[Dixielandjazz] Pete Seeger Banjo Style

[Bill Gunter]

Hi all (mainly those interested in the Pete Seeger 5 string banjo thread),

Mad Dawg Lowell Busching asked:

>Does anyone know if they (Pete Seeger's long neck banjos) were made 
>commercially after that or were they always the banjo equivalent of the hot 
>rods? Chopped with parts added.

Actually, Vega banjos made a special long neck 5 string banjo called the 
"Pete Seeger Model."

Instead of the usual 5 frets between the nut and the 5th peg there are 7.  
The banjo is normally played with a capo at the second fret thus making the 
tuning and playing exactly the same as any standard five string.

The standard tuning for a five string is the same as a plectrum banjo with 
the fifth string being a "G" pitched above the first string. This allow the 
player to easily play in the keys of C and G with equal ease and the maximum 
of "open" (unstopped) strings for that nice banjo "ring."

By moving the capo down one fret and retuning the fifth string down a half 
step allows the player to easily play in B and F#.

Similarly, removing the capo altogether and tuning the fifth string down 
another half step the player can play in Bb and F (nice keys for jazz 
players).

That's the big advantage of the long neck.

By the way . . . one of the great things about the Vega banjos is the "tone 
ring" directly under the banjo head. It really adds a bright ringing tone to 
the instrument.  Wish't I had one.

Cheers,

Bill "Haul it out and twang it" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com