Our cash discount price (when offered) is available when your method of
payment is bank check, money order, wire transfer of funds or cash at our
showroom.
76-8706 (used, 2008) Deering Boston open-back long-neck banjo #095974-M407,
in excellent plus condition, it looks basically new, specially ordered with a curly maple neck and professional quality Planetary tuners, with a Deering Logo plush lined hard shell case. On this neck, the fifth string peg emerges at the 8th fret, which means that if you capo to the third position you end up in regular neck length mode. This idea came about because Pete Seeger, our American treasure and folksinger, needed to sing in a lower key. So a hybrid was made to accommodate this need. We know that the late Eric Darling brought his Vega Tubaphone to John D’Angelico on Kenmare Street, Manhattan and had wood spliced into the neck to elongate it (plus a new fingerboard). You, dear reader, do not have to suffer the indignity of invasive resectionism. You can just buy this highly utilitarian banjo, with its matte finish headstock with the eagle facing easterly and the Deering logo inhabits the lithe and lovely headstock, whose ebony fingerboard entertains 11 mother of pearl dots, whose steel body hosts 24 brackets, whose single coordinator rod makes an excellent place to hang one’s washed underwear if the banjo is mounted on a wall horizontally and reversed, whose nickel-plated brass stretcher band gleams like the maniacal orbs of Mr. Nicholson when he breaks through the door with a hatchet, and whose white, frosted “Deering” logo banjo head shows little sign of having been played. The action is low and comfortable, the fingerboard is as straight as an Anglican minister. It is a fine, full hand-filling neck shape (we like that) and what appears to be an ebony nut. If this banjo were new, with these special options, it would probably have a list price of around $2639 and, if so, a “street price” of $1995. All the more to your advantage, then, that this one is priced at only $1541 or, at our cash discount price, $1495.
76-8166 Vega by Deering Little Wonder (but unlabeled as to model) (used) open back 5-string banjo, J-434, with a black, embroidered Deering zipper gigbag.
We believe this is a Little Wonder, though it doesn’t say, and the serial number stamped on back of headstock is blurred and indistinct. The way the nut is fitted to the fingerboard binding leaves glue showing - this must have been either an early one, or a Friday afternoon example. This has the black headstock overlay with the block “VEGA” logo in white silkscreen; four geared “Deering” logo headstock tuners and a Kroll type fifth string, all with matching grained ivoroid buttons; the fretboard is striped ebony and proffers 9 pearl dotmarkers and a large star in pearl at the fifth; the rim is brown stained maple, the neck is nicely figured curly maple finished in a medium golden brown. There is one metal coordinator rod running through the back plus one stump, twenty-four brackets, a “Deering” logo tailpiece and an ebony and spruce bridge. There is a small amount of finger oils on the frosted Deering Mylar head but on the whole the banjo is in cosmetically excellent (or better) condition. The Vega Banjo Web site tells us: “This new Vega Little Wonder is a remarkable achievement in blending a versatile, bright, responsive banjo with a very modest price. The sound of this banjo is ideal for old time music, both finger style and clawhammer, folk, classical, civil war era, ragtime and for classic turn of the century parlor music. (Nylon or gut string banjoists will find the response and character of this banjo appropriate for their styles). It is also a perfect choice for any player who wants a powerful, versatile banjo that is not too heavy. (Try this one with a few bluegrass licks and you’ll see what we mean by versatile). The Little Wonder has a deep warm brown stained, multi-ply rim, and a rock maple neck. The satin finished neck is fitted with a hard, dense, colorful, exotic, naturally beautiful ebony fingerboard, inlaid with mother-of-pearl dots. The rim has 24 brackets mounted on traditional bracket shoes. The pot has one lower coordinator rod that easily and accurately adjusts the banjo’s “action” or playability. The best of today’s technology with yesterday’s classic tone, the new Vega Little Wonder is the culmination of years of evolution and development, producing a powerful, folk and early style banjo that is as at home in today’s music as it was in years past.” This used example is only $825 or, at our cash discount price, $800
76-8133, -8132 Deering (new) Goodtime Open Back Classic, #ISI1846, and #ISI-1845, add $57 for each gig bag.
The Classic is described by Deering as having a “warm brown stain satin finish,” a slender rock maple neck, a rim made of birch and maple, geared tuners, an adjustable tailpiece, a two-piece flange, and a nickel-plated Vega style armrest. It is a dressier variation on the regular Deering Goodtime open-back banjo. Yes, more distinctive, and with a decidedly upscale look. You’d like it – it’s a great way to learn to play the 5-string banjo and it will serve you in good stead long after you have acquired a semi-professional or professional level instrument. You would, I believe, always wish to keep a banjo as nice as this. For each Good Time open-back Classic banjo, the Deering List is $659 and the Deering MAP is $499. We are able to say: call or email and ask us for our own discount and cash discount price.
76-8239 Deering (new) Vega Long Neck Banjo, serial #M266, with plush lined hard shell case.
Back in the 1950s the Vega Company formed an alliance with a famous folk singer to produce an exceptionally loud, distinctively tumescent-necked banjo that had a prewar-style nickel-plated bell bronze Tubaphone tone ring, a maple neck, a 3-ply maple rim, and an ebony fretboard. Per the Deering catalog: The 25 fret Vega Long Neck banjo enables the player to sing in E tuning in the open position: i.e., E,B,E,G#,B. This low-tuned banjo sounds beautiful as a solo instrument, and it can also accompany the voice with a deep, full and yet sparkling sound. When a capo is applied to the third fret, the banjo becomes a standard G tuning and the string length is then the same as a 22-fret five string banjo. Artists like Pete Seeger and Dave Guard (of the Kingston Trio) were the first long-neck banjo players and have inspired generations of banjoists to play the sweet and versatile long neck banjo. This Vega Long Neck is made with Deering’s handmade, classic Tubaphone Tone Ring. The solid brass bracket band is hand fitted to the three-ply rim. This pot design gives the Vega Long Neck Banjo a round full tone that sustains with a pure and clear sparkle. The neck is full yet fast in the Vega tradition, and the geared fifth string peg is mounted near the 8th fret. The neck is made from curly maple, stained with a dark walnut stain and a high gloss finish. It is fitted to the rim with two solid brass coordinator rods in the same way they were in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The Vega Long Neck Banjo is one of the true classic banjos of the 20th century, and the new millennium. This version comes with Planetary tuners for ease of use. We’re not allowed to use the term “Vega ‘Famous Folk Singer’ Model” when advertising this banjo, and we would certainly never do so, but if you close your eyes, hold it against your sternum, extend your left hand and intone the magic words*, you will be able to just about imagine having Lee Hays on your left side and also Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman on your left side. Possibly Harold Leventhal and Gordon Jenkins as well. The Deering List Price is $4939 and the Deering MAP is $3699. You may call or email for our discount price and cash discount price. *the magic words are “Join me, kids.”
76-8175 Bart Reiter (new) Standard open-back banjo, serial# 3083,
having the rolled brass tone ring, two-ply laminated maple rim, mahogany neck, stained brown, satin lacquer finish, ebony fingerboard and peghead veneer, a pearl star in its peghead, a 26 1/4"scale length, a bone nut and a hard shell case. $1,226 at our Discount Price or, $1,189 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7672 A. C. Fairbanks (used, 1901) Special Electric open back 5-string banjo #19429, in very good plus condition with (regrettably) a newer inexpensive chipboard case.
This is one of several models in the “Electric” series of A. C. Fairbanks. This one has the inverted Whyte Laydie style tone ring, a scalloped device of nickel-plated brass that abuts a nickel-plated brass tube that, itself, abuts the newer Mylar frosted top banjo head. It is this tone ring that imparts the flowing, lyrical sonic attributes that makes the phrase “Fairbanks Electric” so welcome to old time players. This has the metal clad rim and, as well, the standard wooden dowel, stamped both “Special” and “Electric” with the matching serial number on dowel and inside of the rim, with a “The A. C. Fairbanks Co. Makers – Boston, Mass” plaque attached to the center of said dowel, and a metal sheath over the bottom end where it joins the body at the tailpiece lug. The metal tensioner still remains at the neck end of the dowel. This is a 28 bracket banjo having an 11” diameter, an apparently original simple tailpiece, and an ivoroid bound ebony fingerboard that hosts mother of pearl fingerboard inlays in 8 positions, many of which are etched and blackened flowers, ovals and a matching acorn both above and below the bone nut. The headstock features 8 engraved and etched mother of pearl inlays. In three sections the ivoroid binding on the neck was replaced with small pieces where the original had fallen away and was lost, and the remaining binding shows small but uneventful hairline cracks at each fret at both sides and also hairline cracks in the headstock overlay and chips around its perimeter. The four headstock machines have black celluloid buttons and a matching fifth string peg remains in the case pocket, but the current fifth peg has an ivoroid button. There are scratches on the stained pear wood heel cap. It is quite likely that none of the tuners on this instrument are original although the headstock tuners are quite old. The bridge is rosewood and definitely non-original, but it works fine. The back of the neck shows normal wear, scratches, dings, some chips and, um, marks. Our set of four skilled and highly trained fangists have glued the frets into their proper position and this has made them even and well-behaved. A remarkable sounding, fully pedigreed instrument whose sound and playability is sufficient to throw most players into the arms of Euphoria, or “????????” in the original Greek, the goddess of mindless pleasure. $5671 at our Discount Price, or at our Cash Discount Price, $5500.
76-8728 Chanterelle (new) “Woody” open back banjo, serial #2137,
designed with a rosewood tone ring attached to the wooden rim, serial# 1859, in actual cherry wood, This model has a three piece maple neck, a 25.75" scale length, a bone nut, an ebony fingerboard, and it is housed in a good looking hard shell case. $1,544 at our Discount Price or $1,498 at our Cash Discount Price.
15-5161 Vega (used, 1969) Pete Seeger 5-string open-back long-neck banjo, #A-129714, in excellent condition with original hard case.
This banjo has an unusual “Vega” logo, being in a type of script we’re not used to seeing, with a star inlaid below and two wings below that. Tuners are Grover “Pat. Pend” Rotomatics against a sunburst finish three-piece neck. The fifth string peg is Grover and ungeared. This is a 24-bracket banjo with a rosewood heel cap, 24 nuts and brackets, twin coordinator rods (one big and one little like Mutt & Jeff), the long yellow Vega sticker on the inside that says that this was made in Needham Heights, Mass (we’re used to seeing Boston as place of manufacturer) and said label contains instructions also known to the illustrious Dr. Frankenstein, among others, as to how to remove the head. The name “Pete Seeger” is hand-written on that long, rectangular yellow paper in red ink. The outside of the rim is a bit oxidized, but maybe when we change the head we can polish it up a bit. We have replaced the bridge is. The tailpiece appears to be chrome-plated, the armrest nickel – we don’t know if the tailpiece is a replacement. There is a scuff at tip end of back of the headstock but other than that it shows far fewer light normal signs of use and wear overall than one would imagine for something of this age. It is our feeling that this is either the last Vega Pete Seeger Vega ever made or one of the last ones. The serial number would suggest “late 1969” and so it is our romantic notion that this must have been made during the final days or weeks just before the title to the Vega Company was transferred to the C F Martin Company and everybody was scrambling about trying to get their work done before the front door was padlocked and the weekly visit to the unemployment office began. It was a time when grown men were running around with pink slips. That may explain the strange logo style on the headstock and the “Needham Heights” location on the label – apparently in Needham Heights there was at that time a nursing home for moribund corporations. Mr. Marc Horowitz has, himself, (not the clone that runs errands for this masterful banjoist) performed a perfect set-up, installed a new head, and turned this into a “nearly-new condition masterpiece” that original Vega Pete Seeger banjos always are. $4,944 or, at our cash discount price, $4,795.
78-7578 A. C. Fairbanks (used, 1895) “Curtis Electric” model open-back 5-string banjo, #14511, in very good plus condition with a newer hard shell case to be provided.
The Fairbanks “Curtis Electric” model banjo is very beautiful and exceptionally rare - in our 36 years in business we have not found or offered any others. It is so legendary that Mike Ramsey of Chanterelle Banjos has named one of his own outstanding new banjos “Curtis Fairbanks” to commemorate it. For more information about Fairbanks banjos and their history, we have turned to a website called home.comcast.net/~fairbankspages. This section on Background has been paraphrased from an article called “Fairbanks Banjos: Construction and Tone Rings.” In the year 1890, Messrs. Albert Conant Fairbanks and William A. Cole ended their partnership, each starting his own company – yet on many instruments A.C. continued to stamp them “Fairbanks & Cole” much to the chagrin of Mr. W. A. Cole. That same year Fairbanks debuted his new “Electric” model, which differed from the banjos of their main competitor, S. S. Stewart by having a new tone ring (Pat’d Dec. 30, 1890). The “Electric” tone ring (named after the chief consumer item of the time -- if you could afford it -- electricity in the home and office (and for streetlamps). This new beguiling brass bulwark of banjo-playing brawn added sustain and brilliance to the tone of the instrument and, to this day, is a highly respected and often imitated method of construction. The fabled Electric tone ring is made in the form of a scalloped metal truss which resides at the top of the wooden pot and abuts a round metal ring. In early versions the metal assembly is contained in a slim metal sheath which is then spun over the outside of the rim. And then there is perhaps the least often seen variation in the Electric Series -- the “Curtis Electric,” named for A. C. Fairbanks' son of the same name, who is said to have been a banjo prodigy. The Curtis Electric model’s tone ring consisted of a square brass ring that sets above the wooden hoop. Fifteen brass rods extend from the brass ring to the spun-over round metal hoop, just as in the regular Electric. Just so you know, the A C Fairbanks models introduced during this early period were: Electric in 1890; Curtis Electric in late 1890; the Imperial Electric in1891; the Columbian in 1891; the Senator arrived in 1892; the Special was first seen in 1894; and the Regent in 1895. Another factoid is that the non-Electric versions of these models were actually quite similar, differing only in their level of ornamentation.
Let’s talk about ornamentation: This banjo has a simple scalloped headstock shape (5 symmetrical scallops) with a stained pearwood headplate veneer that proffers one large five-pointed star. The 18 fret fingerboard is decorated with a vertical oval at fret 3, star at 5, diamond a 7, double dot at 9, a single dot with etched and engraved leaves or fans on each side at the 12th, then a horizontal oval at the 17th and a three part symmetrical inlay below the 18th. The head is the original vellum, still clean and off-white after all these years. The tailpiece (utterly gorgeous) is a simple ivoroid harp with five holes, and the gut strings wrap around the crosspiece. At the bottom where the bracket holds it to the rim, it is stamped “ Pat. 1886 Sept. 21, F&C.” Tuners are five matching grained ivoroid friction pegs; the back of the neck, internal wood square dowel and inside of the metal clad rim are mahogany. There are 30 brackets – all present and accounted for, a pearl wood heel cap bordered, like the thin fingerboard, in crème and black. On said dowel, under the metal threaded-screw tensioner, is the legend “Pat. Dec. 30, ’90.” On the bass side of the dowel is the serial number which is also stamped inside the rim, near the neck. On the back side of the dowel is stamped “A.C.Fairbanks & Co., Makers, Boston, Mass” and, farther down, “Curtis Electric.” There is some roughness on the heel cap, some scratches and hand-wear on the back of the neck (this player, like many, favored the first position). There is some erosion on the fretboard in the lowest positions; in our opinion at least one of the inlays is replaced. There’s a minor nick on the bass side of the fretboard at the third fret (you don’t feel it) but otherwise, it’s in exceptionally fine shape. The head diameter is nominally 11 ½”, the scale length is 26 ¼”, the nut width is 1 ¼” and the last fret measures1 7/8”. Although there is some light oxidation on some of the brackets, the metal-clad rim and stretcher band are clean and shiny. Old time banjo collectors and players come hither! While the sound is a little quiet, it is also exceedingly sweet and lyrical. We are charmed by it. This fine banjo can be the keystone of any collection, and, as well, the connection between you and your grand- or great grandfather. $7211 or at our cash discount price, $6995.
78-7652 A. C. Fairbanks (used, 1909) Whyte Laydie No. 2 open-back five-string banjo, #25281, with an old, possibly period, chipboard case.
There are few open-back five-string banjos that are in more demand than the original A C Fairbanks-label Whyte Laydie and Tubaphone models. The Fairbanks Company was incorporated in 1875 and in 1903 it was purchased by the Vega company which continued to use the “A. C. Fairbanks & Co., Makers, Boston, Mass” metal plate logo, held in place by two small roundhead screws, on the wood dowel running through the rim. This continued until the middle teens when they changed over to a “Fairbanks by Vega” stamping into the dowel. This is a mostly original example of a great old time instrument. We say “mostly” because it once had a hole drilled into the back of the peghead (why? we have no idea) above the third string tuner. This hole does not penetrate the stained pearwood headplate on the front.
It has an added, fairly modern, “Elton” nickel-plated 7/8” wide armrest, and it has a “Kirschner Unique, Lyon & Healy” “Patented 12/20/14 and 5/9/16.” tailpiece. Since the tailpiece is patented after the year of manufacture it must be an added part possibly from the late ‘teens. This banjo shows normal signs of playing wear (from 100 years worth of “Old Molly Hair”), including discoloration on the back of the three-piece maple and ebony neck; it shows relatively minor nicks, dings and scrapes on the stained pearwood heel cap, neck, rim and dowel. It displays deep finish checking on the headplate overlay resulting the loss of some small pieces of pearwood veneer but the etched and engraved star, large Gryphon, and acorn-facing-up are all present and accounted for. There is a hairline crack through the heel cap. The original or period skin head, oiled and discolored by time and frailing, bears the brand (on the inside surface) “Coast Select.” Said head abuts the fabled Whyte Laydie scalloped nickel-plated brass tone ring, renowned in story and song.
Its tuners are five matching grained-ivoroid button machines, the headstock being four geared and sealed units bearing “Planet, Pat. Pending” etching, while the fifth peg is of the friction persuasion. The Kirschner tailpiece has an highly unusual fine tuner that raises and lowers the pitch of the fifth string. This nifty, and still working, device is branded “DRGM 994024” and if that sequence is a patent number (and it probably is) it dates to 1912. The ebony 22-fret fingerboard, inlaid with etched acorn, 9 etched dots, and a large star at the fifth, is ivoroid bound with a black line under the ivoroid, This is a 28 bracket banjo, 16 of whose nuts appear to probably be original (with rounded over bottoms), but the rest appear period (with open-ended nuts). The inside of the rim is lined on both top and bottom side with tortoise shell celluloid, and the stamped serial number appears on both the dowel and inside of rim. It has the “bracket band” around the rim and so no bolts penetrate the pot.
Inside the pocket of the case is an envelope that contains: the faded paper receipt dated 12/7/61 from “Jon & Deirdre Lundberg, Fretted Instruments, 2126 Dwight Way, Berkeley, THornwall 8-6519” (In 1961 this banjo was $165 plus $6.60 sales tax = $171.60. Wow!), a primitive “rubber tube” capo (do NOT use this capo) with a spring that goes around the back of the neck (no wonder it’s worn), a non-branded wrench, and a nickel-plated Elton mute. The frets show normal wear and so does the ebony board in the lower 5 positions. The banjo is fitted with a beautiful and bulbous bone fifth string nut (possibly original), and then nails (not railroad nails – actual flathead nails) at frets 9 and 13, once used as a capo, with a removed nail at fret 10. We do not want to refret this fine vintage piece – it plays just fine without buzzing. Our workshop has cleaned the fretboard and restrung its venerable old self. This banjo will almost certainly require a hard shell case in order to be safely shipped to you. The chipboard case in which it is housed is charming and old, but the tuners (the back of the headstock) are “sitting” on the floor of the case and this can be risky if the banjo is dropped while in shipment. A hard shell case would be a great advantage to its longevity; we will provide one for this fine piece. $6180 or, at our cash discount price, $5995.
76-8106, -8107, -8108, -8109, Deering (new) GoodTime open back banjo, #ISI1841. It comes with no case.
These banjos are the best deal we know of in an entry level instrument. They are made in the USA, in San Diego, by one of America’s most proficient banjo companies. While extremely modest of design they sound quite good and provide you an opportunity to learn to play an instrument you will still want to own and use long after you’ve moved up the food chain into a professional quality piece. For each banjo: The Deering List Price is $449. although we don’t charge that. We highly recommend that you add $57 for a very nice, embroidered gig bag. Please call or email us for the actual price.
76-8061 Bart Reiter (new) Special, #3075, with hard shell case.
$1336 at our Discount Price, or $1296 at our Cash Discount Price.
76-8029 Bart Reiter (new) Standard, #3071, with hard shell case.
$1226 at our Discount Price, or $1189 at our Cash Discount Price.
76-8011 Cedar Mountain (new) Vintage L-2, #418, with hard shell case.
$2496 at our Discount Price, or $2421 at our Cash Discount Price.
76-8057 Deering (new) Vega 2 open back banjo, #L576, with hard shell case.
The Deering List Price is $3959. Please call or email for price.
76-8020 Huss & Dalton (new) Singletree Tubaphone, #B143, open back 12” diameter head old-time banjo, with hard shell case.
Extremely fine sounding. $1949 at our Discount Price, or $1890 at our Cash Discount Price.
15-6939 Recording King (new) RB-036 Ne Plus open-back, #DWK060081, with hard shell case.
$1143 at our Discount Price, or $1109 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7889 Chanterelle (new) Woody, #2086, Walnut and Rosewood, with hard shell case.
$1544 at our Discount Price, or $1498 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7973 Chanterelle (new) Galaxie in Maple, 12” head, #2098, with hard shell case.
How pretty is this -- scenes from the Solar System on the headstock and fingerboard. Stars and asteroids, moons and old time tunes. $1822 or at our cash discount price $1768.
78-7587 Deering (new) Maple Blossom resonator 5-string banjo, #M065, with hard shell case.
The Deering List is $3949 and the Deering MAP is $2979.
78-7931 Deering (new) Vega Senator, open back 5-string banjo, K-846, with hard shell case.
The Deering List is $1959 and the Deering MAP is $1469. Remember, whenever it says “MAP” you should phone or email us to find out the Discount and Cash Discount “Actual” price of any item that says “MAP.” Thank you.
78-7916(sold), 7915, 7914, 7917 Deering (new) GoodTime open-back 5-string banjo, ISI-1829, with no case (please add $57 for the Deering Gigbag).
The Deering List is $449 and the Deering MAP and our Discount Price is $339.
78-7599, 78-7598, 78-7597 Nechville (new) “Banjovie” – small travel 5-string open back banjo, with a gigbag, #ISI-1833, ISI-1834 and ISI-1835.
Each banjo with bag is $185 at our Discount Price or, at our cash discount price, $179.
78-7792 Bart Reiter (new) Bacophone open-back traditional banjo, #3037, with hard shell case.
$1,419 at our Discount Price, or $1,376 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7822 Cedar Mountain (new) JDHC banjo, with gig bag.
$1,524 at our Discount Price, or $1,478 at our Cash Discount Price.
78-7747 Deering (new) Vega Little Wonder 5-string banjo, #L786, with hard shell case.
The Deering List is $1,429 and the Deering MAP is $1079.
78-7766 and 78-7767 Deering (new) Goodtime 2 Open back banjo, #ISI1826, and ISI1825, add for a gig bag.
Each of these fine beginner banjos carries a List Price of $668 plus $77 for the gigbag. Please call or email for our own Discount and Cash Discount Price.
78-7860 Deering (new) Olde Time Wonder, #L760, 5-string openback banjo, with hard shell case.
The Deering List is $1729 and the Deering MAP is $1299.
78-7431 Chanterelle (new) Standard (model) 12” head fretted open-back traditional banjo, #2052, with hard shell case.
$1358 or, at our cash discount price, it is $1318.
78-7499 Chanterelle (new) Standard (model) 12” maple fretted banjo, #2062, with hard shell case.
$1358 or at our cash discount price $1318.
78-7202 Gold Tone (new) WL-250 Maple Layde open back banjo with the famous Whyte Laydie tone ring system, #2802528, with zipper gigbag.
Only $782 or, at our cash discount price $758.
78-7082 Chanterelle (new) 12” diameter Imperial Electric open back 5-string traditional banjo, fancy beyond all get-out, #2022-1MB, with hard shell case.
$2,286 or, at our cash discount price, $2,218.
15-6939 Recording King (new) RB-036, #DWK060081, NE Plus, quite fancy – and quite good sounding, with a hard shell case.
Yet it is only $1005 or, at our cash discount price, $975.
15-6456 Chanterelle (Mike Ramsey) (new) 12” Student, #1952, with a 12” Renaissance head with hard shell case.
It has the scooped ebony fingerboard that hosts nine mother of pearl dotmarkers in 7 positions; all of the pegs are geared; it has 26 brackets and a brass tube tone ring. This instrument provides you the combination of woody and plunky – it is exactly what you’d would want for round peak style clawhammer old time music. With hard shell case -- $1080 at our discount price, or, at our cash discount price, $1048.
15-6724 and 15-6723 (sold) Bart Reiter (new) Round Peak Banjo, #2931 and #2930, each with hard shell case.
We were speaking with Bart Reiter one day and happened to say – “y’know – other companies that we carry such as Huss & Dalton with their Singletree, Mike Ramsey with his Chanterelle and the Cedar Mountain Company are making banjos for the Round Top clawhammer player that have 12” Renaissance heads, scooped ends-of-fingerboards, a long scale of 26 ¼”, and a slightly elevated action to allow the player to get his or her “claw” under the string in order to “hammer” the melody out (which of course is the derivation of the term, or perhaps not)” and he said “Well, that shouldn’t be a problem – I’ll make you some!” Needless to say we was floored. After selling 11” white frosted Mylar head Bart Reiter old time and folk banjos for twenty some years we finally have a banjo that will please the bearded and the bold, the newbie and the dedicated experiment. From its ebony headstock overlay with the inlaid large star, to the ebony 17 fret fingerboard with its 9 mother of pearl dotmarkers, to the 26 bracket and hooks on the stained medium brown maple rim, and the bell bronze rolled bead which serves as a primitive type of tone ring. The back of the neck is two piece solid mahogany separated by a black laminated back stripe. Headstock tuners are Five-Star geared with large pearloid buttons, geared fifth string is Kroll style; there is an engraved metal plaque on back of wooden dowel that reads “Bart Reiter, Maker, Lansing, Mich,” and the back of the rim is capped in ebony. It is beauteous, it sounds marvelous, and the workmanship is meticulous. $1217 or, at our cash discount price, $1181
83-4919 Deering (new) Good Time open-back 5-string banjo, with the decorative Cardboard Box (please add $56 for the gigbag).
Still the best deal we know of in a beginner or second banjo, this American-made, all-maple instrument looks like a banjo, plays like a banjo, and most importantly sounds like a banjo. For what more could one ask at only: $339, or at our cash discount price, $329. Please add $57 for the Deering embroidered (very nice) zipper gigbag.
COMING SOON: Deering LEFTY Good Time open-back banjos – for the beginner lefty player!
You can reserve one with a $100 Right of First Refusal advance deposit. (It’s fully refundable if you pass).
WE HAVE FOUR NEW BART REITER OPEN-BACK MODELS in stock:
Listed with each model is the web page where you can find the specs.
48-4553 Bart Reiter (new) Regent with hard shell case: $1542 or, at our cash discount price, $1496.
More information at http://members.aol.com/banjobart/regent.html
48-4522 Bart Reiter (new) Standard with hard shell case: $1163 or, at our cash discount price, $1128.
More information at http://members.aol.com/banjobart/standard.html
88-2863 S. S. Stewart (used, c. 1885 “Mini” or maybe “Piccolo” tiny
open-back banjo, #406D,
having a 9"" diameter head, 22 3/4"" scale,
31.5"" total length, metal clad birch rim, no case. square wooden
dowel with two ebony tensioners and an “S. S. Stewart/Phila., USA” stamp on its
dowel, having 20 brackets, 6 of which were missing when we got it but maybe we
can come up with replacements, an apparently original trapeze style wraparound
tailpiece, an apparently ebony 20-fret fingerboard with 6 pearl dots and one
diamond, a large star on double-cut peghead with black ebony overlay, four
original ivoroid button headstock tuners and one newer fifth string peg, a
birch neck showing normal wear on the back, a stained wood heel cap. It
produces a wonderfully clean old- timey sound from a tiny little banjo --
suitable for travel or for hanging outside the haberdashery as a compelling
advertisement, circa 1885. We don't see little banjos like this very often,
and, truth be told, neither do you. $1232 or, at our cash discount price, $1195
with no case but hey, you can't have everything.
88-2863 S S Stewart (used, c. 1885) Mini Open Back 5-string banjo, #406D, in very good condition with no case (it came with no case).
She has a 9" diameter head, 22 3/4" scale, 31.5" total length, a metal-clad birch rim, a square wooden dowel with two ebony tensioners and an
“S. S. Stewart/Phila USA” stamp on dowel. The lady also has 20 brackets, 6 of
which were missing when we got it but maybe we can come up with replacements,
an apparently original trapeze style wraparound tailpiece, an apparently ebony
20-fret fingerboard with 6 pearl dots and one diamond, a large star on
double-cut peghead with black ebony overlay, four original ivoroid button
headstock tuners and one newer fifth string peg, a birch neck showing normal
wear on the back, a stained wood heel cap. What do you get from all this? You
get a wonderfully clean old-timey sound from a tiny little banjo suitable for
travel or for hanging outside the haberdashery as a compelling advertisement,
circa 1885. We don't see little banjos like this very often, and, truth be
told, neither do you. $1232 or, at our cash discount price, $1195 with no case.
88-2237 Gretsch (used, 1960s) resonator five-string banjo, missing
virtually all its parts, with possibly original (or not) chipboard case.
When this five string Fido came in it was missing nearly all its parts except
for head and fifth string peg. It was missing the headstock pegs, tailpiece,
bridge, the bolt that holds the resonator on, the receptor that attaches to the
dowel, the brackets were rusty (probably still are), the frets were oxidized,
and the tensioner at the top end of the dowel was missing. It needed a lot of
tender, as well as loving care. But Pete Becker of our banjo department hates
to see a good banjo so depressed, and now that his therapy has ended it’s a
good player, brought back to life by a repairperson who knows how to make it
right. $510 or, at our cash discount price, $495
83-4907 Nechville Banjovie (tiny banjo) nsn,
(comes with no case but a gigbag is available for only $16).
This is made for small children to introduce them to the 5-string banjo. It
also works as an original and well-received party favor or an extra long
amulet. Bring the five-string everywhere you go -- on the subway, for walks in
the park, on bicycling trips, or when checking into the hatch for a long
deserved "rest." There is never an inappropriate time to have a
26" long, 7 7/8" diameter head, l2-fret banjo that's tuned high
enough to play (and hear) "Foggy Mountain Breakdown On Helium." Brand
new ones of these will cost you only $179 or at our cash discount price $174.
83-4967 Deering by Vega Little Wonder,
12209299-8206, with Gigbag.
The Little Wonder banjo, in prewar Vega parlance, was a utilitarian light weight model (in those days usually a tenor, most often an open-back) with no
actual tone ring, a laminated maple rim, simple inlays, and having a friendly,
woody, open sound quality. Deering's modern interpretation is a 5-string with a
similar lightweight maple rim, one coordinator rod and one neck bolt, black and
brown ebony board with 9 pearl dotmarker inlays, 24 brackets, 22 frets, chrome
plated armrest and adjustable tailpiece with four Gotoh metal button guitar
style headstock tuners, and a geared, pearloid button, fifth string tuner on
the neck. The peghead overlay is black with the VEGA logo in white block
letters, below which is an adjustable truss rod cover. It is a sweet,
unpretentious banjo which has that friendly, woody, open sound that we have
come to love. You can call, write or email for your discount price.
THE FEAGLE - OLD TIMEY ICON - FISHIE FROM THE PAST
A visitor to our Website (www.mandoweb.com) writes: "What is that critter
engraved on the headstock of some A. C. Fairbanks and Vega banjos -- the guy
with an eagle's head and the body of a snailfish? I thought it was a griffon
(or gryphon) but the dictionary says that's an eagle-lion crossbreed. - Bob
Stepno, University of North
Carolina. Bob wondered if this should be called a
"Seagle" instead, for sea creature & eagle, but felt it sounded
too much like "seagull". We replied: It's a "feagle" for
fishie-eagle. We know this because we have obtained a bit of Albert Conant
Fairbanks' DNA (from when he had scraped himself on a bracket nut) and cloned
him and have already set him up (a crude system but he remains upright and it
works) in an old frame factory building in Boston, staffed with people who come
to work every day in Victorian clothing. We tell him "The fire never
happened. You still own the company." Clones'll believe anything. In his day
feagles were prevalent. There were millions of 'em. They could swim and/or fly.
They could eat plankton or small woodland animals. Unfortunately, in those days
feagles were themselves eaten by banjo players and driven extinct. They tasted
like soft-shell crab (this was in the days before soft-shell crab was eaten,
because tartar sauce hadn't been invented yet). Anybody with more information
on feagles is welcome to send in (or email) what they know. For instance, we
know that feagles wore tiny plaid sports jackets yet A. C. Fairbanks chose to
depict them naked. What was he thinking?
