Clawhammer Question & Answer
My opinion page addressing inquiries concerning clawhammer technique.
I really like the idea of having a long neck banjo. Is there any problems that are associated specifically with long neck banjos?
Make sure you really want a long-neck banjo before you buy one (do you really need the extra frets?). There are issues with long-necks that you don't have with standard banjos:
They are much harder to adjust. To get the string action adjusted to play equally well at all capo positions, you sometimes have to make compromises. On my Deering, it took a lot of experimenting with the neck angle, truss rod, head tension and bridge height to get it set up where I liked it. I don't like a high action and I have to be careful not to dig in too hard with my right hand or I'll get some string buzzing.
Long-necked banjos are hard on you physically. The only reason to buy a long-neck is it's ability to play in the lower keys of E and F. For those of us who have baritone voices this can very useful, but when played without a capo (the only real reason to purchase a long-neck) it's really hard on the muscles of the shoulder and neck. To get an idea of what it's like, take your standard banjo and touch the tuning peg of the second string with you middle finger only. Hold your hand there for a few minutes and you'll get an idea of how well your body will handle the open position on a long-neck! Better yet, borrow a long-neck from another musician for a day or two and only play without a capo on. This might be impractical as you may have trouble finding someone with a long-neck close to the area you're living in.
If you truly have a use for the extra frets, by all means buy one; I know I enjoy mine. Just don't be one of those players who owns a long-neck but never takes off the capo to explore the unique tonal qualities of the first three frets!
Thanks... Mike