New In Ky

[Chief31794]

Kayla,

Welcome aboard. I am a bluegrass musician, I play guitar (53 years, Banjo 40 Years, and Dobro 10 Years). A lot of the work I do in the leather shop is for musicians, typically Guitar Straps, Banjo Straps (Cradle type), and Dobro Straps. I have a professional musician in Nashville wearing one of my straps and I've sold them in Australia and the US. I also make western style leather belt buckles for musicians so they don't scratch their instruments while they are on stage. Just got back from a jam tonight.

I think you'll like this site, lots of information.

Ken

[Fiddlegirl89]

That's really neat, Ken, that you make the straps! My dad always says I'd make a lot of money doing those...especially when we go to bluegrass festivals! Have you been to Bear on the Square in Dahlonega? My family also travels to craft fairs and that's one of our regulars. We lived in Zebulon, GA until about 3 years ago, so most of our musical background is based there...

If you know bluegrass musicians...do you know who Ron Stewart is? I'm hopefully going to be taking lessons from him soon, after IBMA, so I'm super excited! We just went to a festival this past weekend and heard Dailey and Vincent...my favorite group!

[Chief31794]

Fiddlegirl89,

Have not been to Bear on the Square, but I'd heard about it. A friend of mine went last year and sent me pictures of a bass player with a toy stuffed possum on his bass. I send out jam letters and sign them off with a caricature of a possum picking the dobro. I may try to get up there. I was at Hillside Bluegrass Festival last weekend. We make quite a few and will make more when I retire in 2012. I know of Ron Stewart, I know he used to play with JD Crowe and the New South, but every body that is any body in BG has played with JD at one time or another. I heard he had moved on, I think he's playing in another group now. I travel a lot with my job and play in jams and shows all over the country but specifically in Columbus, OH and Baltimore, MD as well as quite a bit around here. I recently did a radio show in Douglas, GA but it's hard to commit to working shows when you're still tied to a regular job. My two big trips this year was to Merlefest in April and ResoGat in July. I just got an order yesterday for a Bass (lectric ifn ya can believe that) strap. When I get it done I'll take some photos and post em. I've attached a picture showing my dobro strap design, it's designed to slip over the headstock and rest between the top four tuners. As I said I have a Banjo strap design that is a cradle type strap the strap goes all around the body of the banjo and cradles the body and tone ring assembly. Most banjo pickers store the banjo in the case with the strap still attached anyway.

Keep on Pickin' (or actually bowing in your case), it's hard to find fiddle players in this part of the country, we have only one good one that I know of and he's older than dirt and crankier than any one man has a right to be, but he sure can fiddle. His name is Vernon Roberts, I asked him once if he wanted to do a fiddle tune (we had just done 3-4 banjo/dobro oriented tunes (Dear old Dixie, Fireball Maile, etc) and he told me that "All tunes are fiddle tunes if you know how to fiddle."

I included a picture of me at Merlefest and one of my Dobro, it's a Beard MA-6 and I have really enjoyed it since moving up to it about 5 years ago. I have a Martin D-28 (1974 that I have had since 1980 when I rescued it out of a pawn shop), a Deering Banjo and I also have two fiddles (one I won at Hillside last year). I tried to learn to play the fiddle a while back and my grandkids disowned me and the family dog ran off. After about two weeks I scratched out something that sounded sorta like faded love, but we can't be sure. I've packed the fiddles up and will be sticking with something I know something about.

"If the woman's still alive at the end of the song, it ain't bluegrass!"

Ken

[Chief31794]

Fiddlegirl89,

Got so involved with ranting on about Bluegrass that I forgot to attach a picture of the dobro strap design. I'm working on a strap design that will have a quick disconnect at the head stock so the piece for the headstock can be installed under the strings and still be removable, I'm tossing around a couple of ideas.

Here tis'

[Chief31794]

Fiddlegirl89,

One more thing, as far as making money selling straps at bluegrass festivals, there is literally "tens of dollars" to be made doing that. Same thing I say about playing Bluegrass Music. Best way to get a million dollars making custom instrument straps is to start with two million.

Ken

[King's X]

Ms. KaylaWelcome to the forum. Nice intro......by reading it, you don't seem like a 'cut and dry' story. Wow!Thanks for joining us here.....great pictures and nice work! Don't feel intimidated! You do nice braiding......I cannot make a knot that stays, so there, you got one up on me! Thanks for Grandpa for the reference.Greetings from Central Texas!

[Bearns]

Hi Fiddlegirl, welcome to the site. I love your braiding, it's beautiful.

[dawn]

welcome