All Videos Tagged Stichter (Minstrel Banjo) - Minstrel Banjo

Beginner Tune of the Month - (May2016) Old Joe

2016-05-01T22:32:05.474Z

I'd like to post this as the Beginner Tune of the Month for May 2016...
Old Joe, a banjo tune from Thomas Briggs' banjo tutor book of 1855. Here played in minstrel 'high bass tuning' in the key of D...tune your minstrel banjo to d-ADF#A. (You can also play this in regular Briggs 'low bass' tuning if you simply avoid hitting the bass string, since the tune as written does not utilize the bass string)
This is one of the easiest tunes to learn in stroke style/minstrel style banjo, and most of the moves will be familiar to clawhammer players already. But it's a satisfying tune or song for any level of minstrel banjo player.

Jim Along Jocie on my new Bell Stichter banjo

2013-04-13T11:24:09.188Z

This is the very first tune I played on my brand new minstrel banjo, made especially for me by Terry Bell of Bell Banjos: http://bell.20m.com/banjos.html

To my friends on MinstrelBanjoNing- please forgive me for posting a CLAWHAMMER style tune here, but I wanted to give an idea of how beautiful this banjo sounds rather than my awkward struggling in stroke style. I promise to post some minstrel style tunes next!...beginner level of course because 'that's how I roll'... heh heh. :)

Now I'll be tackling some simple tunes in minstrel/stroke style, I'm just beginning to learn that style of playing.
This clawhammer tune is Jim Along Jocie ...but it's NOT the usual Coon Creek Gals version and not the expected minstrel version. I play it also on my gourd banjo, more tune info here: http://youtu.be/ebVvOi02VxI

This 13" pot, goatskin-headed, fretless, distressed minstrel banjo was styled after an 1848 banjo made by a young Henry Stichter. That original banjo is in the collection of Jim Bollman. I think Terry Bell did a wonderful job in customizing this banjo personally for me in various ways. Thank you Terry, it feels, looks, and sounds ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC. I can't wait to get to work and dig into some real minstrel tunes now! This beautiful banjer really inspires the imagination.

Right out of the box... Stichter minstrel banjo by Bell Banjos

2013-04-13T01:04:51.012Z

Love it that I simply tipped up the bridge right out of the box and it was ready to play in minstrel tuning!

My own personal customized minstrel "Strumelia Stichter" banjo by Terry Bell of Bell Banjos. http://bell.20m.com/banjos.html

Totally, totally YUM !!…