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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| Just got an SS Stewart banjo rom my aunt - General Banjo Topics - Banjo - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Preston Approved 
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My 88 year old aunt just sent me her late husband's banjo. It is an SS Stewart in what looks like the original case. It is marked SS Stewart, Phila Pa., the Amatuer, grade 2. Serial number #6583 (which puts it somewhere in the 1890's). It has 24 brackets and is in really nice shape except for the torn calfskin head. It has an 11 inch head. Hope to get a new head soon and see how it sounds. Last edited on Fri Sep 28th, 2007 01:22 am by Preston ____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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Preston- Congratulations! I know you've been waiting for that banjo for a while! Are you going to replace the head yourself, or take it to a luthier? Check with FQMS, Elderly and Zeppmusic.com for skin heads, you should be able to find something there (or get links to where you can find them). Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Charlie Approved 
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Good for you Preston, You have your self a great banjo there, I bought a new skin head from Elderly last month, but have not tried installing it yet but I am going to try it myself. I have been off line for a few months now and I am just on dialup for now, but will be checking in every few days to see what is going on. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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Preston Approved
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Thanks Brad and Charlie. I am going to take it to a shop that specializes in repairing, buying and selling vintage guitars and banjos., Intermountain Guitars and Banjos in Salt Lake City. I want them to set it up for me properly. By the way, I have started taking clawhammer lessons from a well known banjo teacher here in Utah, Mike Iverson. I have seen his name mentioned on the Banjo Hangout. I will post pictures when I get time. Last edited on Fri Sep 28th, 2007 02:15 am by Preston ____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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Charlie Approved
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Yeah Preston, You are doing the right thing by have it done and set up right. The name of the instructor you are going to use, I have heard the name and went and looked at my books and I was thinking of Dan Levenson, but seems like I might have a CD of his or something. Waiting to see the picture when you get it fixed up. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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flowerofthewest Approved 
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It's been over a month since you posted, Preston. Any news on the banjo repair front? and the lessons you have been having? Jody
____________________ Wildflowers don't care where they grow. |
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Preston Approved
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Jody, thanks for the interest. I have been so busy practicing my banjo, that I haven't posted for over a month as you observed. I just posted to the thread "What's Yer Banjo" above which should answer your questions. My lessons are coming along but my progress is slower than I like. (Isn't that a common complaint?) After trying to teach myself, I started lessons and became aware that I was playing the banjo in the wrong tempo for clawhammer. I was playing in 6/8 time with 8th notes on all 3 of the bum ditty notes. It has taken me a while to change habits and play it properly with a quarter note and two 8th notes. I am taking lessons from Mike Iverson who is supposed to be the best clawhammer player in Utah. He is certainly a good teacher and very patient. Last edited on Mon Nov 5th, 2007 03:14 pm by Preston ____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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vrteach Approved 
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Cool! You won't go wrong with Iverson. His playing is impeccable. SS Stewarts have a distinctive sweet tone, kind of quiet for a group setting but great for solo or singing.
____________________ Erich -- http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/bands/956/ http://vrteach.freepgs.com/banjo/ |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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Mike will do ya good! I've even linked his site off of my PricklyPearMusic page. Good luck, I know you'll get it together. Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Ptarmigan Approved 
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Hey Preston, How are you getting on with your Stewart Banjo? Last night I bought myself an S S Stewart on eBay, so of course it hasn't arrived yet, but I'm curious to know how your set up job went?  Did you ever post a photo of your Banjo once it was set up? My Stewart's serial number is also in the 6,000s.  As soon as my Banjo arrives I'll be teaching myself Clawhammer, with the help of a couple of DVDs, YouTube lessons, listening to loads of CDs & advice from the generous dudes over at the Bango Hangout.  So tell me, how are you managing with Clawhammer? Is it as easy as falling off a log or do you reckon it's going to take THIS old dog a long time to master this new trick?  Cheers Dick
____________________ My Website My ezFolk Page My Old Time Music Forum (Europe) |
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Preston Approved
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Dick, It's more like "frailing off a log" (lol). The basic clawhammer style seems to be fairly easy now. My teacher is teaching me more advanced techniques such as pull offs, hammer ons, slides, etc. These techniques are more difficult than the basic bum-dit-ty. I haven't posted a photo of the banjo because I lost my camera on my trip to Hawaii and haven't replaced it yet. The SS Stewart got a new skin head and I put Aquilla classic nylegut banjo strings on it. It sounds good and is a nice contrast from the sound of the steel strings on my Gold Tone Cripple Creek openback. You can download tabs and a lot of other good information from my teacher, Mike Iverson's web site: Blue Sage Trio. He is a frequent poster on the banjo hangout.
____________________ My EzFolk Page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1072 |
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Ptarmigan Approved
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Well here, as promised, are a few photos of my Stewart, now that I have had time to clean her up & fit a new head & strings. Mind you, while I was taking these photos I suddenly realized that I have tied the strings in the wrong darned part of the tailpiece! ... Duh! :-[ Ah well, I'm sure they'll be fine there until I need to change them. If not, I'm sure someone will tell me. Naturally, you can just click on any of these small photos to go to my "Webshots" album & see the larger versions. If you spot anything of interest on this Banjo, I'd be fascinated to hear about it. It is in fact the only one I have ever seen in the flesh, so I have absolutely no idea how much, if any, of the furniture is original. Mind you, it doesn't look too bad does it, considering it is probably around 116 years old. Cheers Dick          
____________________ My Website My ezFolk Page My Old Time Music Forum (Europe) |
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Will Approved 
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Here are some web sites with good historical detail and background about vintage S.S. Stewart banjos, including tips on looking up the serial numbers: http://www.whitetreeaz.com/vintage/banjomfg.htm#STEWART http://www.mugwumps.com/sss_date.htm
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ |
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| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > General Banjo Topics > Just got an SS Stewart banjo rom my aunt | |
