Banjo music is as popular as it has ever been. . 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. Many details of these early gourd banjos are evident in the instruments built by European American banjo makers in the mid-nineteenth century. +1 (800) 444-2766 +1 (417) 839-5951 The disassociation of the banjo from its African roots is starting to reverse. Players tune the instrument by sliding the rings up or down to tighten or loosen the strings. Banjo Facts: A Selected History - Hamilton College Chuck Levy, Shlomo Pestcoe, Pete Ross, Tony Thomas, and Saskia Willaert. In 1968, the Byrds brought it back home with their album. J.D. The images may have been edited by me for University of Tennessee Press, 1995. Length 92.5 cm, Tenor/Plectrum banjo, c1970 in as new condition. By the end of the century, banjo repertoire had expanded from plantation and minstrel tunes to include sentimental popular songs, waltzes, mazurkas, polkas, and ragtime. www.flesherbanjos.com It also gives detailed descriptions on the various ways they constructed their clocks including movements. +1 (260) 657-5486 791 Burton Ridge Road One of these Old Time banjos can be a simple straightforward purchase, or a deeply collaborative process. SC.nb("info", "cbguitars.com", "", "", ""); Mike Dawson, Luthier Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2018. Saga Musical Instruments Dubois, Laurent. I'm happy to talk banjo if you have any special commission ideas youd like to talk about as well. By the 1850s, the banjo had become an integral part of American culture. SC.nb("will", "seedersinstruments.com", "", "", ""); Formerly J. American Banjo Makersby Stuart Cohen Recomposed by Steve Trussel This list first appeared in an article in Volume 7 Number 1 of Mugwumpsmagazine of which Michael I. Holmesis publisher and editor. Banjo Roots and Branches. Length 76 cm, A Windsor Premium No. Early forms of the instrument were fashioned by African Americans in the United States. The 1890s brought the dawn of recorded sound with Thomas Edisons phonograph and Emile Berliners gramophone. This is surely a disturbing trend. By the end of the nineteenth century, the banjo had become the most popular fretted, stringed instrument in America. Check the site for the first Standard model, the B100. It has gone from being an exclusive sound of West Africa, to being associated with the distinct bluegrass twang of the Appalachians and the unique picking style of clawhammer banjoists. You will have to see if Tran Du Ly has it, Chip passed away some years ago, great guy! 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. Until the 1840s, banjos were homemade gourd-bodied instruments. Lon and Camille Decap, sons of Alos Decap who founded the firm in 1902. Ekona Diatta plays "Gambia" on the akonting (2007). gourd banjo. 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. The 1890s brought the dawn of recorded sound with Thomas Edisons phonograph and Emile Berliners gramophone. www.deeringbanjos.com A Reliance banjo hardwood neck with nickelplated and wood body in a wood case. The earliest instruments came to our shores as part of the slave trade. List of banjo players - Wikipedia +1 (517) 339-3505 Ltd. Members of BMG clubs played plucked stringed instruments in a variety of sizes and shapes. Earl Scruggs and His Blue Grass Boys with Earl Scruggs on banjo: "Why Did You Wander". Philip Allison SC.nb("info", "bishlinebanjos.com", "", "", ""); Moreno Valley, CA USA 92552 Mark Hickler The brand focuses primarily on creating high-quality acoustic stringed instruments, with options available to all ability levels, styles, and budgets. This technique has come to be known as guitar, or classic, style. An impressive list of artists. Copyright 2003-2023 by Will Fastie. The Old Plantation and Gerrit Schoutens Slavendans dioramas from Suriname both appear to depict this ritual. 7 years earlier was the Well built in Philadelphia (note the rosewood pot) around 1886 this 130 year old Samuel Stewart Piccolo travelled the world and ended up except Samuel S Stewart was not a well man. This is a list of builders of 5-string banjos, both Bluegrass (5-string resonator) and Traditional (open back) Please use my contact form to get in touch. Inclusion is at my sole discretion. The author John Peter Zenger (1697-1746) referred to the instrument as a "banger" played by a black man. One of two makers of the Encore Automatic Banjo, incorporated in 1896. 1215 was a good year too Well built in Philadelphia (note the rosewood pot) around 1886 this 130 year old Samuel Stewart Piccolo travelled the world and ended up. He used European drum technology to attach the head, which provided a mechanism for controlling the instruments tone. Any thoughts? www.reiterbanjos.com 2 - First Staghorn and first Stelling designed, built for Brian Welchel, also a student. The sound of the banjo became commonplace with their theme song for the television show The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971) and the prominent placement of their instrumental Foggy Mountain Breakdown in the 1967 film Bonnie & Clyde. www.hendricksbanjos.com A Brief History of the Banjo: America's Oldest | Reverb News 2023 John Furphy Pty. 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. Plus an 8 string banjo mandolin, early 20th century, Mandolin, 1920's Italian banjo mandolin by 'Il Globo' (faults), Banjo, 1920's banjo by S.rose & Co., comes with original case. Progressive bluegrass continues today with artists such as Alison Krauss and Union Station, Infamous Stringdusters, and Yonder Mountain String Band. 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. Banjos like classic Paramounts, Vegas, Coles, and S.S. Stewarts serve as the standards by which the makers at Arthur E. Smith measure their work. Identifying How Old Your Banjo Is (The Easy Way!) - Pro Music Vault pisgahbanjos.com Haslett, MI USA 48840 Making Music: The Banjo, Baltimore, and Beyond Staunton, VA USA 24401 defunct listings were for old-time, open-back banjos and most of these were Chronicling "America's African Instrument": Laurent Dubois on the The pairing of fiddle and banjo, which integrated Celtic American fiddle and African American banjo styles, became central to song and dance traditions. From 1836 on, Sweeney toured the United States and Europe in blackface, becoming the first superstar of the banjo. Cased banjo Sold by in for Their attempts to elevate the instrument disassociated it from its African roots. The Best Banjo Brands (Top Banjo Makers) - Strong Sounds Click the bar to view more details about the maker. The collection became popular with urban college students and inspired many young musicians, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Jerry Garcia. +1 (262) 492-9883 Realizing the recordings were made only a few decades earlier, disciples of the Anthology began seeking out some of the performers. SC.nb("chuck", "chuckleebanjos.com", "", "", ""); As might be expected from the location, the majority of the business is in 4-string banjos. E- 1134, circa 1950, George Formby plaque inlaid in mother-of-pearl to the headstock, 58 cm long, English ukulele banjo, by John Grey & Sons, model Dulcetta, serial no. . However, the nature of the fixed intervals requires some compromise in intonation. Other prominent bluegrass banjo players, including Don Reno, Sonny Osborne, and Bill Keith, followed in Scruggs footsteps and broke ground of their own. 7, Birmingham, circa 1920, 96 cm long, English zither banjo, by Windsor, popular model no. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Will's List of Banjo Makers, Builders & Manufacturers - Fastie SC.nb("greg", "buckeyebanjos.com", "", "", ""); Rostislav ?apek They also composed new songs on the banjo, often devising unique tunings for the instrument to achieve the desired tonalities. Over the period 1880-1930, many banjo manufacturers came and went, but a few companies have identifiable familial connections. Though there is little documentation, some may have picked up the instrument before the rise of minstrelsy. SC.nb("ballardbanjers", "yahoo.co.uk", "", "", ""); Bart Reiter SC.nb("prucha", "pruchabanjos.cz", "", "", ""); A lifelong guitarist, tinkerer and learner, I became interested in building open-back banjos while learning clawhammer-style banjo. How many strings? BJ005, length 101 cm. SC.nb("banjobart", "aol.com", "", "", ""); Rob Bishline +1 (615) 799-9217 1998-2015 Gatherings - The Banjo Gathering 3 special model, New York, circa 1915, the fingerboard intricately inlaid with abalone shell along with the Company logo to the headstock, with an open back, the label to interior of rim, 78 cm long, American banjo, by Samuel. SC.nb("dean", "deanocraft.com", "", "", ""); Home of Tenbrooks, Vega, and the ubiquitous Goodtime models. In 1952, Folkways Records released Anthology of American Folk Music, which prompted tremendous interest in the raw, rural sounds of the banjo. P.O. While musical tradition runs strong in bluegrass, a generation of younger players started taking the music in new directions in the 1970s. P.O. 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. Somerville, TN USA 38068 Farewell to an Old Time Character and a Banjo Building Genius: Mike History of the Banjo www.deanocraft.com Banjo mandolin with unusual ivory & ebony fretboard & head, back decorated with timber specimens. Starting in the 1840s, blackface minstrel performers began popularizing the banjo among middle-class Whites who purchased manufactured instruments and learned to play. A Few Notes on the Geneology of Vintage Banjo Manufacturers - Bill's Banjos Linn, Karen. These "Minstrel Era" wooden rim banjos are the result of those years of study. 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. 1865- Frank Converse Banjo primer published 1863-1897 James H. Buckbee Co., of New York largest maker. 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. It features 100 "milestone instruments" with in-depth coverage, including model details and beautiful photos. $4,000.00 USD - Used - Excellent Condition. Check out our early banjo selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. www.hicklerbanjo.com +1 (931) 580-5742 Year 1974 Serial Nos. A.A. Farland, celebrated banjo virtuoso of the late 19th and early 20th century, didn't care for those new-fangled tone rings banjo makers of his era were putting on their high-grade instruments -- he thought they sounded "too tinny!" He also abhorred spun-over metal rims like those on S.S. Stewart's banjos for the same reason. from one-man shops, so perhaps it means that competition in this segment was www.washburn.com, 56771 Lunar Drive Tim Gardner 301 Church Street Does the peg head profile really tell you the maker? Price 2 The Best Banjo Brands for Beginners 2.1 Rogue 2.2 Ibanez 2.3 Epiphone 2.4 Fender 2.5 Deering 2.6 Rogue Early American Clock Makers This partial list highlights some of the more well known early American clock makers. His eighth-note arpeggio patterns, called rolls, have been widely imitated. Many White musicians learned to play banjo directly from African Americans. +1 (619) 464-8252 Meet the Builders - Premium-quality, affordable banjo parts store Uncle Dave Macon was a skilled musician and showman who gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s. Antique Banjo Clocks - Gary Sullivan Antiques www.morganmonroe.com University Park, PA: Penn State University Press, 2006. 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. models. Hendersonville, TN USA 37075 Banjo and Jazz - Banjology This design was firmly ingrained in the New World, as evidenced by the following instruments found across time and distance: the strum strump observed in Jamaica in the late 1680s, the early gourd banjo in John Roses watercolor (sometimes called The Old Plantation) from South Carolina around 1785,and the banza collected in Haiti in 1841. Windsor, 94 Newhall St. Birmingham, England', 95 cm long, American ukulele banjo, by Gibson, Ub-1 model, Michigan, circa 1920s, 'The Gibson' decal to headstock, 49 cm long, Lida cased banjo with mother of pearl inlay. A Mozart banjo, length 100 cm with hard case, stand and book, An antique five string banjo, John Grey & Sons, London, early 20th century, the brass rim and back cast with Eastern inspired decoration enamelled in red and black, with engraved mark to the armrest and metal label to the head, length 95 cm, Cuckoo vintage English four string banjo, late 19th early 20th century, 27 cm drumhead, 75 cm long, A vintage banjo mandolin, early 20th century, 61 cm long, English ukulele banjo, by John Grey & Sons, model George Formby, serial no. Players formed banjo orchestras out of these family members as well as related instruments like mandolin and guitar. He became the first star of the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast. 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. The instruments were at the core of White, Black, and integrated string bands, which might also include guitar, mandolin, harmonica, or other instruments. I owned an Epiphone long-neck in the '60s and it was an excellent banjo. The Banjo's Early Days. Seegers 1948 book How to Play the 5-String Banjo taught countless aspiring banjo players. The rest were widely scattered, with small clumps around New York City and New Orleans. Blackface characters portrayed African Americans in derogatory, clownish exaggerations. Virtually Unplayed, One of the Nicest Examples. In many cases, banjos were made using gourds and animal skins. Minstrel-Era Banjos - Pete Ross Custom Banjos History of the Banjo The instrument may also have been part of a religious ceremony known as the banya prei. SC.nb("hatfieldbanjos", "scrtc.com", "", "", ""); Allen & Monte Hendricks I think the banjo photographic image collection alone numbers in the thousands, including 20 daguerreotypes and numerous other Nineteenth Century images. New generations of Black musicians have taken up the instrument and are making efforts to preserve its place in African American culture. Welcome to the Vintage Banjo Maker, please do, Sign up for email updates from the Vintage Banjo Maker. +1 (800) 877-6863 won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. The tenor banjo lacked the short fifth string, which provided a single-note musical drone. 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. www.frankneat.com James established his mechanized instrument factory in Connecticut in the late 1840's Ashborn was the first to apply mass production principles to banjo and guitar making, transforming the homemade artifacts to commercial products. 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). 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. A. Sloan & Son. SC.nb("ken", "levandesign.com", "", "", ""); DP Hopkins, Inc. 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? New Lost City Ramblers: "I Truly Understand" (1958). Open-back models, plus an interesting resophonic model. The most technically advanced banjo of the early minstrel period. He soon dispensed . Pete Ross, a Baltimore banjo maker, player and historian, plays a historic gourd-type banjo replica. 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. Downright Divisive: Examining the Early Banjo in Colonial Jamaica Banjos: The Tsumura Collection - amazon.com