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mrphysics55 - Posted - 05/17/2014: 09:18:36
I started a new Banjo Group; "Buckbee Banjos"
I think that many of us may own an example of this shop's work ... some without even knowing.
Feel free to join and post.
banjohangout.org/group/buckbee...blog/7305
Copy of First Blog Follows ...
"Well folks, I'm not a Buckbee expert but I do admire the man's/shop's work. There are many examples still out there ... most of which bear the names of others.
I recently acquired a A-Scale [22 inch] with a 9 inch pot. It is marked F.H. Douglas but is undeniably a Buckbee. I intend to do some restoration.
Having the small banjer in my hands inspired me to start this Buckbee Banjo Group. I'll update you as this little banjer gets some "spit and polish".
mrphysics55
Birmingham, Alabama
5/17/2014"
Edited by - mrphysics55 on 05/17/2014 09:32:33
beezaboy - Posted - 05/17/2014: 12:35:18
Here are a few poor photos of a Beau Brummel that has the "JHB" stamp on side of heel.
mrphysics55 - Posted - 05/17/2014: 13:54:53
That's a Beauty!
Mark Ralston - Posted - 05/17/2014: 14:23:59
Eddie - thanks for starting up this group. I'm a big fan of Buckbee banjos. He also made drums during the Civil War, and I believe that his first banjos were made in the early 1860's.
I'm putting together a tribute to Buckbee that I'm going to display at my booth at some festivals this summer (Mt Airy, Henry Reed, Clifftop, Greenwood Furnace). I'll have some info on Buckbee plus a bunch of his banjos.
If anyone has any documented information to contribute on J.H. Buckbee, pls send to me (or post here or in the Buckbee Group) and I'll include the information in my display.
BHO Thread: Buckbee was not "the cheapest and vilest" factory banjo
rcmoore - Posted - 05/17/2014: 15:20:52
I have owned several old banjos that most surely came from the Buckbee factory. Considering their age, they were all still in pretty good condition, and all were playable with only a little work. I still have one of the early paddle head models, and except for needing a neck reset, it is otherwise in very nice condition. Below are some pictures of two very similar small pot, short neck Buckbees that I once owned. Some folks refer to them as ladies banjos. One of them is marked with J.H.B. while the other shows no markings. The camera angle caused a parallax error; but they were actually the same size.
Bob Moore
davidwigal - Posted - 05/17/2014: 15:33:40
Does anyone have a lead on a decent-playable condition Buckbee banjo? This new group is the perfect excuse for me to buy one; thanks :-)
beezaboy - Posted - 05/17/2014: 16:51:47
Buckbee lost his business on August 14, 1897, when the sheriff seized his factory contents and assets to satisfy a court judgment for about $1,000. (see attached) Josef Sheina was Buckbee's landlord (not veneer man). About one month later Sheina sold Buckbee's assets to Rettberg & Lange. Meanwhile, Buckbee left New York and moved to Chicago to recoup his fortune. As I recall from reading about it - Buckbee worked for a Chicago musical company for a while then his name just sort of disappeared from the music trade publications as far as I could find.
Noah Cline - Posted - 05/17/2014: 17:52:00
Here's the group I started a couple of months ago for these and other "no-name" banjos:
banjohangout.org/group/jhbuckb...amebanjos
Guess it doesn't hurt to have two groups since there's a bunch of these banjos.
Here's my two:
Edited by - Noah Cline on 05/17/2014 18:04:39
Noah Cline - Posted - 05/17/2014: 17:53:33
quote:
Originally posted by davidwigal
Does anyone have a lead on a decent-playable condition Buckbee banjo? This new group is the perfect excuse for me to buy one; thanks :-)
Debating about selling this one, though I'm not sure at the moment. Just finished restoring it after getting it off eBay.
If your interested, let me know.
Edited by - Noah Cline on 05/17/2014 17:59:08
davidwigal - Posted - 05/17/2014: 20:15:27
Awesome! I was hoping that someone would make me an offer.
I sent you a personal message.
mrphysics55 - Posted - 05/18/2014: 11:07:00
Glad to see some folks signing up for the Group. Your contributions to the Group Page are most welcome.
MrP
mrphysics55 - Posted - 05/18/2014: 11:12:19
Noah's Quote:
"Here's the group I started a couple of months ago for these and other "no-name" banjos:
http://www.banjohangout.org/group/jhbuckbeeandno-namebanjos
Guess it doesn't hurt to have two groups since there's a bunch of these banjos."
Opps .... I didn't think to look under John Henry when looking for a Buckbee Group.
Noah,
I think it right that you should absorb my group.
Message me when you get the opportunity.
Eddie
vintagegeorge - Posted - 05/18/2014: 15:25:27
I got a few of those kickin around.
aulddawg - Posted - 05/18/2014: 20:11:55
Perfect timing! I just became eligible for this group - my new/old Buckbee arrived yesterday. 10" pot, 23 1/2" scale, light as a feather. Bought from luthier Frank Hamilton thru BHO classifieds. It's this one: banjohangout.org/classified/44275 .
Thanks to all here on the Hangout for making it possible. Many on here have offered suggestions for buying online. I followed their advice, and what could have been nerve-wracking instead was a pleasure. I went thru BHO, found an experienced luthier with an existing website which showed he was legit. Emailed with questions, he responded quickly with close-up pictures. Followed up with a phone call; he was friendly, professional, clearly knowledgeable. A really decent guy and a fine craftsman.
The banjo is all I hoped it would be. Easy-to-handle size & weight. Nylgut strings are startling at first to hands trained on steel, but the sound is like first love: there's a startling sense of recognition. This is the sound I've been hearing in my head, but now it's real and it's here in my room. Like BF Shelton just stopped by for a visit. And his sound's coming out of my hands. Incredible. Probably illegal.
Didn't know the "John Henry" part of Buckbee's name, either. I feel a Song Parody coming on: "When John Henry was a little Buckbee, sittin' on his daddy's knee..." Sadly, his dad only wants "a banjo on his knee", and throws the young JH to the floor, thus the childhood trauma which will drive the adult John Henry to attempt to fill the world with banjos.
mrphysics55 - Posted - 05/22/2014: 06:59:39
Hi Tom,
Be sure to sign up with the group.
MrP
BlowingRockNC - Posted - 05/22/2014: 07:57:17
quote:
Originally posted by aulddawg
Perfect timing! I just became eligible for this group - my new/old Buckbee arrived yesterday. 10" pot, 23 1/2" scale, light as a feather. Bought from luthier Frank Hamilton thru BHO classifieds. It's this one: banjohangout.org/classified/44275 .
--------------------------
Yes, I saw this a little too late to get it. At least now I know who got it. I know you'll enjoy it, even if you end up having to replace something or the other.
Noah Cline - Posted - 05/22/2014: 16:42:35
quote:
Originally posted by aulddawg
Perfect timing! I just became eligible for this group - my new/old Buckbee arrived yesterday. 10" pot, 23 1/2" scale, light as a feather. Bought from luthier Frank Hamilton thru BHO classifieds. It's this one: banjohangout.org/classified/44275 .
Thanks to all here on the Hangout for making it possible. Many on here have offered suggestions for buying online. I followed their advice, and what could have been nerve-wracking instead was a pleasure. I went thru BHO, found an experienced luthier with an existing website which showed he was legit. Emailed with questions, he responded quickly with close-up pictures. Followed up with a phone call; he was friendly, professional, clearly knowledgeable. A really decent guy and a fine craftsman.
The banjo is all I hoped it would be. Easy-to-handle size & weight. Nylgut strings are startling at first to hands trained on steel, but the sound is like first love: there's a startling sense of recognition. This is the sound I've been hearing in my head, but now it's real and it's here in my room. Like BF Shelton just stopped by for a visit. And his sound's coming out of my hands. Incredible. Probably illegal.
Didn't know the "John Henry" part of Buckbee's name, either. I feel a Song Parody coming on: "When John Henry was a little Buckbee, sittin' on his daddy's knee..." Sadly, his dad only wants "a banjo on his knee", and throws the young JH to the floor, thus the childhood trauma which will drive the adult John Henry to attempt to fill the world with banjos.
That banjo looks nice.
davidwigal - Posted - 05/30/2014: 11:43:36
Just bought that Buckbee from Noah Cline; it was set-up beautifully and the transaction went off without a hitch.
Thanks again Noah- you do great work, new-old Buckbee owning Dave :-)
Cool- now I can join the Buckbee group
csacwp - Posted - 06/02/2014: 07:57:52
Here's a possible early Buckbee from my collection.
davidwigal - Posted - 06/02/2014: 12:47:06
Wow that is awesome artwork; is that an original neck?
csacwp - Posted - 06/02/2014: 13:13:41
Yes, original neck and marquetry.
Edited by - csacwp on 06/02/2014 13:25:05
csacwp - Posted - 06/02/2014: 13:26:37
Here's another Buckbee of mine.
davidwigal - Posted - 06/02/2014: 16:42:52
Oh wow that is so cool; those American Eagle hardware, do you think that those are the same kind of hardware that Buckbee Co. used on their drums during the Civil War?
csacwp - Posted - 06/02/2014: 18:14:46
There were multiple designs of eagles- some with spread wings, some folded, some small, some large, and some that had "Union Forever" written underneath them (this were most likely from the 1870s and associated with the centennial, not the Civil War). It is conceivable that some of the eagles used on drums were also used on banjos, but who really knows. The eagles are very common on banjos from the 1860s through the 1890s, and seem to have even been available for some time into the 1900s.
