Leon Ballard Ltd. They recorded string bands and solo musicians, often on location in makeshift recording studios, and released the music under the labels , Gus Cannon was a versatile and influential African American banjo player. He became the first star of the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast. When ragtime and blues music melded into jazz in the 1910s, the tenor banjo was one of the principal instruments in the rhythm section. By the end of the decade, other White solo banjo players in blackface became popular on the circus and variety show circuit. Find an 183 Cloverdale Dr. Cased banjo Sold by in for Old-time banjo players Clarence Ashley and Dock Boggs enjoyed new opportunities to record and perform on stage at folk festivals, coffeehouses, and college campuses. Bryson City, SC USA 802-829-7317 Mark Hickler Gold Tone has licensed one model. Year 1974 Serial Nos. The strings are attached to the neck with leather or cloth rings. defunct listings were for old-time, open-back banjos and most of these were www.cedarcreekluthiers.com The Anthology was a set of six long-playing records that compiled eighty-four songs initially released on old-time and race record lines in the 1920s and 30s. www.hussanddalton.com. Emmylou Harris, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Neil Young, the Eagles, Pure Prairie League, Linda Ronstadt, and Gillian Welch have created music within these spaces, often featuring banjo in their recordings. 301 Church Street Companies designed banjos particularly for young ladies and targeted marketing campaigns at these principal purveyors of music in Victorian-era parlors. Used - Excellent Condition. The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1893). Modeled on the designs of William A. Cole's 1890s banjos, this instrument has the highly-ornate inlays of the Boston banjo makers but designed with a lower action and steel strings for contemporary five-string players. Vega also made some of the early Bacon Professional banjos. www.sagamusic.com. S.S. Stewart began making banjos in 1878, and along with others, led the way in developing hybrid banjos banjeaurines (patented by (412) 303-8461 The lead finger, usually the index or middle, strikes a string or strings with a downward motion, and the thumb sometimes plucks a string as the hand returns to starting position. 791 Burton Ridge Road It has simple friction tuning pegs, and is strung with nylon strings. Charlie Poole with the North Carolina Ramblers: "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Blues" (1927). +1 (615) 799-9217 Charlotte, NC USA Chuck Lee Banjo Company, Inc. 112 Silverwood Drive Ovilla, TX USA 75154 +1 (972) 617-5576 www.chuckleebanjos.com Made in USA Clareen Banjos As might be expected from the location, the majority of the business is in 4-string banjos. With the group The Weavers, formed in 1948, Seeger took the banjo to the top of the popular music charts multiple times, though the orchestra arrangements on many of their recordings obscured it. www.hicklerbanjo.com This is surely a disturbing trend. J.D. Dorset, VT USA 5251 The earliest instruments came to our shores as part of the slave trade. Aurora, ON CAN L4G 3V5 +1 (724) 943-4581 The Earl Scruggs Deluxe five-string banjo made for Scruggs by Vega in 1960 bore more of a resemblance to their ultra fancy tenor and plectrum banjos than the austere five-string banjos typically associated with folk and country musicians. From 1836 on, Sweeney toured the United States and Europe in blackface, becoming the first superstar of the banjo. Banjo maker Jim Hartel on the African heritage and American history of the banjo. Check the site for the first Standard model, the B100. Later, Sweeny partnered with a drum maker by the name of William Boucher. Members of BMG clubs played plucked stringed instruments in a variety of sizes and shapes. www.ballardbanjers.com During the late 1920s, he recorded for various companies race record lines, which captured African American, In the late 1930s, mandolinist, singer, songwriter Bill Monroe formed The Blue Grass Boys, the band primarily responsible for developing bluegrass music. Historians refer to these new instruments as early gourd banjos. Buffalo Grove, IL USA 60089 Scruggs was a 3-finger up-picking virtuoso who soloed frequently and took the banjo to inventive new places. An entirely different approach to pot construction. Macon incorporated multiple techniques, including clawhammer and two- and three-finger up-picking, into his banjo playing. These groups were common, especially on college campuses. In the late 1930s, mandolinist, singer, songwriter Bill Monroe formed The Blue Grass Boys, the band primarily responsible for developing bluegrass music. www.washburn.com, 56771 Lunar Drive +1 (303) 324-6732 These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only. In addition to his work with gourd banjos, Pete has spent the last 30 years immersed in the study of the earliest wooden rim banjos. SC.nb("zachary_hoyt", "yahoo.com", "", "", ""); 118 M Mid Town Court 44, Birmingham, circa 1920, 5 strings, 12 brackets, the headstock decorated with engraved stainless steel plating, 91 cm long, English zither banjo, by Windsor, model no. Lon and Camille Decap, sons of Alos Decap who founded the firm in 1902. SC.nb("jason", "romerobanjos.com", "", "", ""); Openback and bluegrass banjos, entirely hand made;Standard New Vintage and custom. www.cloverlickbanjoshop.com He soon dispensed . Greenbrier, TN USA 37073 +1 (339) 219-3047 Because they did not fit the White stereotype of hillbilly music, record companies were not interested in recording them, though occasionally Black musicians played in the background on records by White artists. S. S. Stewart produced his own line of banjos from 1878 until his death in 1898. www.stonebanjo.com We received a 2007 Master/Apprentice grant from the Maryland Traditional Arts Council so I could learn engraving from Kevin. 1.6 6. A basic banjo that just captures the tone and playability youre looking for is an option, as is a deep well of design options from historical sources. Although the early history of the banjo is not really clear, most people believe the origin lies in instruments from Africa (see ngoni and akonting on the page Africa). Known is that the African slaves in America (in the 17th and 18th century) used to play some kind of simple instrument made from local materials, to accompany their songs and dances. Throughout the remainder of the century, banjo makers and music book publishers sought to increase sales among the burgeoning White middle class. Carter's Price Guide to Antiques in Australasia is Registered Trademark of John Furphy Pty. Born in 1865, W. E. Temlett left school at the age of 14 and entered his father's factory and it was not long before he was appointed manager. www.huberbanjos.com, 420 Bridge Street +420 241 760 704 South San Francisco, CA USA 94080 www.vancebanjos.com "African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Conclusion." . The efforts of the Gretsch, Vega, Stewart, Gibson and other banjo companies standardized the commercially manufactured 5-string: 11 inch head, 22 frets, 19 inches from nut to shell, position markers at designated frets. In most cases, early banjos were not made by skilled luthiers, but rather plantation made by slave wood workers and later by drum makers and turners (carpenters). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999. 3733 Kenora Drive www.frankneat.com SC.nb("brooksbanjos", "gmail.com", "", "", ""); The Custom Banjo order list is currently closed for the foreseeable future while Buckeye works through its backlog of orders. He spotted the banjo at a New York fair and said it was being played in celebration of an unspecified holiday. Gaddy, Kristina R.Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History. Huber Jim Mills 5 string Banjo Rare Gold Plated . While some continued to play the instrument, there was a steep decline in the presence of the banjo in Black music. SC.nb("fnbanjo", "duo-county.com", "", "", ""); Unique. With case. Virginia Minstrels spawned many imitators, and the instrumentation and general format of the skits and music became somewhat standardized. Apologies for being away and thanks to our resident designer Ginny for putting the site back together. A wide array of hardware is available, ask for anything you dont see here. Home of the Rickard "Cyclone" 10:1 tuners. We are always interested in purchasing clocks by any of the clock makers listed below. +1 (317) 780-0454 +420-603-868120 The genre is part of the Americana or American roots music category, which includes elements of traditional folk, country. University of Tennessee Press, 1995. Often referred to as "the red book" (for obvious reasons) by the banjo-collecting world, the books does a great job at identifying and describing some hightly sought banjos. Uncle Dave Macon: "Take Me Back to My Old Carolina Home". No compensation or gratuity is accepted for inclusion on this list. which was documented in its early days by an English settler within the same rural region . The, was a set of six long-playing records that compiled eighty-four songs initially released on, Realizing the recordings were made only a few decades earlier, disciples of the. PO Box 89 www.hendricksbanjos.com SC.nb("ken", "levandesign.com", "", "", ""); DP Hopkins, Inc. 1994 Gibson RB3 5 string Banjo with Original Case. www.americanmadebanjo.com. Other parts of the "pot" 1.5 5. Minstrel troupes marketed themselves as an authentic representation of Southern plantation life. Check out our early banjo selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. As products from mail-order companies like Sears & Roebuck became available in the late nineteenth century, rural Americans increasingly purchased inexpensive manufactured instruments. The Banjo's Early Days. But as he grew older, disagreements with his . Lacona, NY USA 13083 Deering Boston 6-String Banjo Made in USA $ 2,799.00 $ 2,519.00 The Boston 6 String banjo is tuned like a guitar so guitar players can instantly start playing this type of banjo. The Series is part of the Smithsonian Folkways Instrument Builder Collection . Today, the banjo can be heard in virtually every genre of music. Pete Seeger, son of musicologist Charles Seeger, first heard the 5-string banjo in 1936 at the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in western North Carolina, organized by Bascom Lamar Lunsford. It was tuned in fifths, like a mandolin or violin, and played by strumming with a plectrum, also known as a pick. Jim has had access to a vast array of surviving early banjos through the generosity of banjo history experts, collectors of early musical instruments, and museums. SC.nb("FleshrBnjo", "aol.com", "", "", ""); Custom open back 5-string banjos for traditional old-time music. +1 (901) 517-5867 William Seeders Mosheim They made smaller instruments and added intricate pearl inlays to the neck and headstock. He had led the progress of the 5 string banjo to its peak, both as a piece of 1873 two Johns, Dallas & Brewster, were making banjos in Oxford Street, London but after a few years they split and Dallas went out on Was something wrong with the basic Sweeney design? +1 (918) 551-6419 For all custom orders, I ask for a $300 non-refundable deposit, 1/2 of the total estimated cost of the banjo when I begin building, and the remainder upon completion. 7, Birmingham, circa 1920, 96 cm long, English zither banjo, by Windsor, popular model no. Pete is one of earliest contemporary makers of gourd banjos, making instruments that range from those of his own design to exact replicas of historic instruments. SC.nb("prucha", "pruchabanjos.cz", "", "", ""); A lifelong guitarist, tinkerer and learner, I became interested in building open-back banjos while learning clawhammer-style banjo. S. Stewart, the Student model, Grade 2, Philadelphia, circa 1900, open back with the factory mark impressed to verso, 82 cm long, American Orpheum mandolin banjo, by Rettberg & Lange, no. Bluegrass, both progressive and traditional, The disassociation of the banjo from its African roots is starting to reverse. The banjo became prominent in the United States with the rise of, In 1843, a troupe called Virginia Minstrels put on the first full-length, series of banjo tutors published over the following decades. These banjos can have 10.5, 11 or 12 inch pots; with any rim/ tone ring combination available including Electric Prototype, Bacon reproduction, Whyte Laydie, Tubaphone, Dobson; and a standard 25.5 inch scale length, or a shorter 23.5 inch. To the heal an impressed metal plaque bearing ' the new Windsor/, English zither banjo, by Windsor, Artiste model, Birmingham, circa 1900, the brass impressed plate on the heel reads 'The new Windsor patent zither banjo A.O. Poco, New Riders of the Purple Sage, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and others carried country-rock into the 1970s and beyond. www.stealthbanjo.com Moreover, the accompanying illustration of the Creole-Bania in the top right corner of Narrative's Plate 69, "Musical Instruments of the African Negroes" (1790/1796, 1988/2010: 539 . The company has been producing banjos for over 40 years and has earned a reputation for being one of the best banjo makers in the world. 1 - 7. Ekona Diatta plays "Gambia" on the akonting (2007). Franklin, TN USA www.romerobanjos.com Banjo Mandolin early 20th century in original case. No. Black musicians played the banjo to accompany singing and dancing, sometimes with percussion or hand clapping. No direct sales; through dealers only. +1 (615) 264-4959 . Tulsa, OK USA 74112 Played in the rural South since the second half of the nineteenth century, the banjo rose to become prominent in folk, country, Enslaved West Africans in the Caribbean created a new instrument by incorporating elements of European instruments into the familiar design of their plucked spike lutes. Welcome to the Vintage Banjo Maker, please do sign up for email updates to keep in the loop about new additions to our research coming soon! He has published detailed research into the banjo rim construction. www.cedarmtnbanjos.com Spencerville, IN USA 46788 The Kingston Trio, with banjo player Dave Guard, released their first album in 1958. 112 Silverwood Drive +1 (619) 464-8252 Virtually Unplayed, One of the Nicest Examples. First, the banjo was priced out of the market as the Great Depression swept through the country. Have a Glasgow, KY USA 42141 www.deeringbanjos.com Progressive bluegrass, or newgrass, draws from a wider pool of musical influences than traditional bluegrass and might include more rock and jazz elements. In the early twentieth century, manufacturers introduced the four-string, or tenor, banjo. SC.nb("hicklerbanjo", "gmail.com", "", "", ""); Open back banjos and other folk instruments built in Orwell, NY. However, bluegrass incorporates jazz influences and emphasizes instrumental virtuosity and improvised solo breaks, which were not prevalent in old-time music. Carlin, Bob. The Carolina Chocolate Drops with Dom Flemons on banjo: "Country Girl" (2012), Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons, former members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, continue to perform, explore, and tell the banjos story in live performances, recordings, writings, and interviews. SC.nb("banjobart", "aol.com", "", "", ""); Rob Bishline The 1890s brought the dawn of recorded sound with Thomas Edisons phonograph and Emile Berliners gramophone. In this day and age research into most subjects can start with the internet, but sometimes what is posted is simply perpetuating a myth. 245 Industrial Pkwy S. The instrument may also have been part of a religious ceremony known as the banya prei. Its loud, bright sound cut through jazz bands and dance orchestras, providing a solid rhythm. Cannons output included bluesy and jazzy music, and he played banjo with both downstroke and up-picking styles. Ltd. trading as CARTER'S Publications. Some 5-strings are made each year. Custom Windrose banjo for sale / best offer. thanks, George Not all brands have been created . Much of what is deemed folk music has its roots in Africa and African American tradition, notes Giddens. . The banjo thimble, a precursor to the fingerpicks that are standard in bluegrass playing, increased the volume of banjo soloists performing in the downstroke style on stage. Does the peg head profile really tell you the maker? +1 (951) 486-1456 Jim Hartel was one of the banjo makers selected for the North American Banjo Builder Series. Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 2016. Banjo built by William Boucher, Jr. in Baltimore Maryland in 1845. www.chuckleebanjos.com www.epiphone.com 5, circa 1920, maker and model number impressed to the head stock, the fingerboard inlaid with mother-of-pearl. SC.nb("patrick", "pisgahbanjos.com", "", "", ""); Jaroslav Prucha By the 1850s, the banjo had become an integral part of American culture. Some 5-strings are made each year. Somerville, TN USA 38068 1865- Frank Converse Banjo primer published 1863-1897 James H. Buckbee Co., of New York largest maker. I reserve the right to remove a listing without notice if the maker's Web site goes offline or I am unable to get in touch with a builder within a reasonable amount of time. problem with this list? The banjo has an animal skin head stretched over the gourd and attached with tacks. . Today, the banjo can be heard in virtually every genre of music. Shelbyville, TN USA 37160 Want to get on this list? Over the decades, banjos have evolved into a bewildering array of styles including open four-string and plectrum banjos, five-string banjos, as well as banjos with guitar, mandolin or ukulele necks. African Banjo Echoes In Appalachia: Study Folk Traditions. Eminence, MS USA Historians refer to these new instruments as early gourd banjos. Fretted instruments, such as guitars and mandolins, are generally easier to play in tune than unfretted instruments, such as violins, violas, and cellos. www.georgebanjos.com. 9777 Missaukee Lane 84 Womack Street Mastercraft banjos have been around since the early 1970s, when the company was founded by John W. "Jack" Martin in the small town of Pickens, South Carolina. The genre is part of the Americana or American roots music category, which includes elements of traditional folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. SC.nb("rooster", "cloverlickbanjoshop.com", "", "", ""); Dean O. Robinson +1 (650) 588-5558 in banjo orchestras, they were tuned an octave higher than a standard banjo. In some historical records, "playing banya" or "playing banjo" may have referred to the dance ritual, not the musical instrument. +1 (260) 657-5486 Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons, former members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, continue to perform, explore, and tell the banjos story in live performances, recordings, writings, and interviews. Christian has been with Tommy since 2007 and has another shop in Memphis. (828) 768-3488 String bands primarily provided music for square dances and step dances in southern Appalachia. www.goldtone.com Chuck Levy, Shlomo Pestcoe, Pete Ross, Tony Thomas, and Saskia Willaert. However, the nature of the fixed intervals requires some compromise in intonation. Note that instruments made during the war by this renowned maker are rare. 7 years earlier was the. No banjos currently in production, a sad condition for a past great name in instruments. SHS International Fairview, TN USA Shelbyville, TN USA 37160 Portland, OR USA The banjo is patterned after detail from "The Old Plantation" painting. www.nechville.com. +1 (503) 568-3044 , hailed by many as among the first country-rock albums. Matsumoto, Nagano Japan 399-0015 Known today as Banjo clocks, these elegant wall clocks are prized by collectors. Thomas Dartmouth Rice started the minstrel craze in 1828 with his song and dance Jump Jim Crow. Joel Walker Sweeney was the first minstrel performer to play the banjo. He's done ground breaking research on early banjo makers William Boucher Jr. and Levi Brown, and was co-curator with Greg Adams and Bob Winans of the exhibit Making Music: The Banjo, Baltimore and Beyond. I have spent decades studying historic banjos and is happy to work with any early designs or collaborate on completely new design concepts beyond what you see here. Laemouahuma Daniel Jatta with an akonting (photo by Chuck Levy). Though there is little documentation, some may have picked up the instrument before the rise of minstrelsy.