Archive for January, 2012
What is Crowe Spacing?
Have you ever heard of the term “Crowe spacing”? It refers to a banjo which has strings that are equally spaced, except at the bridge where they are one eighth of an inch further apart. Each string is therefore 1/32-inch further apart than standard banjo string spacing.
There is debate as to whether Crowe spacing is better or worse than standard spacing. Some musicians argue that the wider spacing improves overall tone and is slightly easier to play. Others contend that the wider spacing slows them down and is thus more difficult to play. What do you think? Have you ever played a banjo with Crowe spacing?
The name Alan Bibey is well known to bluegrass music fans. Since the early 1980s, Alan Bibey has made a name for himself as an incredibly talented mandolinist. In fact, he has been named Mandolin Player of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America in 2007, 2009, and 2010.
Nowadays Bibey lends his mandolin and vocal skills to the band Grasstowne. The rest of the group includes Dustin Pyrtle on guitar/vocals, Justin Jenkins on banjo, Kameron Keller on bass, and Adam Haynes on fiddle. Grasstowne’s first two projects, ‘The Road Headin’ Home’ and ‘The Other Side of Towne,’ went to number one and two on the National Bluegrass charts.