So who anchors their little finger?

I try to follow the techniques from SSS, and thats the way he taught in his Journal.

Sometimes I float, most of the time I rest my little finger.

Advantages? Disadvantages?

-Joel Hooks

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Mostly anchor/sometimes float pretty well describes my playing, too, Joel. The only disadvantage I can think of to anchoring is it might get in the way a little bit when executing those big three finger and thumb chords with the right hand.

I think I have a Cadenza discussion on anchoring somewhere.
One finds things like the "Hartnet Tone Enhancer" on some banjos of the era. Just a simple strip of metal to "anchor" upon rather than the head. I use my pinky (being a former Bluegrasser...though I never was able to plant both ring and pinky) but taught myself to play "Berkeley March" using the float method. Just depends on the needs of the tune...and your hands.
yes i rest my lil finger ; i am not sure about technic of the great US & Uk banjoists like Joe Morley or Fred van Eps . But i am pretty sure think they didn 't rest most of the time , because there were playing & practicing all day long , and this could be hard when anchoring the lil finger , easier when resting the arm on the armrest , i think this is the good way but , for the time , i don t do that .
There is a lot to be said, about both systems. Leting you hand float free or resting the third and little finger next to the bridge, to give it stability. You get a better sound with the free floating hand, but I am unable to play this way, as I never quite know where my fingers are. Where could one obtain one of those guards that fit across the vellum below the bridge. I think they would be great, as you could anchor your finger and not deaden the sound of the vellum. I have no idea what they are called or how they attach to the banjo, but they seem to be the answer. Why they are not more popular I have not idea.
Yes, little I have a big dirty brown mark on the vellum. I didn't realize that the end of my little finger was so unsanitary :)
Most of the time I prefer the staccato produced from anchoring. Some pieces I just have to let her ring.

Ray, fabricating one seems like it might be pretty easy. Though, attaching it the old "Dobson patent" might prove challenging (LOL).

Here are a couple ideas I found,

http://www.google.com/patents?id=_cV9AAAAEBAJ&dq

http://www.google.com/patents?id=jsJ9AAAAEBAJ&dq

I like the 2nd one better as it seems like it allows better tone control.

The main reason I have not made one (I have considered it) is aesthetics. I think it would look odd. I much prefer the black smudges.
That second patent claims the additional benefit of "the head...prevented from becoming discolored and rendered unsightly..."

I think with most banjo players unsightlyness is pretty much a given.
Hey! I resemble that!!

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