1880s Mail-Order Banjo
Added 2018-11-17 16:16:16 +0000 UTCI am almost finished restoring this 1880s mail-order banjo. An experienced luthier recently gave me some good advice: never mount a new head using the banjo's original tension hooks! Fortunately I found a set of long, steel tension hooks which will now become my dedicated head-mounting hooks.
This banjo came to me with broked, worn-out tuning pegs, a busted head and a nasty crack in the fingerboard at the thumb peg. Look out for more photos of the finished product.
Cast bronze eagle shoes like these might've been made any time between about 1880 and 1920, so dating them is difficult. Higher-quality ones with cleaner details (or smooth with no detailing) were made in the 1860s and '70s.
Comments
Hello Cliffton. I am new to your site so it may take me some time to learn to navigate this. I am located in Florida, a bit old, and enthusiastic about the banjo and the fun of life. US Navy 1959 '63. Been enjoying your efforts on u-tube and thought I would come over here and join in the fun.
Don Browning
2018-11-24 05:51:54 +0000 UTCI don't think we can add photos here in the comments but if you click the "Community" tab on the main page: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/cliftonhicks/community">https://www.patreon.com/cliftonhicks/community</a> you can post them there.
Clifton Hicks
2018-11-20 13:40:29 +0000 UTCHi Cliff, how do you add a photo to this message?
John Kaay
2018-11-20 05:15:06 +0000 UTCThey made a million of these things, mostly in New York City I've been told, and mailed them out all over the United States from about 1880 to 1920. I'm not sure if it was the actual Sears & Roebuck catalog but you get the idea.
Clifton Hicks
2018-11-19 14:18:30 +0000 UTCSo, you both have a no name banjo and possibly they both came from from the same no name manufacturer? Stunning. This pot looks deeper than the average? Is it? Wonder how it will sound? Thanks gentlemen.
Rob Kunkel
2018-11-19 10:42:46 +0000 UTCJohn, I think you may have the same banjo! This one was also flush-fret originally but was fretted at some point. The newer brass frets are in different positions that the original flush ones! Square peg head, square nuts, like yours.
Clifton Hicks
2018-11-17 21:33:15 +0000 UTCIt's right around 11"
Clifton Hicks
2018-11-17 21:32:04 +0000 UTCYes, that and the hooks can break or just be all-together too short to mount the head.
Clifton Hicks
2018-11-17 21:31:52 +0000 UTCDamn.
Dwayne Strohm
2018-11-17 20:26:46 +0000 UTCThis reminds me of a weird old banjo I have, Squared off peghead, fretless,, single ply oak rim, rough looking eagle brackets, the nuts holding the brackets are mostly square, crudely made (holes off center). It’s flush fret, but the frets are way off. The fourth fret is where the fifth should be and it just gets worse from there.. I’ll send photos when I feel better..
John Kaay
2018-11-17 19:44:26 +0000 UTCWhat is the diameter of the head?
Justin Hoffmann
2018-11-17 17:36:57 +0000 UTCI'm guessing stripping out the threads... (just my 2 cents)…?
Justin Hoffmann
2018-11-17 17:34:02 +0000 UTCI was wondering the same thing.
Jack Dempsey
2018-11-17 17:00:30 +0000 UTCWhat was his reasoning for not reusing old hooks?
Patrick Campbell
2018-11-17 16:18:28 +0000 UTC
