frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  06:19:30

I am telling this story as best I know. Since Pete is around, perhaps he can clarify or add to this story.

My brother Rick Abrams was nine years older than me. He was an award winning writer and clawhammer banjo player. Sometime in the late 70's, early 80's he was working for the St. Pete Times. He read that a particular music magazine (not sure which one) "needed to sell 500 subscriptions. And that if anyone purchased that many subscriptions, they would win Pete Seeger's original longneck Vega banjo."

Rick supposedly found that subscriptions were one dollar a piece, so he purchased 500 right off.

He used to occaisonally show the banjo to others, though he was very protective of it and it mostly sat in the case. It had the classic "This Machine Surrounds Hate And Forces It To Surrender" on the head. The long neck had markings one it where perhaps experimental capos were tried."

I understand that Rick and Pete became friends.

Rick passed away in 97. Not sure who has the banjo now.

Frank Abrams

R Buck - Posted - 05/31/2010:  06:35:54

I remember hearing your brother play. He was a very good banjo player. The old banjo head did indeed have that written on it. Only the good die young.

Slingerland - Posted - 05/31/2010:  06:39:39

Thanks for sharing, that is a great story.

I am by no means a Pete Seeger expert, but I thought that he still plays his original long neck banjo that he made.

In a recent video Mr. Seeger shows the banjo with the filled fret slots where D'Angelico originally put the frets in the wrong locations.

Here is the video...
youtube.com/watch?v=7gkprOVqjwA&NR=1

Edited by - Slingerland on 05/31/2010 06:43:31

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:04:10

This is the interesting part. Since Pete is alive, perhaps he can fill in the blanks. Was there more than one Vega banjo that D'Angelico made the neck for? I don't know. I know this, that for years Rick told the story and the old longneck was certainly authentic looking. Now remember, this was in the late 70's or early 80's when Rick got the banjo. It was certainly old and well used by then. It had what Rick termed "experimental capo markings on the neck." And it had those famous words on the head.

The first banjo Pete sent Rick was an inexpensive Vega of the period. I know that Rick was not happy about it and contacted Pete. Later, Pete supposedly sent the longneck Vega. According to Rick, "he initially was reluctant to send that banjo as he was going to hand it down."

Inevitably he did send that longneck banjo that Rick had till he passed away in 97.

I am 50 years old now, and saw I that banjo many times. Rick mainly kept it put away but he did show it to friends and family. At festivals he would play his Wildwood banjo, and not that particular banjo. He did not parade it around. That wasn't Rick.

I figure Its a good time to tell this story since no-ones getting any younger. Further since Pete is around and perhaps can add clarity to it.

F.A.

tombriarhopper - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:06:28

I thought I remember Mr. Seeger saying in a PBS show that he broke the original banjo's neck and he had another one made. I could be way off on this one, but he did have that guitar maker...who the heck was it?...Montelloni (sp) or something like that, make several banjos for him.

mainejohn - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:12:30

Find a copy of "The Fretboard Journal" #15 (Fall 2009). The are some neat photos of Pete's banjo (the one with the lignum vitae neck that he has used for most of the last 55 years) and an article addressing your questions.

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:24:43

There were other people whom Rick showed this banjo to. As stated, perhaps Pete can clarify what old longneck Vega banjo he sent my late brother. But I stand by this story as It was told to me many times.

Others were shown the banjo and know the story as well. So I am not alone.

Lastly, I have never told or posted this story before. Since Pete is around, he can probably best explain.

F.A.

Seansvoice - Posted - 05/31/2010:  07:48:49

When Vega gave Pete a copy of his namesake long neck he eventually gave it to Sing Out! magazine. THAT banjo is now in the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

Edited by - Seansvoice on 05/31/2010 08:59:55

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  08:04:37

I am not the only one who knows this story and I stand by it.

F.A.

Thor - Posted - 05/31/2010:  08:26:30

quote:

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Frank wrote:
Sometime in the late 70's, early 80's he was working for the St. Pete Times. He read that a particular music magazine (not sure which one) "needed to sell 500 subscriptions. And that if anyone purchased that many subscriptions, they would win Pete Seeger's original longneck Vega banjo."

---

quote:

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Sean wrote:
When Vega gave Pete a copy of his namesake long neck he eventually gave it to Sing Out! magazine. THAT banjo is now in the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

---

Bill Rogers - Posted - 05/31/2010:  09:42:42

I read that his original long neck was on a Whyte Laydie pot with only two extra frets, and that it was stolen. That's when he had the long-neck tubby made. I recently saw some very early film of Pete (still in uniform) playing a long-neck capoed at the second, not the third fret, and assume it's that original extended-neck instrument.

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  12:21:15

The one Rick had had a tubaphone tonering.

Seansvoice - Posted - 05/31/2010:  12:43:46

quote:

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Originally posted by frankabr.

The one Rick had had a tubaphone tonering.

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Edited by - Seansvoice on 05/31/2010 12:46:15

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  13:00:23

Bingo. Rick bought 500 subscriptions and was somehow determined to be the winner. Ask Pete. I'm sure he'll verify this. The original banjo sent to Rick was one of those overseas Vegas they were making at the time. Rick was upset. He contacted Pete and Pete (who was a hero of Rick) and told Pete that this overseas Vega was "not what he had been expecting." Pete supposedly told Rick that "although he had desired to keep the original Five String that he would abide by the prize agreement." And so it goes, Rick received from Pete what was represented to be the original Five String.

Since this is part of my family history, (brothers in any event), I certainly know the story as told to me many times. And I saw this banjo on many occaison's taken out of its case.

BanjoLink - Posted - 05/31/2010:  13:01:26

Sounds like that may be "the" banjo! What a great story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mikehalloran - Posted - 05/31/2010:  19:07:15

Frank - was the headstock plain or was VEGA inlaid in the headstock with the star?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 05/31/2010:  20:20:55

If it's labeled Vega on the neck, it's not the original.

frankabr. - Posted - 05/31/2010:  20:37:29

Hi. I remember a plain headstock and I remember thinking about how plain this banjo was. I didn't know of its significance except what was explained to me and others by my brother. I remember the back of the neck was stained a dark brown. You could see the areas where the capo experiments were. But most of all, I remember the words on the banjo head. "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender"

I have become familiar with the versions that were sold by Vega in the 60's. Rick's was different with regards to the headstock. I know for a fact that the word Vega was not on the headstock. And I don't recall a star either. But it has been a long time.

Frank

Eastbaygeorge - Posted - 05/31/2010:  22:44:48

Here is the rest of the story. Rick was good friends with Carl Pagter, who is one of the original founders of the California Bluegrass Association. Rick and Carl for many years had a "last man's club" agreement. Whoever died first, the survivor would go over and pick out one of the deceased banjos.

It could have been a good deal for Rick, as I think Carl was considerably older and has some beautiful banjos, including an original old Style 9 Vega that is an amazing instrument.

But then Rick got sick (leukemia, I think) and died, and Carl picked the Seeger banjo out of Rick's collection. Later, Carl was at the IBMM in Owensboro, and they were setting up an exhibit about Pete Seeger, but didn't have a Seeger banjo. That's when Carl donated the banjo, and how it came to be at the museum.

frankabr. - Posted - 06/01/2010:  05:48:52

Yes, yes. Thanks for completing the story. I met Carl at least once in Carlifornia. Fine gentleman and musician. Rick had very high regards for him. I remember Rick mentioning that if something happened to him, the banjo would go to Carl. Sadly Rick passed of skin cancer. Approximately five years prior, he had a spot removed from his leg. We all hoped that it had gone into remission. But sadly it came back with a vengeance.

This is a great story and one that I would love to one day write about.

Where is the banjo now? I'd love to take my family to see it one day.

Best regards, Frank Abrams

Eastbaygeorge - Posted - 06/01/2010:  09:36:52

I believe it is still in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. I assume it's on display, but even if it isn't, I bet they would show it to you as the brother of its former owner.

If you go to Owensboro, check out the Sunrise BBQ. It's an amazing place, kind of a barbecue buffet.

When I was there I skipped the mutton, thinking, "Who barbecues mutton?" But later I found out it's a regional specialty, so I feel a little bad about not even tasting it.

Seansvoice - Posted - 06/01/2010:  09:48:50

quote:

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Originally posted by Eastbaygeorge

I believe it is still in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. I assume it's on display, but even if it isn't, I bet they would show it to you as the brother of its former owner.

If you go to Owensboro, check out the Sunrise BBQ. It's an amazing place, kind of a barbecue buffet.

When I was there I skipped the mutton, thinking, "Who barbecues mutton?" But later I found out it's a regional specialty, so I feel a little bad about not even tasting it.

---

RB100 - Posted - 06/01/2010:  19:19:23

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eastbaygeorge

I believe it is still in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. I assume it's on display, but even if it isn't, I bet they would show it to you as the brother of its former owner.

If you go to Owensboro, check out the Sunrise BBQ. It's an amazing place, kind of a barbecue buffet.

When I was there I skipped the mutton, thinking, "Who barbecues mutton?" But later I found out it's a regional specialty, so I feel a little bad about not even tasting it.

---

frankabr. - Posted - 06/02/2010:  10:20:06

Clarification of the subscription story is this; Singout Magazine needed 500 new subscriptions sold, and their subscription drive basically said that "one of the individuals who purchased one of these new subscriptions would be picked to win Pete Seegers Banjo."

So when Rick found out that each subscription was one dollar a piece, he did some quick math and he just went straight out and purchased all 500 subscriptions. That is how he ended up owned Pete Seeger's longneck Vega.

One of the great true stories

Eastbaygeorge - Posted - 06/02/2010:  15:49:44

Oh, maybe it was the Moonlite BBQ. I do remember that we were in a motel and I picked up a phone book to seek a place for supper and their ad was right on the cover.

If we ever go back to Owensboro to see the improved IBMM, that place will be right on my list.

BTW, I attended the wedding of my cousin's son in Las Vegas about a year ago, and he runs an amazing joint (three actually) in that city. They are called Memphis Championship Barbecue and the food is maybe better than Kentucky. Cooked very slow and long. Really delicious, and the sides are special, too.