Instruments - Banjos

Weymann 5 String Open Back Banjo

It's an oldie, but a goodie. Despite a clear serial number, I have never been able to trace the date of manufacture. Weymann was a large company out of Philadelphia. My guess is the 1920s, but I could be off a decade in either direction, perhaps 2 decades, going back. It has a unique neck set adjustment and has no tone ring and - surprising - does not pay for this lack in its sound.

George Matthews Fretless 5 String Banjo

Made in England. Lots of folks do not know there was a turn of the century-20-30's banjo craze in England. I don't play if much and keep it in low D. It was a surprise to me to f=discover that a fretless banjo played about as easily as a fretted one... so I had to have one.

Dobson Banjeaurine

These are a blast to play. Whatever you play, it sounds old, which is good for the kind of music I play. I once had 3 of them. Invented just before 1900 when banjo bands were a big thing (as were mandolin bands), the banjeaurine played the lead high part;  its spelling obviously made them higher class than mandolins.

DeWick Tenor Banjo - 4 String

I tune it the Irish way,; G, D, A, E. If I were good enough, I could really rip on this one. Yes, it was old when I was young. And once had a resonator, long lost now.