Fall is upon us again and this is one of the most beautiful times to be in Vermont. From the abundance of food produced by local farmers to the smell of apple pies cooking in the air to the maple trees displaying their vibrant colors, it is truly a season to behold and experience. I was recently speaking with a friend of Maple Leaf Music about how different seasons influence what instrument we choose to play. It's almost like the resonance of a particular instrument is suited for a certain season, like hot steamy summer nights are best paired with resonator guitars played with a slide. We both agreed that crisp fall weather pairs perfectly with the rhythmic drone sound of banjos. So this fall, I thought I would share some of the small banjo builders we carry here at Maple Leaf Music with you. I hope you have a chance to visit us and experience the sound of the harvest.
Old Time Banjos
Bart Reiter Regent Banjo
This banjo is in excellent condition and has a lot of character in terms of tone. The addition of a fiber skin head really helps to warm up the lower and mid ranges. That paired with the Whyte Laydie tone ring delivers a banjo that excels in jam situations because of the overall volume and presence that is balanced with a pleasant tone. Calton case included!
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Pisgah Banjo Walnut Appalachian
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This banjo features some of the nicest locally sourced hardwoods.The walnut tonewood selection for this particular banjo is top notch and really adds to the tone and feel. This Appalachian model features a simple brass tone ring and a 12 inch pot. If you're looking for an American made banjo with a robust tone this would be a great choice. |
Pisgah Banjo Vintage Bacon
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We have been waiting for Patrick at Pisgah Banjos to build us a vintage style maple banjo with a Bacon tone ring and here it is. The wait was worth every minute. |
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Cedar Mountain Bungalow Cherry
The Cedar Mountain Bungalow, five string banjo is just about as perfect as a banjo can get. Stop in, pick a few tunes, and you will hear what I'm talking about.
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Brooks Banjo SpartanThis Brooks Banjo 12", 16 shoe Spartan model has a cherry rim with a figured walnut rim cap, goat skin head, BB tailpiece, 1/4" rolled brass tone ring, cherry neck with figured walnut fingerboard, paddle headstock with a figured walnut overlay, Evo frets, double action truss rod, geared tuners with ebony knobs, 25.5" scale length, gold MOP side dot position markers, and a bone nut and pip.
Huss and Dalton Singletree (Coming this month)We'll be receiving two Huss and Dalton Singletree banjos this month, one in honey and one in transparent black. These banjos are cleanly done at every turn and they are quite beautiful with all of their curly maple components. We find them to be a little more pristeen sounding than the tone of many other Dobsons we've heard.
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Basic Banjo Chords for Shady GroveNow that you've found your perfect banjo, here's the chords for your first song, Shady Grove, as performed by David Grisman and Jerry Garcia. (I added the A7 for a little extra flavor in the turnaround.)
Dmin > C > Dmin > C > Dmin >
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