"Hustling Gamblers" (Country Blues) Banjo Lesson (Dock Boggs)

[@rebeccahonig2344]

Hi! And wow! Can you tell me about the banjo you are playing? I've been searching for a banjo with a similar sound for quite some time.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

👉 patreon.com/CliftonHicks R.A. Sanders English Minstrel Banjo (late 1870s - early 1880s)

[@rebeccahonig2344]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thank you!!

[@davesiler4064]

Clifton, if I didn't know better, I'd think you had been around since the 1880's that's just how authentic you are!

[@dickdadj2944]

Love it ! Well I ain't heard nothin from that I didn't like. My 9 year old son just cain't get enough of the "Devil's Song" . Your like a time travelin banjer whisperer ! Your music has a special place in my soul. It truly is medicine music and I'm addicted! Thank you

[@rcg5317]

Thanks so much for this. It is on my must learn list for a while. Good point about singing while the banjo plays rather than along with the melody. I think it emphasizes the story. The gambler is telling his story and stretching out those phrases but the banjo keeps marking the time like a clock that is moving to the time when the Gambler loses everything.

[@badboybootz8]

That's a cool looking banjer

[@Hey_its_Koda]

Thats very nice hat. I need one like that for fishing.

[@mikael8092]

love the ‘stache homie

[@DiazANMEDF]

Yeah! Goodjob Clifton! 👌🏽🎻

[@davelowe3516]

Glad you did this one Clifton. Good stuff.

[@anchoredsoultattoos4003]

Nice

[@fentonjames]

Damn. I've been trying to learn this from this video. Haven't been able to. Now, I finally noticed your 5th string peg is at the 4th not 5th. It's been throwing me off.

[@dondoughty488]

Yay! I finally get it. love this tuning you are the Man! Thank you Clifton.

[@patrickcasey4181]

Absolutely amazing. Love it. You’re great dude. Trying to learn two finger picking after playing “claw hammer”. You’re definitely what I’m looking at

[@cringe1849]

awesome luv it thank u for sharing

[@JohnyG29]

Good stuff! 👍

[@simonehegarty4956]

You're certainly prolific at the mo, Cliff! I’ve no idea if it’s correct of not but according to the liner notes the tuning on Dock’s 60s recording is F#CGAD - i.e. the bass string is tuned down another full step from what you’ve got. Maybe explains why his banjo has a bit of a spooky sound on this track.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

👍 I should do a series on this piece in that tuning.

[@TheGrowlery]

That would be great Clif!

[@hcpmp]

Yes, Boggs tuned f#CGAD for this and many other songs, like Prodigal Son and Oh Death. He did use the f#DGAD tuning for Danville Girl and a couple others I can't think of right now. Hustling Gamblers is easier to play in f#DGAD and still sounds great, but you can't get the low C-note Boggs sings or the cool 4th string C-D hammer-on he uses when "resting" between verses. Boggs also played in a 3-finger style. All that said, I think Clif's 2-finger setting here is great! Looking forward to his breakdown of that.

[@seannamadra5675]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo yes good idea Clifton.

[@Mingebagz1]

Hey. Just starting to learn banjo with a dumpster banjo I bought off a buddy for 50$. Thanks for thr resources. Any videos of yours that focus on teaching you to pick individual strings. I got the rhythm down but I fudge the sounds and it doesnt come out as clean. It may be my lack of fingernails.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

You don't need fingernails (I keep mine trimmed _short_ as possible). It's just a matter of practice. Slow down to where you can hit all the individual strings you're aiming for. It's also a matter of learning when to go for individual strings and when to just brush at 'em.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

In the "Basic Overhand (Clawhammer) Banjo" video I do go into some detail about fingernails, how I strike each string, follow-through &c.

[@Mingebagz1]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thank you very much!

[@thomascooper63098]

Hey man any chance you have the lyric to this version of the song super great for the little bit of the intro we get to hear 👌🏻

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Full versions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5-2emCsiNOlnrc ... and kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJWUdJZpptCboqs

[@eelnai2503]

bad ass

[@CalvinNeighbors]

To me, you look like one of them boys from Blue Springs, Missouri - Mr. Jesse James - "not that there's anything wrong with that"... 🇸🇴

[@Rabbitears1]

Clifton, is that banjo one of your creations? Sounds awesome!

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

That's an English banjo that I think was made 1875-1880. It was originally 6-string.

[@TheGrowlery]

Is is that a short scale?

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Somewhere I wrote down dimensions for that banjo before I sold it. I think it's close to standard scale but the pot with tension hoops is about 12.5" so creates a trick of the eye. The thumb peg also sticks out at the 4th fret which a cruel trick played by many early banjos.

[@TheGrowlery]

Ah ha! It's that thumb peg that threw me off.