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Bela Fleck's Rickenbacker Banjo

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 2:22 am
by philhowes
I read an interesting interview of Bela Fleck in the Toronto Star where he talks about his cool Electric Rickenbacker banjo.

Check it out.

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 2:27 am
by admin
Q:You've gone from one banjo on The Flecktones self-titled 1990 debut, to playing a different instrument on almost every track of this new record. Why?

A: When we made the first record, I just played my main banjo, which is an antique banjo from the 1930s. It's still the one I'd keep if I had to give everything else up, but I have a lot of cool banjos now. I couldn't actually give you a number, there's a room stuffed with banjos, but probably somewhere between 20 and 30. One of the cool ones I have is a Rickenbacker electric banjo that was made in the '60s. It kind of sounds like George Harrison's guitar. It's a Rickenbacker guitar in a banjo shape with a banjo neck. It's really fun.

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:20 am
by jingle_jangle
Ummmm...Bantar?

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:38 am
by admin
Yes. Another example of a musician that loves his work and the sound of an instrument, but is not completely versed with its features.

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 5:18 am
by leftybass
I've always wondered what an all-Rickenbacker Bluegrass set-up (electric) would sound like...

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 5:23 am
by jwilli

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 5:37 am
by philhowes
Ha!

At first I thought they were just bashing away and then began to watch and realized they were actually playing. They were pretty good!

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:31 am
by leftybass
John, that was David when he was younger..Image

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 2:21 pm
by jdogric12
Sorry to veer slightly, but... I got to see Fleck and crew at the historic Tampa Theatre a few months back. I love their music but had never invested the time to get into it, other than the Cosmic Hippo CD. The show was musically probably the best I have ever seen. They all did things I would not have thought possible. And after the show, they greet everyone and take pictures and chat. What a great group.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:20 am
by vito
I've seen them close to a dozen times, and IMHO, they are in a class by themselves.