early banjo makers

309 Plus Park Boulevard SC.nb("jason", "romerobanjos.com", "", "", ""); Openback and bluegrass banjos, entirely hand made;Standard New Vintage and custom. Glasgow, KY USA 42141 Length 92.5 cm, Tenor/Plectrum banjo, c1970 in as new condition. The Old Plantation and Gerrit Schoutens Slavendans dioramas from Suriname both appear to depict this ritual. www.hicklerbanjo.com Carlin, Bob. When ragtime and blues music melded into jazz in the 1910s, the tenor banjo was one of the principal instruments in the rhythm section. An entirely different approach to pot construction. SC.nb("contact", "goldtone.com", "", "", ""); Laurie Grundy Apologies for being away and thanks to our resident designer Ginny for putting the site back together. Boulder, CO USA 80301 and the banza collected in Haiti in 1841. The instrument may also have been part of a religious ceremony known as the banya prei. I'm happy to talk banjo if you have any special commission ideas youd like to talk about as well. Ltd. trading as CARTER'S Publications. Furthermore, he continues his research and fine tunes his banjos regularly so that they look and sound as much like the banjos of the early minstrel period as possible. Today, the banjo can be heard in virtually every genre of music. No compensation or gratuity is accepted for inclusion on this list. The best banjos will utilize premium materials and produce rich vibrant tones. All Rights Reserved. S.S. Stewart began making banjos in 1878, and along with others, led the way in developing hybrid banjos banjeaurines (patented by Unlike the fiddle, which African Americans played far more commonly, the banjo was primarily a southern instrument. 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. PRAGUE, 5 Czech Republic +1 (901) 517-5867 These "Minstrel Era" wooden rim banjos are the result of those years of study. Gold-Tone Banjo was originally formed in 1993. Virginia Minstrels spawned many imitators, and the instrumentation and general format of the skits and music became somewhat standardized. Until the 1840s, banjos were homemade gourd-bodied instruments. W.W. Norton & Company, 2022. Roger McGuinn, whose electric 12-string guitar sound defined the Byrds earlier music, played banjo on some songs, as did virtuoso John Hartford. Shunk, PA USA 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. Macon incorporated multiple techniques, including clawhammer and two- and three-finger up-picking, into his banjo playing. In the early twentieth century, manufacturers introduced the four-string, or tenor, banjo. The banjo featured prominently in records manufactured and sold in the first decades of the industry. SHS International The banjo is patterned after detail from "The Old Plantation" painting. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 2007. 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. Box 124 Tsumura covers a great deal of his early collection (one that would grow much more). 137 Utah Avenue The genre is part of the Americana or American roots music category, which includes elements of traditional folk, country. Fairview, TN USA Vega also made some of the early Bacon Professional 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. 84 Womack Street Council (FSC). How many strings? +1 (317) 780-0454 Provenance: Previously owned by George Graham, a professional musician who played in the Auckland area 1930's. Blue Lake, CA USA 95525 In 1958, Mike Seeger (Petes half-brother), Tom Paley, and John Cohen formed the New Lost City Ramblers, a young group that remained faithful to old-time music traditions. error? Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Spike implies that the neck passes over or through the body of the instrument. +1 (615) 456-5486 The first banjos were used by African American immigrants in the deep south. Length 76 cm, A Windsor Premium No. www.nechville.com. SC.nb("tom", "banjo.ie", "", "", ""); Jeffrey P. Kramer A. Sloan & Son. www.chuckleebanjos.com SC.nb("ken", "levandesign.com", "", "", ""); DP Hopkins, Inc. A Reliance banjo hardwood neck with nickelplated and wood body in a wood case. 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. 1898 was a good year Excellent student model, The Windsor 'Pyxe' banjo, c. 1920's, with original case. 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 . Carter's Price Guide to Antiques in Australasia is Registered Trademark of John Furphy Pty. +1 (724) 943-4581 Huber Lancaster with HR-30 Tone Ring. 18124 Bull Rapids Road In the book Banjo Roots and Branches, historian Pete Ross concludes, All three banjos differ enough from African instruments while sharing some details specific to later banjos played and made by European Americans to place them at a point in the banjos history where it was no longer simply a relocated African instrument, but on its way to attaining the structure of the well-known antebellum nineteenth-century banjo.. from one-man shops, so perhaps it means that competition in this segment was rickardbanjos.com We received a 2007 Master/Apprentice grant from the Maryland Traditional Arts Council so I could learn engraving from Kevin. In reality, they were far from that, but they did incorporate elements from both Black and White folk culture. Lon and Camille Decap, sons of Alos Decap who founded the firm in 1902. A c.1920s George Houghton & Sons 'Model 3000' small banjo mandolin, eight steel strings, original bridge, fittings and case. The first consists of primary banjo players and the second of celebrities that also play the banjo. That Half-Barbaric Twang: The Banjo in American Popular Culture. SC.nb("zachary_hoyt", "yahoo.com", "", "", ""); 118 M Mid Town Court SC.nb("hatfieldbanjos", "scrtc.com", "", "", ""); Allen & Monte Hendricks Bluegrass is rooted in the rural music of Appalachia as captured on the old-time string band recordings of the 1920s and 30s. Also during the second half of the nineteenth century, banjo manufacturers began installing frets on the instrument. It was tuned in fifths, like a mandolin or violin, and played by strumming with a plectrum, also known as a pick. One of the most comprehensive lines of banjos of all types from any company. Jam, swap meet Saturday 9:30-10:30 Cece Conway - Black Banjo Videos 10:45-11:45 Paul Sedgwick - The Banjo Lesson The instruments were at the core of White, Black, and integrated string bands, which might also include guitar, mandolin, harmonica, or other instruments. His three-finger guitar style had a significant influence on the bluegrass players of the 1940s. Other prominent bluegrass banjo players, including Don Reno, Sonny Osborne, and Bill Keith, followed in Scruggs footsteps and broke ground of their own. SC.nb("fiddlintim", "gmail.com", "", "", ""); Chuck Lee Banjo Company, Inc. +1 (650) 588-5558 Gold Tone has licensed one model. The Byrds with John Hartford on banjo: "I Am a Pilgrim" (1968). More than period recreations, these are instruments you can comfortably bring any banjo repertoire to. Copyright 2003-2023 by Will Fastie. Other musicians polished up the old sounds and made slick new commercial recordings. www.capekinstruments.com 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. Early, relatively primitive designs of the instrument are African in origin and modern (designs) vaguely resemble these early versions. "African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Conclusion." . I am obsessed with banjo as a tool of reclamation for African American artists.. Cased banjo Sold by in for 791 Burton Ridge Road +1 (800) 5-STRING Early European banjo-makers added a fifth string and a fretboard, and began to experiment with different tunings and string arrangements. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Buffalo Grove, IL USA 60089 SC.nb("theboss", "sloanbanjos.com", "", "", ""); Scott Vestal Early Baltimore Banjo Manufacturers Pete Ross and Greg Adams will revisit the Baltimore Museum of Industry exhibit on William Boucher and what we've learned about Baltimore banjo manufacturers since then. Some 5-strings are made each year. It was played exclusively by Africans in America and African Americans during colonial times and the early United States. University Park, PA: Penn State University Press, 2006. 1.3 3. www.grundybanjos.com Starting in the 1840s, blackface minstrel performers began popularizing the banjo among middle-class Whites who purchased manufactured instruments and learned to play. www.seedersinstruments.com www.georgebanjos.com. Murph Gribble (banjo), Albert York (guitar), and John Lusk (fiddle): "Altamont" (1946). Much of what is deemed folk music has its roots in Africa and African American tradition, notes Giddens. Roger McGuinn, whose electric 12-string guitar sound defined the Byrds earlier music, played banjo on some songs, as did virtuoso John Hartford. The Birth of the Banjo: Joel Walker Sweeney and Early Minstrelsy. But in the early twentieth century, the banjo began to move to town. South San Francisco, CA USA 94080 A Few Notes on the Genealogy of Vintage Banjo Manufacturers. www.wildwoodbanjos.com, The Banjo Loft The pairing of fiddle and banjo, which integrated Celtic American fiddle and African American banjo styles, became central to song and dance traditions. SC.nb("info", "cbguitars.com", "", "", ""); Mike Dawson, Luthier Members of BMG clubs played plucked stringed instruments in a variety of sizes and shapes. His first banjos consisted of a banjo neck attached to a drum-like steam-bent wood hoop with two skin membranes, one stretched over the top and the other over the bottom of the hoop. Dubois, Laurent. 1865- Frank Converse Banjo primer published 1863-1897 James H. Buckbee Co., of New York largest maker. The two races lived in close proximity in the Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont, and other parts of the South, interacting socially and playing music together for dances. 3563 Highway 231 North Crowe & The New South: "Old Home Place" (1975). Know anything? Mostly open-back models. +1 (339) 219-3047 Americas Instrument: The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2018. 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. He used European drum technology to attach the head, which provided a mechanism for controlling the instruments tone. Intrigued by what he witnessed and the banjo, in particular, the younger Seeger began learning to play. The tenor banjo lacked the short fifth string, which provided a single-note musical drone. Unique, clever, a must-see. 1026 W. 6th Place She didnt learn to play that banjo until she was thirty, though, and by then, Jim had dug around enough in the history of American banjos to start making replicas of authentic minstrel banjos. Some localities in the Appalachians developed distinctive designs for homemade banjos. J.D. dphopkinsbanjos.com placement or size. Bryson City, SC USA to answer this question you have to relate banjo manufacturing in both the USA and the From the cubby box of a JA Turner "Alvey" 5 string, how about this little collection, probably cost about six and thruppence ha'penny in Two top-of-the-line instruments from two top makers plying their trades across the pond. In 1930, a Gibson L-1, the guitar reportedly favored by Robert Johnson, cost $50.00, the equivalent of $687.57 today. 2 - First Staghorn and first Stelling designed, built for Brian Welchel, also a student. The rigors of raising a family took precedence over banjo making, but eventually he returned to his craft and maintains a shop in Mesa Arizona. Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt left the Blue Grass Boys to form Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys in 1948. 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. African Banjo Echoes In Appalachia: Study Folk Traditions. SC.nb("sales", "SHSAudio.com", "", "", ""); Frank Neat Also see the SHS online store at www.shop-shs.comand the SHS main site at www.shsint.net. Early Version with Nickel Hardware and Full-Thickness Maple Rim. $4,999.00 USD - Used - Excellent Condition. Minstrel shows featured music and comedy skits performed primarily by White men made up with burnt cork. www.louzee.com SC.nb("laurie", "grundybanjos.com", "", "", ""); Arthur Hatfield 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. When, Through the 1920s and early 1930s, the guitar gradually replaced the banjo in, As the banjo made inroads into middle-class American parlors during the second half of the nineteenth century, it also became integral to the music of the rural South. He has published detailed research into the banjo rim construction. Philip Allison , hailed by many as among the first country-rock albums. SC.nb("info", "omebanjos.com", "", "", ""); Scott Phillips DP Hopkins, Inc. Glasgow, KY USA 42141 A wide array of hardware is available, ask for anything you dont see here. While Briggs' tutor includes guitar-style playing in addition to downstroke, he was more interested in promoting his invention, the banjo thimble. +1 (747) 222-6567 This technique has come to be known as guitar, or classic, style. The banjo sported engraved and gold plated metal parts, engraved mother of pearl position markers on the . Hickler Banjo LLC was established in 2007, but founder Mark Hickler began building musical instruments as a teenager. The instrument may also have been part of a religious ceremony known as the banya prei. Box 8190 802-829-7317 Putting that aside, the early paragraphs are informative; banjo's African roots and early American incarnations in 19th century are . Shelbyville, TN USA 37160 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. I have a particular love for early banjo toys, which includes makers such as Jerome Secor, Ives, Guntermann, Reed, Courier, Phalibois, Vichy, etc. A banjo mandolin, unknown maker, circa 1940s, calfskin head, floating bridge, rosewood fingerboard, nickel hardware, eight buttoned machine heads, hardwood neck and rim, acquired on 12 October 1981, I bought this instrument in 1981 whilst on tour on the, Gibson long necked banjo, purchased in Syndey in 1962 from an American draft dodger, in original hard case. Find an From 1836 on, Sweeney toured the United States and Europe in blackface, becoming the first superstar of the banjo. $4,000.00 USD - Used - Excellent Condition. www.phillipsbanjos.com www.vancebanjos.com www.stonebanjo.com www.americanmadebanjo.com. Horsefly, BC CAN V0L 1L0 Sylvester Louis Vess Ossman was one of the most popular recording artists of his time. +1 (303) 324-6732 Today, the banjo can be heard in virtually every genre of music. The rest were widely scattered, with small clumps around New York City and New Orleans. Click the blue globe to visit the maker's Web site. While some continued to play the instrument, there was a steep decline in the presence of the banjo in Black music. Many details of these early gourd banjos are evident in the instruments built by European American banjo makers in the mid-nineteenth century. As the banjo made inroads into middle-class American parlors during the second half of the nineteenth century, it also became integral to the music of the rural South. Banjo Mandolin early 20th century in original case. The Banjo: Americas African Instrument. The earliest historical record of the banjo in North America was from a 1736 New-York Weekly Journal article. 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. 136 Wart Road 6539, circa 1930, model and serial number impression marks to the front and back of the headstock, 56 cm long, English six string banjo, circa 1900s, open back, with 38 brackets, the headstock plated in nickel, and mother-of-pearl inlay to the fingerboard, 92 cm long, English mandolin banjo, by Windsor, model 3, circa 1920, the engraved tailpiece bearing '94 Newhall St B'Ham/ Eng/ Windsor', 60 cm long, English banjo, circa 1870, the fingerboard and resonator decorated in Tunbridge ware, 89 cm long, English mandolin banjo, by cuckoo, circa 1900s, of typical form, 'Cuckoo' imprinted on the headstock, 55 cm long, American fretless seven string banjo, 2nd half 19th century, of typical design with snakehead shaped headstock and open back, 86 cm long, American Orpheum tenor banjo, by Rettberg & Lange, no. SC.nb("chuck", "chuckleebanjos.com", "", "", ""); As might be expected from the location, the majority of the business is in 4-string banjos. Russell Springs, KY USA 42642 Baltimore City . In 1843, a troupe called Virginia Minstrels put on the first full-length minstrel show in a New York City theater. Leon Ballard Tom & Fintan Cussen Clarinbridge, Co. Galway IRL H91 Yp28 +353 91 796156 +1 (931) 580-5742 Later, Sweeny partnered with a drum maker by the name of William Boucher. Any thoughts? De Meglio & F. Glio' dated 1916, in original leather case. Realizing the recordings were made only a few decades earlier, disciples of the Anthology began seeking out some of the performers. Progressive bluegrass, or newgrass, draws from a wider pool of musical influences than traditional bluegrass and might include more rock and, , which prompted tremendous interest in the raw, rural sounds of the banjo. Prominent players today include Jake Blount, Otis Taylor, Corey Harris, and Taj Mahal. +1 (800) 826-5482 A banjo mandolin, unknown maker, circa 1940s, calfskin head, floating bridge, rosewood fingerboard, nickel hardware, eight buttoned machine heads, hardwood neck and rim, acquired on 12 October 1981, I bought this instrument in 1981 whilst on tour on the Sold by in for You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg. Downright Divisive: Examining the Early Banjo in Colonial Jamaica thanks, George Search Enter Search Value: +1 (540) 887-2313 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. Your donation to Ballad of America, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will teach America's music to children and adults, develop resources for teachers, and build a free online library that promotes appreciation of the ways in which different cultures have contributed to America's musical landscape. In this day and age research into most subjects can start with the internet, but sometimes what is posted is simply perpetuating a myth. Physical improvements in the instrument had enabled it to produce a sufficiently loud sound. SC.nb("manbdawson", "frontier.com", "", "", ""); Founded by Lo Gordon, now in the hands of his son. Kisco NY, Cider Bros Roadhouse | Comfort Food In Red Hook NY, 518 Donuts | Fresh Cake Donuts & Fried Chicken, Troy Waterfront Farmers Market | Indoor Winter Market, The Falcon | No Cover Live Jazz In Ulster County NY. 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. Unknown Maker Tackhead Minstrel Banjo C. 1840s This is probably the earliest banjo in the collection, tackhead banjos predate the use of straining hooks and nuts to tighten the head although cheap versions were in trade catalogs well into the 1890s. Most banjos today are fretted, though some musicians play fretless. +1 (260) 657-5486 In 2019, Giddens, in collaboration with Black banjo players Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell, released the album Songs of Our Native Daughters. Starting in the 1880s, amateur musicians formed banjo, mandolin, and guitar (BMG) clubs. Lindsay Lewellen Philadelphia was a centre of activity for banjo making in the early 1880's and it may be that he was one of the wood workers that cashed in on the banjo craze. Pete Ross Banjos: open-back 5-string banjos based on the designs of late 19th century banjos made by Dobson, Buckbee, Fairbanks, and Cole, with modernizations for the contemporary player. 1 Best Beginner Banjo 2023 Buying Guide 1.1 1. 5680 Valmont Road The earliest instruments came to our shores as part of the slave trade. Aurora, ON CAN L4G 3V5 Brooks Masten It also gives detailed descriptions on the various ways they constructed their clocks including movements. Geared tuners and frets are not part of their skill set or among their usual tools of the trade. 245 Industrial Pkwy S. SC.nb("will", "seedersinstruments.com", "", "", ""); Formerly J. Used - Excellent Condition. Eggleston, VA USA 24086 Box 132 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. 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. We are always interested in purchasing clocks by any of the clock makers listed below.