Thursday, July 14, 2011

and yet another six-string dilemma...

A must read on a scary subject, we apparently have the right to wear pasta strainers, and why the end of a real space program just made us a third rate country...

As many of you know, music is kinda important aboard "So It Goes" and as a result there is an ongoing evolution of the interior to make room for the odd musical instrument or dozen...

Yesterday, while shopping for a mandolin (they are cool, small and anyone can find space for one... right?) I was seduced by an alternative musical instrument, though not nearly as small. The problem is, that anything much bigger than a mandolin or a harmonica is going to put some serious strains on what few brain cells I might have left and right now the only plan that comes to mind is replacing the stove in the galley with a musical instrument cabinet and cook all meals on the BBQ in the cockpit... Admittedly, not exactly my finest cunning plan!

The musical instrument that is causing the problem is a six-string banjo. The advantage of such an instrument is that it is compact for a guitar, sounds like a banjo, and can be used as an anti-anchoring tool of great power if needful.

The reason I need a six-string banjo is that to my great shame I am really a horrible banjo player. While I can pretty much hold my own on guitar, my ability with a five-string is simply embarrassing...

I had been keeping my eye out for an old Framus six or twelve string banjo but they are both rare and pricier than my frugality will allow, so finding that Dean was building a more or less affordable banjo-guitars has me doing the happy dance!

Right now I'm torn between two... The Backwoods or the electric Backwoods  and to be honest, I'm thinking the electric will be a better choice for those late night head games in favor of those fools who anchor too frelling close in out of the way and secluded anchorages. Face it, as anyone who has seen "Deliverance" a time or two will tell you, nothing says let's pull up our anchor and get gone like a certain banjo lick in the dark...

Throw in a "squeal like a pig" to the mix and they might even leave their anchor!

Listening to Crooked Fingers

So it goes...