buying instruments

[mel4Him]

hey! i really want (need!!!) a cello and my friend suggested ebay, but i was a little hesitant about that. does anyone have any insight or know a place where i could buy a cello? thanx so much!!

[matt the fiddler]

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT buy instruments form ebay-
[trust me- i teach strings..[am a strign music teacher/ major]]

99% of the time they are the cheapest line that exists- which means you will have to put a lot of money into the upkeep of them jsut to keep them playable-

look and see if there is a school music dealer near you- one that specializes in strings or what ever- some of them have really good rental programs- so oyu can start out with one till you are ready to buy ... [or even better are the rent to own programs.] if you have any q's on who to go to- call any pubilic school near by [2 hours or so is close enough] that has an orchestra program.. and ask them who exists in the area.

matt

[mel4Him]

Thanx Matt!! That's what I figured, but I just thought I'd ask anyway. I have talked to my teacher about it and she said the same thing. I was just getting my hopes up! Yeah well! I'll get one eventually!! Thanx again!

[jaceyhomen]

I have always had this nagging picture of myself playing a banjo. Never too old to learn, they say, and I am old. Any ideas on banjos? Easier to learn than a guitar? Should I buy a student size or something? Would the guitar teacher one of my kids had be a likely banjo teacher or must I find a strickly banjo teacher? Anything I should look for when buying (or renting?) a used banjo? Like what brand to pass up, etc.... Thanks.

[sarah]

hey i play the banjo and it's a totally cool instrument. banjos are a lot harder than guitar in my opinion. you don't strum. it's all picking. and there are a ton of different rolls and picking patterns you have to learn. the tuning is weirder and the frets are farther apart. and the neck is also longer.

[jaceyhomen]

Thanks, Sarah. Now I am completely intimidated! My father played every stringed instrument but a harp. I was interested in the banjo back then but I never took advantage of his expertise. I may continue my struggles with a guitar. Thanks for responding.

[mandoBob]

don't let the banjo intimidate you! the world needs more great banjo pickers. I actually dont play the banjo, but it's next on my list (jack of all trades, master of none...)
can you fingerpick on your guitar? I'm no expert, but guitar fingerpicking seems pretty darn close to banjo picking. I'm terrible at fingerpicking, but if I sat down and kept at it, it would come.
of course the chords are different, but that's nothing you can't learn! sure there are lots of different rolls, but if you master one or a couple, you'll be having fun in no time.
sure it's easy to sound bad on a banjo, but there's nothing like it when you're sounding good.
go listen to some Bela Fleck...either early stuff like Drive or newer stuff like The Bluegrass Sessions (or mind-blowing stuff like Perpetual Motion). You might be so blown away you'll never want to try, but hopefully your imagination will be sparked, and even though you'll never be a Bela (trust me, you wont!), you can have just as much fun as he does! Victor Wooten (his bassist for the flecktones) did that for me, and here I am, a few instruments later, still loving music, even tho I'm not all that good.
anyway, try it! in my opinion you cant lose with an epiphone. other than that, I'd befriend some local pickers if I were you.
enjoy.

[jaceyhomen]

Mandobob....thanks! Best thing you said was to remind me that it really doesn't matter (unless you are career minded) that a person is able to play only so-so. It's the joy of playing that matters. My musician dad (who was on the road with his band until my mother suggested it was time to get a real Job) used to tell us that nobody...nobody....is as happy as a musician. Even if you're not a headliner, even if your records don't sell....you have a gift to yourself in your ability to play an instrument for the pure joy of it. I'm not quite at the joy stage yet.....but I'm working on it! Thanks for responding.

[sarah]

sorry didn't mean to discourage you. i'm just stating my opinion. finger picking is a bit different on the banjo then on the guitar. but the banjo is so much fun. i encourage you to pick it up.

[jaceyhomen]

Sarah...don't apologize! You didn't discourage me, just intimidated me! And I appeciated your opinion. I am a real musical clutz and always doubt my ability to do anything new. (It's harder to learn anything when you're older as I am...or at least we think it is!) Do you play other instruments?
Jacey

[mandoBob]

I like your dad's perspective a lot. I don't aspire to musical greatness, but at the same time I think fun is not quite what I'm looking for...perhaps fulfillment? Yet I have come to realize that Jesus is my only true fulfillment (and I hope you do too). I guess I just want to do something beautiful. Besides, since any amount of talent I may have is truly a gift from above, I'll try to offer my talent up as thankful praise.
And I've found music to be quite relaxing, as well as social.
As far as on stage and such goes, I remember a perspective from David Wilcox (I think it was him at least) who said he throught of himself as a servant of the audience...such a contrast to your average rock star! It's so so so easy to fall into the look at me trap, that anything else is truly grace. Anyway, I guess I'm not sticking to the topic of this thread :-)
Oh another thing about the 'jo...if you're intimidated by the scruggs picking style, I think clawhammer is pretty cool too . Check out some Gillian Welch stuff....she apparently taught herself.

[jaceyhomen]

Mandobob: Gillian Welch taught herself? I love her. Love her voice and style. Her music is like velvet, smooth and seemingly effortless. Great artist.

Yes, your musical talents are a gift from God. .

One thing, among many, that I love about Sara, Sean and Chris...they know their gifts are from God, they work hard to embelish those gifts to make them even finer, and they share them with us, humbly and joyously.

I liked your story about the artist who felt he was a servant of the audience. Who paid to see/hear him. Who buy his cds. Without whom he'd be like me! Playing into the wind for his own enjoyment!

My dad's love of his music stayed with him all of his life. I never went to bed as a kid without hearing him, and friends, jamming in the basement. He played at weddings and office events and family gatherings. Although he suffered through his real Job to support us all....music remained his main love.

When he died we gave his instruments (including his precious banjo!) to a cousin of mine who plays in a bluegrass band in Northern California.

Thanks again for responding and have a safe, happy holiday weekend.

Jacey

[sarah]

yeah i play the guitar, mandolin, and dulcimer also. i would think it's easier to play instruments when you are older. a lot of kids my age don't have the patients or think it's cool to play instruments. i started to teach a couple kids guitar... like 10 year olds. and they just didn't like practicing. i never made them practice though i feel music should be something you want to do not something you are forced to do.

[jaceyhomen]

Hi Sarah: I had an uncle who made dulcimers....from scratch, carefully, lovingly. They were beautiful, he had three or four of his mounted on a wall, I remember. Beautiful wood he used... I don't think he played though....can't remember ever seeing him play them. I don't know how you can make an instrument if you don't play it....

Yes, 10 year olds don't usually practice much.....unless they're child prodigy types like our S, S, & C. I'm struggling to learn now as brain exercise, and to fulfill old dreams. Actually, I wanted to play the drums....but even my dad frowned on girl drummers. In his day, drummers were the Bad Boys of music. I still hear drums over other instruments when listening to some genres of music.

Have a nice, safe holiday weekend.

Jacey

[sarah]

i have a friend who makes awesome guitars and mandolins. my dad plays drums and taught me how to play just a little. i also took piano lessons when i was 7.