Fingerstyle: News Desk

	For archived 2008 news items click here.

12/12/09	New Item for the Accessories Store EARL'S SUSPENDER - 5TH STRING CAPO Want to get out of G or CC tuning? No need to make holes in your banjo neck or fingerboard! Ingenious clip/elastic capo allows fast key changes. Click here for more details

Posted 12/12/09	Get a case conversion kit for an Old Timey Open Back Banjo! Best quality velvet over foam circle protects and lifts the open-back for correct neck support on centre console. For more details see the Accessories Store

Posted 12/12/09	Another gorgeous Open Back Banjo for the Store. BUCKMASTER WITH VEGA TUBAPHONE TONERING - Pre-loved - 2006. Excellent Condition - and what a sound! A fine example of Australian luthier, Roger Buckmaster's experienced craftsmanship. Click here for more details.


Posted 8/12/09	Happy Christmas from Fingerstyle Banjostore! Check out the value on these new or as-new Top Shelf US and Aussie banjos! Yates Ron Stewart - was $5590 - NOW $5190 - (RRP: $5735 AUD allowing $400US freight) Stelling Swallowtail - was $5990 - NOW $5690 - (RRP: $6974 AUD allowing $400US freight) Kel Kroydon - was $4599 - NOW $4450 - (RRP: $5380 AUD allowing $400US freight) Hopkins Woodie - was $5200 - NOW $4850 (RRP: $5625 AUD allowing $400US freight) Laurie Grundy- Lonnie Hoppers Special - was $5590 - NOW $5290 - (RRP: $5700 AUD) White Swallow Southern X was $2500 - NOW $2390 (RRP: $3200 AUD)


Posted 8/12/09	Attention all Clawhammer pickers... an Aussie frailers interest group has just been started; the rallying point is a newbie frailer Cedric Bullard from Cronulla, NSW. It will be a way of networking info, tabs and events for all of us who love the old-timey styles. If you'd like to be added to the contact list, Cedric's email is: cedric.b@optusnet.com.au

Posted 5/12/09	Two new banjos for the Store The Fingerstyle stock keeps coming! Two more banjos to add to the wide choice of banjos available to roadtest! Click here for more details.

Posted 22/10/09	Two gorgeous banjos! And what a contrast! Glossy perfection - Grundy Maple banjo (made in Australia) versus the "why wait 40 years" distressed-finish Yates, USA. Finger-lickingly delicious eye candy for banjo pickers... Which one would you choose? Read all about them at the Store.
	Laurie Grundy Maple Banjo Lonnie Hoppers Signature	Yates Ron Stewart Signature Mahogany Bluegrass Banjo USA
Posted 13/10/09	Banjo Makeover Ibanez Artist 1976 “If Only They Could Talk!” by Wendy Holman, Fingerstyle Read this amazing article of a banjo that has been given a new lease of life!

Posted7/9/09	Harrietville Bluegrass & Traditional Country Music Convention 2009 Click on the above link for the new website. There is also a new flyer available.

Posted 12/8/09	Three new instruments for the Store A Maton Tommy Emmanuel guitar, a White Swallow Diamond Special Banjo and a Kentucky Mandolin!

Posted 11/8/09	2 Preloved Banjos added to the Store A Hopkins Woodie and a 70s Ibanez Artist. See the Store for more details.

Posted 9/8/09	New banjo for the Store Fingerstyle extends a warm welcome to this Australian new designer of open-back banjos! Using innovative designs and rich tonewoods, a banjo to inspire playing pleasure and pride of ownership for years to come.

Posted 30/7/09	Unusual new item for the Store A White Swallow Banjo Ukulele. This mandolin-size instrument built by Alan Funk in response to the new craze sweeping the country. Click here for more photos and details

Posted 30/7/09	A very special banjo for the Store A rare Stelling Swallowtail. Pre-Loved - 2007 Click here for more photos and details

Posted 7/7/09	Two new quality banjos for the Store A Gibson RB250 - Pre-Loved - C1979 - Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA and a Kel Kroydon New Generation 11 Mahogany - Pre-Loved -2007. For more details click here.

Posted 19/6/09	Fingerstyle Beginners Slow Jam and Tips Workshop on Sat 25th July, starting 1.00pm at 70 Perwillowen Road, Nambour. Cost $30 including light afternoon tea. Songsheets will be provided and the emphasis will be on keeping time with the singer, and following chords to well known Old Timey and Bluegrass songs. Wendy will give demonstrations and pointers on banjo accompaniment to suit each song. Contact Wendy for more information on 07 54761955 or We will also announce the Beginners/Intermediate Bluegrass banjo Rolling Back-Up Workshop No.2 on Sat 26th June. This is No. 2 in a series of getting to grips with Scruggs Style back-up over open chords. How to keep a continuous bluegrass banjo presence, establish the tonal centre and when to play those juicy licks that add so much sparkle!

Posted 16/6/09	Big weekend for Sunshine Coast pickers this weekend. Saturday is the Hunchy Hillbillies Sunshine Coast Bluegrass Picnic. Sunday is the Palmwoods Bowls Bluegrass Instruments Picking Session. For details on both events, see the Queensland Events Calendar.

Posted 14/6/09	New Item for the Store. A preloved Martinez banjo - click here for more details.

Posted 13/5/09	Brilliant US Clawhammer player to hold Workshop in Australia Cathy More is a brilliant US banjo clawhammer player coming to Aus in late November and is looking for participants for a workshop in subversive clawhammer. She will be visiting Brisbane or Sydney on 28th/29th November depending on the number of participants. Workshop topics could include syncopation/beyond bum-ditty, learning by ear, making a tune your own, or similar ideas. Or we could just jam– whatever works for you. View a YouTube video of Cathy here. You can also see Cathy at mySpace. Fingerstyle is keen to support Cathy's workshop in either Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast. Queenslanders interested in either venue can contact Cathy on her banjohangout blog, or Wendy

	Monthly Bluegrass Jam at Palmwoods Bowls Club, Sunshine Coast. When: Sunday 19th April (next month's dates will be available soon) Starts; 1.30pm What? Strictly Bluegrass acoustic jam Who? Convenor is Terry Cook email tn_cook@hotmail.com If you'd like a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon and pick a few tunes, bring your instrument. If you can't play but enjoy listening and singing on the choruses, see ya there! All welcome. (Palmwoods Bowls Club is a Licenced Premises: There are poker machines in the club but in a different area to the jam so underage music lovers can participate in the jam without contravening the licencing laws.)

Posted 1/5/09	New item added to the store. A Sonny Osborne Banjo - Walnut/Gold Osborne Chief - Pre-Loved - 2006 Your chance to own a cracker of a banjo! Retails for $4500 US, that's approx (if our dollar would stand still long enough!!!) $7,800 AUD landed. Bluegrass pickers searching for a serious banjo will instantly recognise these famous names in banjo making... Click here for further details.

Posted 7/4/09	New item added to the store. A non-resonator Mini-Jumbo from Don Morrison, South Australia, of world-wide resonator guitar making fame. Click here for further details.

Posted 7/3/09	New items added to the store. Six new banjos added. A White Swallow Southern Cross, a Recording King Professional/Custom, 2 Leo Fender collectable 70's banjos, a collectable 70's Washburn B21 Mystic and a Grundy Lonnie Hoppers Special. All quality instruments. Click here for further details.

Posted 28/2/09	New items added to the store. Masterpiece Gold-Plated 5-String Banjo - Pre-Loved. and a White Swallow Custom - "All the Aces" - Pre-Loved. C 1998 Click here for more photos and details


Posted 26/2/09	Banjo Bargain! Second-hand banjos, going cheap! Click here for further details and photos. Pre-Loved - as is. Emperador, approx 35 years old. All straight and plays well. Pre-Loved - as is. Morris, approx 40 years old - fair condition. Heavy cast tone ring, 3 ply rim, 2-piece flange, dual co-ordinator rods, geared tuners. Mahogany neck and resonator. Pre-Loved - as is. Recital, as new condition. All straight and plays well.

Posted 25/2/09	New item added to the store. KEL KROYDON "STYLE 11" 5-STRING RESONATOR BANJO & CASE 2007 - Pre-Loved Top quality replica of the much sought-after "blue, red and black on yellow pearloid" prewar banjo. .... Click here for more photos and details


Posted 17/2/09	Peter Rowan Concert in Brisbane, 11th March at the Old Museum Concert Hall, Bowen Bridge Road, Herston. Supported by the Redlands Bluegrass Boys. Click here for a pdf flyer of the event

Posted 2/1/09	New item added to the Shop White Swallow Swagman Bluegrass banjo - New Hand crafted by Alan Funk of South Australia. One-piece Queensland Maple neck is very slim, front to back - feels really good under the hand. Click here for more details.