I learned the song from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky who performs it here ua-cam.com/video/3Slvy4gyAZE/v-deo.html @ 01:35. You can see my own performance here ua-cam.com/video/4AS-3pXM540/v-deo.html and my banjo lesson here ua-cam.com/video/hrNzCLKaz1I/v-deo.html Also listen to B.F. Shelton's "O Molly, Dear" which is very similar. George & I recently taught the song to Nora Brown who now performs it often ua-cam.com/video/Ox4YJsGm8mY/v-deo.html Also see Brett Ratliff, John Haywood, Kevin Howard, Matt Kinman &c.
My first banjo exactly the same. 1920s banjo. Lost in a house fire in the 80s. Seeing yours briongs back tons of memories i can close my eyes and feel her in my arms.
So sorry you lost your very precious banjo to the fire. I too lost an old Epiphone banjo & a legendary 40 YO Australian Maton guitar to a bushfire here in Australia one year ago, along with 50 year collection of LP & CD music ( all genres but plenty of folk, old timey, bluegrass, blues); about 1,000 albums. Thinking only now to go out and find another nice old timey sounding banjo like the Epi which was old when I bought it in 1978!
The missing name inside the head is "Rogers". "Jos. W. Rogers Jr." is the brand of the calf skin head. A well known name in drum and banjo heads back in the early 20th century and used by almost all the big name banjo manufacturers before the great depression.
♫ Now I'm a union man Amazed at what I am I say what I think That the company stinks Yes I'm a union man. When we meet in the local hall I'll be voting with them all With a hell of a shout It's out brothers out And the rise of the factory's fall. Oh you don't get me I'm part of the union You don't get me I'm part of the union You don't get me I'm part of the union Till the day I die, till the day I die...♫
One of my current favorite banjos to play is a 1919 Vega orig. 5 with what might well be its original Jos Rogers hide head. It's fun to imagine when the cow or calf it came from was alive! Then a few years later I found a Vega "close fit" screw on pie plate resonator a man in the UK was wanting to unload through Banjo Hangout. He actually was going to throw out that beautiful resonator so I made a reasonable offer and now I have a pretty close duplicate of Wade Mainer's banjo. Then when Wade & Julia Mainer came to Chapel Hill a few years ago (when they were 90), I got to hang out a bit with them after the concert. He me pick it a bit at the after party and it had that unmistakeable warm "old Vega with a skin head sound." Julia's voice was actually the main attraction. OMG, what pipes!
That does sound nice! That resonator and the steel strings gives an echoing, bright sort of ring. You're voice echoed through it when you held it up to the camera. Fired it up pretty good with that dexterity. I didn't notice any mess ups at all.
A Vega banjo was my first. Definitely deep rich tones. You got me an idea now that I have an expensive Fender that might as well be a Gibson. Get myself a new bridge and some nylon strings for an old school sound. Of course, it would be nice if it was from the 1920's. Haha.
Alexa informed me that my vega banjo has arrived. I looked outside and there was a banjo sized box on the stoop, I double took, shooo oo oooot! did I accidentally buy a banjo instead of strings? crap my rent is going to bounce..... I have a vega banjo?! stretched to see the tall box on the stoop, fell off my stool and broke a hand bone. Under the banjo sized cat tree box my landlady had ordered was my lil packet of banjo strings. loved the tune, and looking at the whyte laydie banjo.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo I'm converting a 1924 Vega Professional Tubaphone Tenor banjo to a 5 string now. Can't wait to slap the neck on it when it's finished. Still has the original Rogers Vellum calfskin head on the pot.
alan cook I play a Vega WL of same vintage. Took the tenor neck off and had a luthier in Scotland make a 5 string neck. Feels like there’s a church bell in there compared to a non tone ring banjo.
The Rogers banjo head is not necessarily a replacement. It may very well be original. If the banjo has not been refinished and the finish is original then chances are the head is as well. You need to look at the wear of all the parts together. For example, if the frets were well worn with obvious areas worn in the lower positions then the back of the neck should also show a lot of wear. If at the same time the head looked relatively less worn then it's more likely a replacement. There are some numbers of these great instruments that can be found from time to time with not much wear at all.
That one is in great shape, nice find w/resonator! Don't know if they were using stained pear wood on the '20s Banjos but I think that is what they used to use for the peg head on earlier banjos.
Interesting. Maybe it's earlier! One of the best sounding banjos I ever played was a Weymann w straight pearwood fingerboard & overlay. The fingerboard was all cracked and chipped and my luthier hated it! 🤣
Is that the origins neck? Very often they converted 4-strings tenors into 5-strings. I noticed that the peg-head doesn't have the Vega Logo. But it's a great banjo. I like the metal pot bracket that makes so the brackets don't have to be drilled into the pot.
It really looks like original neck to me. It's an antique neck for sure, finely made & fits to the pot seemlessly. Matching serials read 49446. Stamp on dowel reads "Fairbanks Banjo made by The Vega Company Boston, Mass."
When it comes to make bridges and nuts (the ebony at the head(not what you was thinking about) I think, banjo makers could learn something from violin makers.
@@NickleJ just word-of-mouth mostly. No website other than Patreon. Anyone can email me clifhicks@gmail.com to talk banjos. I have several for sale anywhere from maybe $500 on up to... considerably more.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo You ever get an old buckbee you want to part with that has at least a straight neck and under $500...message me! I have a soft spot for the older unloved buckbees. the thin clad rims and shorter scale just fit me, light , relatively cheap and often sound much, much better than their reputation.
@@gabeeg I have sold all kinds of Buckbees over the years including those standard little beaters you're talking about. You can't throw a cat without hitting an old photo of somebody with one of those little Buckbees---EVERYONE played them it seems.
Best rendition of E. Virginia i've heard. Sounds very different from other recordings of this song on utube. Do any other artists play this rendition?
I learned the song from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky who performs it here ua-cam.com/video/3Slvy4gyAZE/v-deo.html @ 01:35. You can see my own performance here ua-cam.com/video/4AS-3pXM540/v-deo.html and my banjo lesson here ua-cam.com/video/hrNzCLKaz1I/v-deo.html Also listen to B.F. Shelton's "O Molly, Dear" which is very similar. George & I recently taught the song to Nora Brown who now performs it often ua-cam.com/video/Ox4YJsGm8mY/v-deo.html Also see Brett Ratliff, John Haywood, Kevin Howard, Matt Kinman &c.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Was he still living in Florida when you heard him?
My first banjo exactly the same. 1920s banjo. Lost in a house fire in the 80s. Seeing yours briongs back tons of memories i can close my eyes and feel her in my arms.
So sorry you lost your very precious banjo to the fire.
I too lost an old Epiphone banjo & a legendary 40 YO Australian Maton guitar to a bushfire here in Australia one year ago, along with 50 year collection of LP & CD music ( all genres but plenty of folk, old timey, bluegrass, blues); about 1,000 albums. Thinking only now to go out and find another nice old timey sounding banjo like the Epi which was old when I bought it in 1978!
♥ Banjo? Consider supporting this project at patreon.com/cliftonhicks
Man, I wish I had the extra money to support you the way I want but money is tight as it is and I have a 20 year old in college. :/
@@meredithwilliams4671 Thanks, Meredith, I know that ain't easy! Any time you like or share a video you're helping me immensely. Thanks again.
Since when haven't I given you a thumbs up Clifton? Beautiful instrument and great to see you let rip and have fun on her! Thanks.
Such a gorgeous banjo!!!!!
The missing name inside the head is "Rogers". "Jos. W. Rogers Jr." is the brand of the calf skin head. A well known name in drum and banjo heads back in the early 20th century and used by almost all the big name banjo manufacturers before the great depression.
♫ Now I'm a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think
That the company stinks
Yes I'm a union man.
When we meet in the local hall
I'll be voting with them all
With a hell of a shout
It's out brothers out
And the rise of the factory's fall.
Oh you don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
You don't get me I'm part of the union
Till the day I die, till the day I die...♫
One of my current favorite banjos to play is a 1919 Vega orig. 5 with what might well be its original Jos Rogers hide head. It's fun to imagine when the cow or calf it came from was alive! Then a few years later I found a Vega "close fit" screw on pie plate resonator a man in the UK was wanting to unload through Banjo Hangout. He actually was going to throw out that beautiful resonator so I made a reasonable offer and now I have a pretty close duplicate of Wade Mainer's banjo. Then when Wade & Julia Mainer came to Chapel Hill a few years ago (when they were 90), I got to hang out a bit with them after the concert. He me pick it a bit at the after party and it had that unmistakeable warm "old Vega with a skin head sound." Julia's voice was actually the main attraction. OMG, what pipes!
That does sound nice! That resonator and the steel strings gives an echoing, bright sort of ring. You're voice echoed through it when you held it up to the camera. Fired it up pretty good with that dexterity. I didn't notice any mess ups at all.
What a sweet Song 😮love it thanks 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
A Vega banjo was my first. Definitely deep rich tones. You got me an idea now that I have an expensive Fender that might as well be a Gibson. Get myself a new bridge and some nylon strings for an old school sound. Of course, it would be nice if it was from the 1920's. Haha.
Banjo lust. Serious banjo lust. I’d give my right arm to play like you, but then I wouldn’t be able to play at all.
Sounds like a touch of the Carter "SCRATCH" you had going on towards the end.
Alexa informed me that my vega banjo has arrived. I looked outside and there was a banjo sized box on the stoop, I double took, shooo oo oooot! did I accidentally buy a banjo instead of strings? crap my rent is going to bounce..... I have a vega banjo?! stretched to see the tall box on the stoop, fell off my stool and broke a hand bone. Under the banjo sized cat tree box my landlady had ordered was my lil packet of banjo strings. loved the tune, and looking at the whyte laydie banjo.
Do you have a favorite sounding tone ring? Or prefer a banjo without?
Tubaphones might be my favorite. The White Lady almost sounds too pretty. I guess I prefer banjos with no tone ring.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo I'm converting a 1924 Vega Professional Tubaphone Tenor banjo to a 5 string now. Can't wait to slap the neck on it when it's finished. Still has the original Rogers Vellum calfskin head on the pot.
great
Clifton's banjo matchmaking service...
Beautiful banjo. Sounds great. Thanks for sharing.
I love the sound
...Clifford Essex Double X Special was a exact copy of the Whyte Layde .... lovely instrument and sounds exactly the same ....
I really like the sound of that Banjo for the 2 finger picking, kind of Spooky. I have a tubaphone with steel strings on.
Im looking for a banjo. I may make a gourd one in the future..I built a 26 stringed folk harp so I may have a chance at making one.
Peg head maybe dyed holley, great show!
Very impressive!
Nice, my main banjer is a '27 whyte ladie.
alan cook I play a Vega WL of same vintage. Took the tenor neck off and had a luthier in Scotland make a 5 string neck. Feels like there’s a church bell in there compared to a non tone ring banjo.
Is it been sold if not how much
Clifton do you think the signature is of the inspector who may have inspected it after it was made?
The Rogers banjo head is not necessarily a replacement. It may very well be original. If the banjo has not been refinished and the finish is original then chances are the head is as well. You need to look at the wear of all the parts together. For example, if the frets were well worn with obvious areas worn in the lower positions then the back of the neck should also show a lot of wear. If at the same time the head looked relatively less worn then it's more likely a replacement. There are some numbers of these great instruments that can be found from time to time with not much wear at all.
Joseph Rogers made the Vellum! Chordially Stan Gee (U.K.)
That one is in great shape, nice find w/resonator! Don't know if they were using stained pear wood on the '20s Banjos but I think that is what they used to use for the peg head on earlier banjos.
Interesting. Maybe it's earlier! One of the best sounding banjos I ever played was a Weymann w straight pearwood fingerboard & overlay. The fingerboard was all cracked and chipped and my luthier hated it! 🤣
you play good and great voice, thanx please the name of the first song POST MORE SONG FROM YOU.❤🙏👍
I think they used pear wood on the peghead on some of those vegas.
Is that the origins neck? Very often they converted 4-strings tenors into 5-strings. I noticed that the peg-head doesn't have the Vega Logo. But it's a great banjo. I like the metal pot bracket that makes so the brackets don't have to be drilled into the pot.
It really looks like original neck to me. It's an antique neck for sure, finely made & fits to the pot seemlessly. Matching serials read 49446. Stamp on dowel reads "Fairbanks Banjo made by The Vega Company Boston, Mass."
Many didn't have the logo... just the star. They did make 5 string banjos back then but they weren't as popular as the tenor.
When it comes to make bridges and nuts (the ebony at the head(not what you was thinking about) I think, banjo makers could learn something from violin makers.
Fretless banjo makers should definitely study violin nuts. Most fretless builders leave the action _way_ too high at the nut.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo No just the action. The grooves are often way too deep. The string should just slide over the nut, not down in a groove.
It’s a Joseph Rodgers head. Standard.
Thanks.
for sale?
Well I can honestly say I’m having my first banjo crush. I hesitate to ask how much it’s worth?
This is the most expensive banjo I have for sale right now.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Where do you sell you banjo's? You have an online store?
@@NickleJ just word-of-mouth mostly. No website other than Patreon. Anyone can email me clifhicks@gmail.com to talk banjos. I have several for sale anywhere from maybe $500 on up to... considerably more.
@@CliftonHicksbanjo You ever get an old buckbee you want to part with that has at least a straight neck and under $500...message me! I have a soft spot for the older unloved buckbees. the thin clad rims and shorter scale just fit me, light , relatively cheap and often sound much, much better than their reputation.
@@gabeeg I have sold all kinds of Buckbees over the years including those standard little beaters you're talking about. You can't throw a cat without hitting an old photo of somebody with one of those little Buckbees---EVERYONE played them it seems.
Rosewood, maple, bakelite. Sounds like a stretched out garden slug.