instruments on the trail

[brother brzo]

any one try thru-hiking with an instrument, been thinking of either bringing my banjo or my penny whistle. thinking the penny whistle would be the better option. so, any tips?

[Tuckahoe]

Please if you have to choose, bring the banjo! Please please please!!

Around here the penny whistle amounts to one of those quaint and cute souvenirs that mom and dad have to buy lil Johnny who then commences to tooting the damn thing all the time and everywhere. The common feeling locally is the desire to shove it so far down the parents throats that they whistle Yankee a doodle every time they fart!

Have I mentions how I feel about penny whistles?

[takethisbread]

any one try thru-hiking with an instrument, been thinking of either bringing my banjo or my penny whistle. thinking the penny whistle would be the better option. so, any tips?

Are u thruhiking or going on tour?

Make a choice IMO see lots of instruments in GA in April but they are hard to find with those who finish in Maine in September


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[Slo-go'en]

Penny Whistles are pretty shrill, but a small bamboo flute or recorder type instrument can sound really nice out in the woods.

String instruments are too bulky and heavy to carry for too long, so they quickly get abandoned. The joke is if you want a nice backpacking guitar or banjo, go to a pawn shop in Erwin.

[RobUgly]

Always finding instruments left behind at shelters. They make great firewood when its raining.

[ridingpa]

Backyard insturments makes a cheap lightweight banjo, and it has a nice mellow tone. I have taken mine camping but never backpacking. I would not take an expensive insturment.
Few years back a guy carried a tuba the whole way.

[Traveler]

Drums. You should bring a full set of traps. There are a lot of folks with guitars, uses, harmonicas, fiddles, dulcimers, banjos, maracas, recorders, and the ever popular tones generated by the Penny Whistle. A drum set would provide the last incomplete piece to any band you could imagine assembling.

[kayak karl]

just one more reason not to use shelters !

[Slo-go'en]

Drums. You should bring a full set of traps.

Really, no need. You can bang on anything. Find a couple of sticks and a hollow log...

[Onda Road Again]

I'm thinking about bringing my harmonica on my CT hike this summer. I'm worried about annoying other hikers if they're camped close by though so I'm still up in the air on it. Also want to shave another pound or so and that 4 oz is awfully enticing to leave behind!

[takethisbread]

Always finding instruments left behind at shelters. They make great firewood when its raining.

Haha! I saw a few this year. People talk about instruments but thruhiking is a job. It's fun but it's serious business . Who brings a banjo to their job?


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[Old Hillwalker]

Hey Hey, a full size bagpipe would be the best way. If you want to be avoided in your campsite methinks. You ought to be able to heat your food with it too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Op1Mng4oY

[Just Bill]

Musical instruments are always welcomed on the trail.

Unfortunately they rarely come equipped with someone who can play them.

[cutter]

A few years ago a thru-hiker carried and played a french horn.

[MrGonzalo]

I'm bringing my uke. Thought about taking the tin whistle, but brass doesn't do well with humidity!


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[Traveler]

Musical instruments are always welcomed on the trail.

Unfortunately they rarely come equipped with someone who can play them.

How true is this! lol

[Hoofit]

any one try thru-hiking with an instrument, been thinking of either bringing my banjo or my penny whistle. thinking the penny whistle would be the better option. so, any tips?

You will tend to run into the same folks all along the trail , at least as far as Harpers Ferry when the numbers thin out...sure hope you know a lot of tunes!

[bigcranky]

I'm thinking a double bass would be the best choice, it can't weigh much more than Tuba Man's tuba.

Banjos are really heavy and the weather is going to ruin any kind of decent instrument. Bring the whistle if you must.

[Thinspace]

I vote for bagpipes! They sound awesome when you hear them coming from off in the distance out of the fog.

[squeezebox]

The sound of bagpipes over the next mountain is magic