echos of the lost voice of the poor lamb who contributed his dying bleat towards producing the very string now being "faked at."

The old Jaw-bone may be "rattled" no more for the Bones and Tambourine have taken its place in the negro minstrel company.  But the Banjoist who "fakes" at horse hair like strings will be "rattled" time and time again.  Keep the head-light on your banjo and have your instrument well strung with good strings, not too thick and not too thin.  Have a good maple bridge, see that it is in its proper place on the head, and then go at your Banjo as though you meant business.  Just make up your mind that you are going to let your neighbors into the secret that you have got a Banjo.  But proceed philosophically.  Limit operations wisely to a scientific basis.  To those ambitious but misguided players, who aspire to "knockout," "drown out," or "wash out" their accompanying Piano player, let it be said unto Socrates, "there is a limit to all things"--therefore I close this chapter.

Stewart's Banjo & Guitar Journal, Oct-Nov 1891.