Banjo down-tuned from standard G tuning to: eBEGsharpB
Here's "Cold Icy Mountain" played overhand (clawhammer, frailing, down-picking) style loosely similar to the George Gibson's usual ...
2018-11-29 13:13:17 +0000 UTC
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"Song sung and played on banjo by Phillip Kazee and recorded at the Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music 11-08-74. Tune number 07 on AC-OR-005-001-T1 in the Appalachian Center Collection, Be...
2018-11-28 15:30:44 +0000 UTC
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“Nowadays, when people play fiddle music, it’s instrumental,” Martin said. “But the older generation insisted on interweaving the vocals with the music. . . . The tunes actually...
2018-11-28 14:26:27 +0000 UTC
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I learned this song originally from Matt Kinman who's himself learned it from George Gibson--the source for must current versions. Since then I have heard Gibson sing and play it many times, and...
2018-11-26 17:27:18 +0000 UTC
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I recently restored this circa 1880 mail-order banjo. It came to me with loose, broken tuning pegs...
2018-11-19 17:13:07 +0000 UTC
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This is one of the prettiest banjos I have ever seen. Walnut neck, spun-over rim, bone and mother-of-pearl inlays. Converted from six-string to five-string.
Is anyone here left-handed and, possibly,...
2018-11-18 20:18:54 +0000 UTC
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This banjo is marked "SC Thompson Maker - Boston" on the dowel but I am told it's actually a Fairbanks & Cole. Similar to other F&C banjos we've featured in the past, this banjo has rosewood v...
2018-11-18 03:04:25 +0000 UTC
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In response to several requests, in this video I attempt to demonstrate "German War" using up-picking/up-stroke/Seeger Style picking. I have never tried to play it this way before, but turned out very...
2018-11-18 00:24:32 +0000 UTC
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I am almost finished restoring this 1880s mail-order banjo. An experienced luthier recently gave me some good advice: never mount a new head using the banjo's original tension hooks! Fortunately I ...
2018-11-17 16:16:16 +0000 UTC
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f#DGAD
As requested, here's my two-finger approach slowed down & up close.
2018-11-15 16:54:07 +0000 UTC
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https://patreon.com/cliftonhicks
fsharpDGAD
Click the machine cog symbol in the bottom right area of the Youtube player...
2018-11-14 18:23:13 +0000 UTC
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f#DGAD (Jump to 05:56 to skip the intro talk.)
In this video I discuss the story behind the song and go through the basics of playing a simplified overhand (clawhammer) version of "German War." Look...
2018-11-13 19:12:39 +0000 UTC
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Very good condition antique "Imperial" banjo made by J.B. Schall with the Barrow's patented features, tailpiece, neck attachment and neck angle adjuster. 25 1/4" scale with a 10 1/2" pot.
Sch...
2018-11-13 02:23:09 +0000 UTC
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Photos and videos by Justin Hoffman.

Rare octagonal folk banjo from Kentucky.
2018-11-13 02:13:23 +0000 UTC
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Jacob posted this over in our Community forum and I felt it warranted some closer attention. I generally agree with everything said below:
"Hey ya'll, wondering what everyone's thoughts are on...
2018-11-09 13:25:29 +0000 UTC
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This might be of interest to some of yall:
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Enter drawing for a chance for you or a friend to win free tu...
2018-11-08 18:34:41 +0000 UTC
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Here we have a lovely and fairly rare flush-fret Lyon & Healy banjo made in Chicago sometime during the turn of the 20th century 1880-1910 or thereabouts.
Nice banjo, fully restored and ready to...
2018-11-06 21:54:44 +0000 UTC
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Below are just a few of the photos I took of early and/or homemade banjos:

^ East Kentucky folk banjo wi...
2018-11-05 00:26:38 +0000 UTC
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I will have more material from the 2018 Banjo Gathering soon; for now here is most of the concert we put on the other night at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, VA.
It begins ...
2018-11-04 20:19:45 +0000 UTC
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This is a beautiful example of a 19th century Schall banjo out of Chicago.

"J.B. Schal...
2018-10-31 10:53:56 +0000 UTC
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Fully-restored, unmarked Fairbanks (& Cole?) banjo from a private collection in North Carolina. Matching ivoroid tuners and tail piece--beautiful walnut neck.
2018-10-30 13:28:31 +0000 UTC
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I'll be leaving home in a couple days to attend the 2018 Banjo Gathering at the Birthplace of Country Musi...
2018-10-29 20:36:23 +0000 UTC
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Serial Number 8928

2018-10-29 00:37:26 +0000 UTC
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Here is the first of a new batch of 13 banjos I have acquired from two private collections. If you are in the market for quality, vintage banjos contact me at clifhicks(at)gmail(dot)com and we find so...
2018-10-28 00:56:48 +0000 UTC
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Unidentified banjo song by Virgil Anderson at the Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music 11/03/84.
Tune number 01 on AC-OR-005-289 in the Appalachian Center Collection, Berea College S...
2018-10-21 14:19:44 +0000 UTC
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"Clifton, you mentioned that some songs will put you in a 'trance' when played. You mentioned this happened to you while playing ‘German War’ recently… and other songs like ‘Pretty Polly,' ...
2018-10-17 22:10:10 +0000 UTC
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(fCFA#C one step below gDGCD aka "Modal Tuning," "G Modal" or "Pretty Polly Tuning.")
I know I've uploaded this song before, but a recent question from Justin H. prompted me to take another go at it...
2018-10-17 19:47:55 +0000 UTC
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I met John Harrod this summer at the Swannonoa Gathering on the campus of Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Besides being one of the best living traditional fiddlers he is an extremely knowledg...
2018-10-17 19:02:10 +0000 UTC
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I will be assisting Gibson on Thursday, October 25th at 7 p.m. in the Bo Thomas Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College (Flat Rock, NC). Registration is $5 per person.
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2018-10-16 00:23:52 +0000 UTC
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In 1985 a bridge and tuning peg were recovered from an early 18th century stratum at the bottom of a well. The bridge appears to have five slots, indicating that it may have been used on an early 5-st...
2018-10-11 23:34:43 +0000 UTC
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