Just in time to ring in the New Year, the mermaid banjo was strung and ready to play.

She’s surprisingly resonant, with just the balance of tone with percussion we’d hoped for.  Bluegrass banjos, with their hard resonators and snare-drum-tight heads, tend to be brash and sharp; old-time banjos tend to err in the opposite direction, with large pots and loose heads to create a sound that’s more thump than tone. Amber had chosen this pot in the hopes of a goldilocks-like compromise between the two that would suit her light, melodic clawhammer style. Continue reading “Mermaid Banjo Splashdown” →