Traditional Banjo Setup & Maintenance - Clifton Hicks

[@rogersnyder3776]

This is very helpful thank you! I also recently found out that we are related through the Hicks family in Girard (Eire) Pa. Small world! Thanks for all you do with the old time banjo! I love it!

[@chrismlastname]

The most underrated instrument, i bought my first banjo almost 2 years ago after hearing you play ruby ridge and now i have a dozen old banjos, thank you for preserving history and cheers from ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@rafaelfernandeslopesdeoliv1700]

I'm sorry but the title of most underrated instrument belongs to the recorder.

[@_roughsawn_3990]

You, Leroy, grandpa and string have been my biggest inspiration.

[@Thebloodybanjo]

I put a Clifton Essex bridge (your recommendation) onto my recording king (with nylon strings)…wow!!! It made the banjo 10x better…the sound was better in every way (louder too). I emailed Clifford Essex and he said ‘bridges, the magic wands of banjos’! 😂😂😂 best £13 I ever spent.

[@jivprod9871]

I have to say that a week ago, i wanted to quit everything to play banjo on an open field. I had a feeling that was the only way to be finally free. I'm a new suscriber, but i'm sure you must have touch my soul. I can't quite my life but you gave me a touch of freedom. Clifton Hicks, you were my hero for a minute. No jokes. Thank's you so much and i'm sure your strings don't care, they know you love them.

[@bearshield7138]

I have learned so much from you I have delighted in spending most of the day, yesterday and today in the back yard, working on a kerfing plane. My second attempt at resewing an oak board has definitely, going better than the first try. I had over a 1/2 inch of runout over 20 inches of run. I am not quite done with my second try, but it looks like I will have much less than an 1/8 of an inch over a similar length. I am getting better at both sharpening and using my hand planes, but I still need more practice at putting my 9-inch bench plane back to gather and getting it to work. I bought it at a garage sale and restored it. I also have several other small hand planes to retore or to use for parts. I thank you for all your help and encouragement. Soon I hope to start on my first dulcimer. After a few of those I hope to grow into building banjos and violins.

[@invrl]

Thanks for the video, Clifton! I always have such joy watching your instructional videos since not many know the ins and outs of older, more traditional, banjos!

[@5150show]

Super cool

[@Philharmonica-7445]

My grandaddy made his own banjo! Carved the neck and everything! I love good banjo music! It's in my blood! I play blues harp myself! I'm working on a more country Bluegrass style!👍🙏🏼🇺🇸❤

[@rogermcadams8806]

Thanks Clifton! Just got into these traditional banjos recently and yes will be grabbing a J. Hooks for my 1897 Special Thoroughbred ( yep wearing a ebony capped 3 leg with nylon ). Wish you had touched on bridge height also this one is 5/8 and it's my understanding that the old Stewart bridges were 1/2. I have a old B&D also with the original Rogers calfskin head in good condition. Really like the sound. Anyway keep the videos coming!

[@AGuyThatMakesStuff]

I fell in love with the banjo and folk music thanks to you.

[@jeffhutton8324]

But, that was autumn corn, it's only now spring? this guy has powah... fingerpower on the one side, frettin on the other. Everyone is doing it in real life anyhow. No wonder it touches the soul. Take it out of context and bring it back, it'll be a hit. Dope... Clifton does it right enough for me.

[@muttandjeff5213]

Thanks as always Clif! Is this video from your Banjo Course?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Yes. Full course available at BanjoHeritage.com

[@Mamlishways]

Thanks kindly for the good info!

[@itsobvious5835]

That's a lot of information. Thanks

[@Philharmonica-7445]

I donno man! I kinda love that "twang"! But I get what you're saying!👍🙏🏼🇺🇸❤

[@Moorandmist]

Can you make a banjo head from deerskin? I've been offered local wild fallow deerskin and I wondered if it would work?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Yes. I used whitetail deer skin for my first few builds. It is indistinguishable from goat skin.

[@jeffandthings77]

Love your playing, and your tips. I am curious, as one without the cash for an antique banjo-can you rig up a Goodtime with nylon and fix it up like you talk about? I've come to hate the overly bright sound of the steel on the Goodtime, but am nervous to change things up-especially buying Nylon online and such.

[@MuddyGutSailingAndOutdoors]

Hi I’m fairly new to banjo so this is probably a dumb question, you mention at around 1:05 that the bridge should be slightly angled, what is the reason for that, and what does it do.

[@chriscampbell9191]

Angling the bridge as shown intonates all the strings correctly, because the bigger strings intonate differently from the smaller diameter strings. If you've ever looked at a guitar, you'll see that bridges on guitars are also angled for the same reason. The lower tuned strings are larger gauge strings, and because of that, their intonation point is different from the smaller strings. So you angle the bridge to compensate for it. The 5th string on a banjo is a different case -- intonation on it isn't quite as important because it's almost never fretted. But intonation is something you want to get right on a banjo (or guitar) because it the intonation isn't good, when you play higher up on the neck the notes may be too sharp or flat. Angling the bridge slightly makes all the strings intonate better high up on the neck. Hope this helps (I'm not Clifton, obviously, but I've been playing guitar for several decades, modded and done setups on my guitars, and also set up my banjo).

[@Philharmonica-7445]

I think my grandaddy actually used "cat gut" strings! 👍🙏🏼🇺🇸❤

[@charleswatson7154]

What about coating a goatskinhead with linseed oil?

[@slicksnewonenow]

Not to answer for Clifton, but I'd imagine that the solvent would dry up the skin....

[@peterdrabble8996]

Mint ❤

[@michaelbaker602]

I would agree that most 19th century banjos should only be strung with nylon strings; however, Bob Smakula holds that the majority of A.C. Fairbanks banjos he’s dealt with were able to handle steel.

[@zacharytaylor3054]

Question for you man: I remember you had a black powder boar hunting rifle. Are those legal for hunting deer? And hypothetically speaking, would that also apply to flintlock pistols? Lol.. Also, great playing. I learned 2 finger thumb lead from you many years ago.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Yeah, "primitive" deer season opens early, and that means archery, muzzleloaders, flitnlocks, caplocks, I think they'll even let you hunt with spears.

[@zachb8012]

You'll figure it out pretty quickly, huh? I didn't wind up cursing every time I changed my strings for well over a year. Never once have I tied a string in, brought it up to tension and had the knot slip the second I cut the tag off the tailpiece. No need to keep another set of the same strings around just in case you make a mistake. No sir.

[@havoc6441]

Beautiful instrument. Can you please play undone in sorrow by Ola Belle Reed on your you tube channel. Thank you.

[@thomasmihaly1033]

I enjoy listening. I don't play 😮

[@colehyden2879]

Mr hicks I know this isn’t relevant to what this video is about but I have gotten into the habit of picking with a singular thumb how do break this habit

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

You mean you only pick with your lone thumb?

[@colehyden2879]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo yes sir

[@colehyden2879]

I’m able to play over hand pretty well but when I go to two finger pick I find my self using just my thumb which I know isn’t the proper way to play.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

@colehyden2879 well there's no proper way but it's a lot easier if you use trigger finger also. Have you watched my "Two Finger Banjo for the Complete Beginner" video? Let your thumb pick everything on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th strings, but your trigger picks everything on the 1st and 2nd strings.

[@colehyden2879]

No sir I have not watched that video I really appreciate the help thank you.

[@Randomedude2A]

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