Bluegrass Banjo

Leo Jaymz Guitar Kit/Banjo Practice/Fashion Show Parody

My second guitar kit is finished. Lessons learned from my previous kit were followed, and new lessons learned as well. This was a lit from Leo Jaymz. The Strat-style body had a nice grain structure for the most part, so instead of any paint or even stain, I chose to just finish it with Tru-Oil. There are about a dozen coats on the body, with light sanding between every two coats, and buffing/polishing afterward with car polish.

I would give my work on the body about a 7 out of 10, as the back of the body has a few drip spots from the oil that I had thought I sanded out. The wiring is a lot easier to work with than the first kit, which was a Fesley. Absolutely no soldering was needed, so it makes an excellent starter kit. My one problem is that, while the neck/body joint fit perfectly, the cut of the cavity in the body for the neck joint is ever-so-slightly off, by about a 1/32 of an inch. Thus, the low E string is closer to the neck edge near the joint than the high E string. Barely noticeable, but noticeable anyway.

As expected, much of the hardware is low-end. The tuning gears are rough when turning, and if I plan on keeping this guitar, these will definitely be replaced. The pickups are low-output, which is not a concern for me right now, but I could either replace them or do an update with magnetic pole pieces. I’m not a fan of the design of the headstock. I would have preferred a Strat-style cut, and this one is more like the old Epiphone batwing style.

I have a few other kits that I plan on building soon, including a Precision-style bass that I want to put in some modifications to make it unique. But they are being put on the back burner, as I want to spend my free time over the next few months working on playing the banjo again.

Since I haven’t practiced the banjo in so long, and giving my last banjo to my nephew, getting back into the swing of Scruggs-picking has been a chore. The ring finger on my picking hand has a problem known as Trigger Finger, which makes it difficult and painful to bend at times. Fortunately, it’s not one of the picking fingers, but I still feel pain when I rest it on the banjo head.

I’ve also given my nephew all of my instruction books and videos, so I am back to learning on my own and by watching YouTube videos. I still remember a few basic rolls, but in watching the videos on YT, there are not many that are too helpful to the beginner. Almost none show tablature while showing fingering in the video. My best way of learning things like this has always been the combination video and book. Right now, I am shopping around for one or two DVD/booklet packages. But until then, I am committed to spending a few minutes each day just practicing rolls.

And now for something completely different.

Nothing bluegrass, music, or lutherie related. While surfing on YouTube a few days ago, this video popped up. I haven’t stopped laughing since, and immediately subscribed to the channel. The guy has perfectly parodied the modern fashion-show runway and its models. I hope that you enjoy it half as much as I have.

Chew on it and comment.

Sonny Osborne RIP

By now, most everyone in the bluegrass world knows of the death of Sonny Osborne, banjo player extra ordinaire, passing away last weekend at the age of 84. Sonny was phenomenal on the five-string, to say the least. Although he retired from The Osborne Brothers in 2005, he still kept his finger on the pulse of bluegrass, occasionally appearing on stage and writing a column for the online resource Bluegrass Today.

Sonny always had an essence of “cool” about him. When most bluegrass musicians were clean shaven, he had a well-trimmed Vandyke beard that complemented his brother Bobby’s muttonchops. The brothers were the first to electrify their bluegrass instruments so that they could be heard better at festivals that were booking country and rock acts. Sonny often experimented with the banjo, and was one of the first to use a six-string version.

Sonny worked with Bill Monroe as a teenager while Bobby was in the Marines during the Korean War. After that, the two formed a band with Jimmy Martin and became regulars at WJR radio in Detroit. Upon splitting from Martin, they went to Wheeling, West Virginia to be part of the cast at WWVA’s “Wheeling Jamboree.” From that point, the duo’s stardom began to rise. Along with fantastic playing, the band was known for having Bobby sing lead as high tenor, while Sonny and another member harmonize in lower baritone or tenor registers – something unheard of in bluegrass before. The Osborne Brothers had a number of hits during the 1950s through 70s, including “Ruby,” Tennessee Hound Dog,” Up This Hill and Down,” and the classic, “Rocky Top,” which would become the official State Song of Tennessee.

Sonny’s physical presence was demanding. He was big, and always looked like he could kick your ass in. However, once you saw that Cheshire cat grin of his, you knew that a cool dude was in those shoes. His trademark while playing banjo was, if he hit a bad note, he would play that note again to make you think that he meant to play that way. I remember once seeing the Osborne Brothers on TNN’s Ralph Emory Show, and Sonny was playing a unique guitar. It had a guitar body with a banjo neck. The banjo rolls were mellow sounding, which again was something different. Again, the band was always doing something to push the barriers out.

Sonny had a fantastic sense of humor. He loved telling and hearing jokes, and although Bobby was the MC of the band, Sonny could throw out a line or two that would make the audience wail with laughter. Whenever the band was booked at a festival with The Lewis Family, you could guarantee that there would be sone pranks going on between Sonny and Little Roy Lewis.

Because The Osborne Brothers were known for their progressive instrumentation during the 1960s and 70s, Sonny was always supportive of young bluegrass bands trying something different. Yet he was also a staunch supporter of tradition. After his 2005 retirement due to rotator cuff surgery, Bobby continued with the band Rocky Top X-Press. Sonny would promote a number of signature banjo lines, as well as write his Bluegrass Today column, “Ask Sonny Anything.” He suffered from a stroke earlier this year, which kept him from doing much, including having to dictate his columns.

Sonny’s banjo playing was distinctively strong. The banjo rolls were spot-on, you didn’t need any type of metronome. Drummers would follow him in keeping the beat. And as far as a signature, who could forget that ending to “Rocky Top,” in which Sonny does that familiar scrape?

Sonny is now playing with the Angel Band, along with so many other bluegrass heroes and pioneers. His smile, laughter, and personality will be missed just as much as his banjo playing. Fortunately, we have so many Obsorne Brothers’ recordings to enjoy and from which to learn.

Chew on it and comment.