The Wyatt and the Southern
These twin 5-string banjos are built as a matched set. Each has a walnut rim that is 3/8″ thick and 11″ in diameter. One peghead sports a vintage 25-cent coal scrip coin from the historic Wyatt Coal Company of Laing, West Virginia. The other is from the Southern Mining Company of Colmar, KY. Both banjos have necks shaped from the same stock of…
The Deutsch Fretless
This traditional fretless model is built along the same lines as the original Camberwell Fretless banjo. It sports a simple minstrel style headstock with minimal ornamentation and raw brass hardware throughout. The Deutsch Fretless is made from American Black Walnut with Ebony fingerboard and peghead. The rim is fitted with an integrated Ebony tone ring for a warm, woody sound. And the natural…
The Bad River name
The Bad River name comes from a region of northern Wisconsin that played a significant role in my family history. If you look for it today, you will likely find it associated with a Native American settlement and reservation. The Ojibwe indians, also known as the Lake Superior Chippewa or Bad River Band, migrated to the area during the seventeenth century. They were…
The Cleage-Wills Travel Banjo
This lightweight and economical travel banjo is fashioned with a walnut neck and pot assembly. It’s built to travel easy, with a shorter A-scale neck and a narrow 4-inch width. This travel banjo is fitted with old-style Champion friction tuners and a patented internal maple tone ring frame. It comes with a custom case that is designed in the tradition of an old…
The Weyanoke
This 5-string cherry banjo is built with an 11-inch rim that is 3/8″ thick. The peghead sports a vintage 50-cent coal scrip coin from the historic Weyanoke Coal and Coke Company of Hiawatha, West Virginia. The cherry rim is built with an integral matched cherry tone ring for a more rounded “woody” tone. Ebony is featured on the rim cap, heel cap, fingerboard…
A Schall tale
J.B. Schall started making banjos in the city of Chicago during the 1870s. Within a few short years, the Schall name became associated with some of the most celebrated banjos of the day. A skilled mechanic and experienced banjo player himself, J.B. Schall worked beside his five employees – ensuring the quality and craftsmanship of every instrument that came off the line. A…
The Laurel Creek Special
This 5-string walnut banjo is custom-built with a 12-inch rim for a deeper bass sound and greater volume. The peghead sports a vintage large 50-cent coal scrip coin from the historic Laurel Creek Coal Company from West Virginia. The walnut rim is built with an integral ebony tone ring and a matching ebony rim cap. An ogee-shaped scoop in the fingerboard allows for…
The Winifrede Longneck
This 4-string longneck mahogany banjo is custom-built for plectrum-style playing. With three extra frets on the end of the neck, it allows the player to perform in a variety of circumstances and tunings. And the 12-inch rim provides a richer, deeper bass sound with added volume. A large one-dollar coal scrip coin adorns the peghead, hailing from the old Winifrede Coal Company of…
An interview with The Banjo Reserve
Recently, the fine folks at The Banjo Reserve reached out to talk to me about my banjos, and about life in general as a part-time banjo maker. The interview gave me a chance to think a little more deeply about the work I do – which is an exercise I highly recommend to anyone. Special thanks to Jim Van Zile from The Banjo…
The Avis Eagle Fretless
This fretless mahogany banjo captures a true vintage look with simple, well-placed ornamentation. A large one-dollar coal scrip coin adorns the peghead, and a matched one-cent piece sits in the ebony heel cap. Both are from the Avis Eagle Coal Company, which hailed from Logan County, West Virginia. The rich mahogany tone wood provides a warm, rounded sound. And the hand-rubbed oil finish…