malarz - Posted - 04/29/2024:  05:14:44

Wondering if there are any recorded examples of tenor banjo being played either as a melody instrument or rhythmic accompaniment in American Old Time music? I use CGDA tuning. Would GDAE be more “appropriate” since both fiddle and mandolin use that tuning?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Ken

jduke - Posted - 04/29/2024:  06:12:16

In contemporary old time music you'll see a lot of not traditionally used string instruments and even some non-stringed instruments. This is true of the early string band tradition too. There are some groups or jams where they are strict to the older Appalachian traditions, especially when playing for contra- dances.

In old time jams, I mainly play rhythm on a banjo-uke, but will occasionally play 5-string banjo. I think you will find your tenor banjo acceptable as a rhythm instrument more often than not.

earlstanleycrowe - Posted - 04/29/2024:  06:29:43

I think GDAE tuning would make it easier to get the notes of the tunes. Most of them are in certain keys based on the range of the melody.

KingStudent - Posted - 04/29/2024:  07:04:10

In our group I used to play old time on both clawhammer and plectrum, but now I only play plectrum. In Old-Time Music Makers of New York State almost all of the banjo playing is 4-string! The only picture of a 5-string is a guy playing a Seeger long-neck in a 1970s OT/folk revival band - all the others are tenors or plectrums.

BobTheGambler - Posted - 04/29/2024:  07:12:15

There was a tenor banjo player in plenty of old time string bands that made records in the '20s and '30s, usually playing rhythm, and you can easily find the 78s digitized on youtube. Off the top of my head:



-Frank Blevins and His Tar Heel Rattlers

-East Texas Serenaders

-Freeny's Dance Band

-Seven Foot Dilly and His Dill Pickles

-Hack's String Band

Edited by - BobTheGambler on 04/29/2024 07:12:58

Boblamoy - Posted - 04/29/2024:  08:48:40

I play tenor tuned GDAE at a monthly OT jam. I like to play melody but many of their tunes are quite different from how I know them. So I play rhythm mostly.

Banner Blue - Posted - 04/29/2024:  09:15:19

In the late 1970s an old time jam often attracted a very talented clarinetist.

raybob - Posted - 04/29/2024:  09:24:31

Dom Flemons, from Carolina Chocolate Drops fame, plays a lot of instruments, when he plays banjo I think it's mostly a 4 string.

Dan Gellert - Posted - 04/29/2024:  11:49:25

The Allen Brothers used a tenor, usually capo'd up to mandolin pitch.

malarz - Posted - 04/29/2024:  12:47:10

Thanks to all for your replies and suggested listening. I’ll search and do more listening. And, I once owned the book Old Time Music Makers of New York State. I gave it to a fiddler friend who played Old Time.

Capo-ing up to turn the CGDA into GDAE is a good idea. The banjo neck is long enough to still give me plenty of available frets. I will need to learn different chord positions but its worth a try.

Bob Smakula - Posted - 04/29/2024:  14:24:29

I play Mando-cello (C-G-D-A) at old time jams frequently and will capo at the 2nd fret to play key of D tunes using the same fingering as mandolin and fiddle key of G. Sometimes that's easier on my brain that has played mandolin and fiddle for 50+ years.

Bob Smakula

Lew H - Posted - 04/29/2024:  17:32:42

We Banjos Three, an Irish band that delves into bluegrass, sometimes does a bluegrass simulation on tenor banjo.

Bill H - Posted - 04/30/2024:  03:36:47

Dom Flemmons played a four-string tenor with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and continues to play it with old time and folk music in his solo work.

youtu.be/EmPf1CJaF5s

malarz - Posted - 04/30/2024:  03:58:43

Thanks for Carolina Chocolate Drops link. How is his style generally identified? Two-finger picking?

Again, thanks to all for helping me find my way playing 4-string in OT.

BobTheGambler - Posted - 04/30/2024:  08:43:51

Just to be clear, Flemons plays a plectrum banjo, not a tenor.

KingStudent - Posted - 04/30/2024:  13:58:02

I've started to wonder about 4-string banjo nomenclature: are we referring to the # of frets (22 = plectrum, 19 = tenor, 17 = "Irish tenor"?), or to the tuning (CGBD = plectrum, CGDA = tenor, GDAE = "Irish"), or some combination thereof, or what? I personally use plectrum tuning on any 4-string, adjusting the string gauges accordingly. Historically (and currently) there's certainly a mainstream for each, but there's lots of boundary-crossing, which personally I'm all for.

mmuussiiccaall - Posted - 04/30/2024:  16:17:00

Here's an example how to play old time melody on tenor by raising the 2nd string up a whole step to E. This gets you in the Key of A which you could capo up to get Bb B C Db D. The PDF shows the scale of A and then goes into OLD JOE CLARK. BTW you could use a flatpick or fingers for this.

Old-Time Tenor

Old-Time Tenor

janolov - Posted - 05/01/2024:  06:15:30

I think that 90 years ago you should be welcome with i tenor banjo in any band playing country/mountain/hillbilly (or whatever they called the music then), but today there is a risk that you what be banned at a lot of  Old-Time jam. However, I think a tenor banjo would work good in OT music, both as accompanying instrument and melody instrument playing the fiddle part.

Paul R - Posted - 05/02/2024:  08:45:25

Check out the plectrum player at 5:15.

youtube.com/watch?v=T0xgNnmAkRM

Edited by - Paul R on 05/02/2024 08:46:51

writerrad - Posted - 05/02/2024:  13:10:50

quote:

---

Originally posted by janolov

I think that 90 years ago you should be welcome with i tenor banjo in any band playing country/mountain/hillbilly (or whatever they called the music then), but today there is a risk that you what be banned at a lot of  Old-Time jam. However, I think a tenor banjo would work good in OT music, both as accompanying instrument and melody instrument playing the fiddle part.

---

Old time revivalists reflect the ethos of often their ideology, which they think of this as a pure music, rather than much concern for the reality of people who played that music.  Monroe for a short time had a tenor banjoist in his band beween stringbean and Earl.  Charlie Poole's actual performing band in later days had both a tenor banjoist AND A PIANIST.

In Florida we have a state old time music championship weekend every year and just before covid I worked out with a fiddler to do a duo and learned that finger picking banjo was not allowed.

This reflects the ideology and outlook of contemporary old time revivalists is to try to escape from reality rather than to study reality.

Paul R - Posted - 05/02/2024:  21:45:08

Well, Tony, on might say that it reflects on the competence (i.e.: did not do their homework) of the chamioship's organizers.

It would seem to me that folks back then wouldn't have as ready access to instruments as we do today (with the possible exception of catalogue instruments, if they could afford them).

Can't get an upright bass? Someone just might have a Sousaphone lying around.

youtube.com/watch?v=4vN-thjBoL4

Sheesham & Lotus & 'Son

 

hobogal - Posted - 05/03/2024:  06:37:14

Are you thinking of joining a local OT jam? I guess you could either do rhythm accompaniment or think about playing the melody - but I would probably bring along a tenor banjo in GDAE and transpose for fiddle keys (Key of D is easier in GDAE).  It would fun in a smaller jam with a banjolin or guitarist especially for stringband rags, jugband and cross-over jazz/blues. I'm thinking bands like GBurns Jugband and Forty Drop Few.  youtube.com/watch?v=loPzOeNa_FI

Joel Hooks - Posted - 05/03/2024:  07:19:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paul R

Well, Tony, on might say that it reflects on the competence (i.e.: did not do their homework) of the chamioship's organizers.



It would seem to me that folks back then wouldn't have as ready access to instruments as we do today (with the possible exception of catalogue instruments, if they could afford them).



Can't get an upright bass? Someone just might have a Sousaphone lying around.



youtube.com/watch?v=4vN-thjBoL4

---

Folks "back then" might have had more access to instruments than we do today.  Every town of any size had a music store.  The problem is "back then" is fantastically vague and conjures up nostalgia-- the foundation of "old time".  Home entertainment changed significantly with the radio.  Interestingly, the radio, with Ralph Peer, was a big factor in the development of what we now generically call "old time".

Pomeroy - Posted - 05/03/2024:  10:23:20

quote:

---

Originally posted by malarz

Wondering if there are any recorded examples of tenor banjo being played either as a melody instrument or rhythmic accompaniment in American Old Time music? I use CGDA tuning. Would GDAE be more “appropriate” since both fiddle and mandolin use that tuning?



Thanks for any thoughts.



Ken

---

Unfortunately I don't have digital recordings I can share but I do have my own very clear memories of two quite different experiences of tenor banjo in OT settings that I can share.

The first was on a US trip at a picking festival at Earl White's farm in VA. There was a guy there playing tenor fingerstyle and he made the instrument a beautiful and sensitive addition. His sound was a fantastic fit in our small OT session.

The second was a guy who brought a tenor to our local OT session and proceeded to play it Irish style. Sure he knew the tunes, or could pick them up,. But his pick-driven staccato attack cut right across the OT rhythm all around him. Worse still his loudness drowned out the fiddle players. By a long way the worst session killing I've ever witnessed. He was completely oblivious both musically and socially. Oh yeah...and as the session organiser it fell to me to diplomatically tell him. Great. All I got for my polite explanation was a lecture on Appalachian music and a self-appraisal of his own expertise. Thankfully that was the first and last time he showed up at our session.

I guess the point is that the tenor banjo isn't the issue; the issue is how it is played.

Edited by - Pomeroy on 05/03/2024 11:59:47

PlectrumNePlus 06b24 - Posted - 05/04/2024:  07:39:33

quote:

---

Originally posted by malarz

Wondering if there are any recorded examples of tenor banjo being played either as a melody instrument or rhythmic accompaniment in American Old Time music? I use CGDA tuning. Would GDAE be more “appropriate” since both fiddle and mandolin use that tuning?



Thanks for any thoughts.



Ken

---

PlectrumNePlus 06b24 - Posted - 05/04/2024:  07:57:05

Hi, Ken,
The tenor banjo was used extensively as a rhythm instrument back in the 1900's, 1920's, and 1930's. Don Vappie is a current tenor player,
Howard Alden, a current player, Buddy Wachter, a current player, Johnny Baier, a current player, the late, Harry Reiser, the late Eddy Davis,
the late Elmer Snowden, and Marvin Kimball. Many of these players also play lead melody. The plectrum banjo then came along with a different tuning(CGBD) open string which gave a lower richer tone than the tenor. There are many examples of the tenor banjo on the web.
Google the above players. Much is the jazz use for the tenor, but with the plectrum playing the lead melody and the tenor playing the harmony part is a great complement to both banjo, instruments.
Good luck,
Ernie May/plectrum player/owner of my grandfathers, Tubephone tenor.

writerrad - Posted - 05/04/2024:  08:21:23

quote:Elmer

---

Originally posted by PlectrumNePlus 06b24

Hi, Ken,

The tenor banjo was used extensively as a rhythm instrument back in the 1900's, 1920's, and 1930's. Don Vappie is a current tenor player,

Howard Alden, a current player, Buddy Wachter, a current player, Johnny Baier, a current player, the late, Harry Reiser, the late Eddy Davis,

the late Elmer Snowden, and Marvin Kimball. Many of these players also play lead melody. The plectrum banjo then came along with a different tuning(CGBD) open string which gave a lower richer tone than the tenor. There are many examples of the tenor banjo on the web.

Google the above players. Much is the jazz use for the tenor, but with the plectrum playing the lead melody and the tenor playing the harmony part is a great complement to both banjo, instruments.

Good luck,

Ernie May/plectrum player/owner of my grandfathers, Tubephone tenor.

---

writerrad - Posted - 05/04/2024:  08:25:41

Tenor banjos were much more widely used in old time music when it was extant between 1910 and 1930 or 40 that is generally acknowledged. This only make sense since this wthe period of rise and decline and widest use of tenor banjos before it was pushed aside by the guitar in jazz and most other popular music. A whole number of old time bands employed them, including the later versions of Poole's NC Ramblers. Charlie Poole's later bands used a tenor for example. If you count the 1940s square dance revival as part of OTM which you could or could not, a good number of recording were made using tenor banjos and its evil cousin the plectrum banjo.

rkdjones - Posted - 05/05/2024:  10:03:55

Tuning:
I'm not sure there is another instrument that is tuned in as many ways as a banjo. I love the youtube of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. I think the banjo is using an open tuning, perhaps G or A, familiar to all 5-string players. I have a tenor with synthetic strings tuned to double D (DADE) that I intend to play rhythm at OT sessions (haven't been yet). There are lots of variations of picks you can use: flat picks (really thin ones are my preference), finger picks, finger thimbles (like the Freedom pick), or fingernails.

I find that I get a better sound strumming with tuning with a narrower range than fifths tuning (GDAE, CBDA, etc). I find it hard to get a balanced sound from the strings in fifths, the low string always seems to boom unnaturally. That said, I love fifths tuning for picking. Finding the right string set for your preferred tuning can be tricky.

I know that there is a clawhammer ukulele movement, though it never really caught my fancy. But it does make me wonder whether one could tune the 4th string of tenor banjo up an octave and get a nice sound playing clawhammer.

Pomeroy - Posted - 05/05/2024:  13:38:01

I recall a Clifford Essex Clipper tenor banjo that I owned. I replaced the plastic head with a skin head and experimented with a range of strings and tunings. I played that banjo finger style, not in OT sessions, but in English sessions where a tenor banjo is also a rare visitor that needs to bear in mind fitting in to the group sound. The CE Clipper blended so nicely. The tuning I used was influenced by the need in English session to facilitate easy change of key within tune medleys.



I sold mine when I decided to stop playing tenor banjo. That CE Clipper banjo was not originally a high-end CE instrument and could be picked up for a very reasonable price. It is, on the quiet, a little gem for anyone on the look-out to buy a tenor banjo

Edited by - Pomeroy on 05/05/2024 13:47:32

malarz - Posted - 05/06/2024:  04:21:42

Thanks for the information about your tuning and synthetic strings. Which string gauges and which brand of strings?

I had tried using CGDA where the D and A were tuned within the same octave as the C and G. That tuning was named after a tenor guitarist but I can’t remember his name. I didn’t have to learn any new chord shapes and the sound and notes of the strum were tighter/closer together. I didn’t really like it much but it did get rid of that noticeably high A string sound which for my playing I don’t want. I’ll try your tuning.

rkdjones - Posted - 05/06/2024:  08:20:07

I'm using strings from a classical guitar set. I don't remember which strings. I looked at the string frequencies and adjusted for the shorter scale length (my tenor banjo has a 23" scale). It seems to work OK (It's just folk music). This is probably the cheapest way to go since classical guitar strings are ubiquitous.

Aquila sells nylgut 5-string banjo strings which are optimized for open G on a 26" scale. They might be good for tuning to open A on a 23" scale tenor banjo.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 05/15/2024:  07:53:52

Besides the wealth of recordings mentioned above, I knew and older fiddler who lived near the top of a mountain. He played tenor banjo and we would jam at his house. Being a fiddler he was real adept at playing old time tunes and was a hoot to play fiddle with.

BanjoBelle - Posted - 05/15/2024:  11:36:46

I'm currently teaching a woman how to play bluegrass and Old Time tunes on a tenor CGDA tuning and have also started a page with PDF's of the tunes. DM me if interested.

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 05/15/2024:  13:42:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by writerrad

quote:

---

Originally posted by janolov

I think that 90 years ago you should be welcome with i tenor banjo in any band playing country/mountain/hillbilly (or whatever they called the music then), but today there is a risk that you what be banned at a lot of  Old-Time jam. However, I think a tenor banjo would work good in OT music, both as accompanying instrument and melody instrument playing the fiddle part.

---

Old time revivalists reflect the ethos of often their ideology, which they think of this as a pure music, rather than much concern for the reality of people who played that music.  Monroe for a short time had a tenor banjoist in his band beween stringbean and Earl.  Charlie Poole's actual performing band in later days had both a tenor banjoist AND A PIANIST.

In Florida we have a state old time music championship weekend every year and just before covid I worked out with a fiddler to do a duo and learned that finger picking banjo was not allowed.

This reflects the ideology and outlook of contemporary old time revivalists is to try to escape from reality rather than to study reality.

---

The above post by Janolov, and reply by Tony should be read and reread.

In my Dad's N. Missouri of 100 yrs ago, with its southern-derived musical traditions, the 'cello, piano, pump organ, and tenor banjo were not uncommon.



In the tab book for "Cotton Blossom" I posited that;



" As early as the 1920's (and actually before), but more recently in the 1960's and '70's, ethno-musicologists have gone into various regions of the United States to collect (Old-Time) traditional music. This has occurred most frequently in Appalachia, resulting in the widespread misconception that the banjo is the exclusive property of this region. Many other areas of the country- Missouri, Arkansas, and Alabama to name a few- have also possessed native banjo traditions. For every Wade Ward, Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, or Burl Hammons that has been "discovered" a Frankie Fullington, Bye Conley, Noah Holt, or Morg Howard has not received adequate recognition.



I do not mean to criticize those collectors who concentrated their efforts in Appalachia- we owe them a debt of gratitude for preserving for us a valuable musical legacy. The criticism is reserved for the near-sighted factions of the folk-revival who authoritatively recognize no other tradition than the one their own narrow experience allows."



I suppose that the survival of certain musical traditions has always been a sort of "survival of the fittest" situation- how many musics, how many styles have gone extinct because they had no champions to insure their survival for yet one more generation? An amalgamation of some of these Appalachian styles became the model for the revivified Old-Time music tradition, the second-hand inheritors of which assumed an air of authority, arbitrating what is "authentic" and what is not. If one is familiar, an identical situation occurred in Irish fiddling where for various reasons the Sligo style became the standard by which all other regional styles were measured and sometimes dismissed.



One has to look no further than the work of Conway, and the exertions of the Carolina Chocolate Drops without which a rare and valuable tradition came within a hair's breadth of vanishing. How many others melted away as if they had never existed because they had no advocate?



Having said the above, I would like to publicly thank our own resident musician-scholar Tony Thomas for his dedication and oftentimes courage in his pursuit of knowledge and historical truth. Future generations are in your debt.





 

writerrad - Posted - 05/15/2024:  20:07:42

quote:Yes there is this crazy moldy fig charicature of traditional or working banjoinsts which has nothing to do with what they did that festers.  Early banjos, the early gourd banjos made by Black people in the Caribbean and initially in North America were probably constricted by their desire that their design reflect their cosmological and spiritual concerns that might not have led to our ideas of the best designs for playing them, but that probably dovetailed with the security needs of not having instruments that were not too loud due to repression.

However, once the banjo escaped these limitations, there is absolutely no sign that banjoists in the tradition whatever that can be conceived of being had any restraints about accepting and advancing whatever designs and ideas anyone advanced about banjos that came along with the most broadly accepted being the innovations and advances most of which came or at least were most widely known based on ideas of musical instrument luthiers and designers and manufacturers of banjos based in the big cities of the East Coast.

The banjo may date to some point in the middle or early 1600s as as an instrument in the Caribbean, and may have had some use among African American descend brought to North America.   However, for all, Black, white and Chartreuse, the banjo exploded onto the world in rapid development from the late 1830s on, with absolutely no period of ancient time for it to ossify into some hard bound exactly traditional way of playing, especially after its use and design was no long restricted by religious dictates or fear of repression.  

We act like it was some old fossil handed down by Ogg the Cave man, when it was a constantly inventing and reinventing itself item, the product of the broadest exchange on a national and international stories, not a fossil handed down for hoary old tradition, but the newest jazziest, most technically advanced product, even among musicians we try to narrowly and incorrectly define as traditional.

There are several stories I have heard from before I became involved in the banjo world of old time banjo revivalists hunting up Southern Black and white banjoists, presenting them with someone's replica of an 19th century minstrel era banjo, or an early gourd banjo, expecting them to be overjoyed, only finding these musicians preferred the RBs or the Japanese invasion banjos they purchased for themselves, often not know that revivalists expected them to prefer 19th century banjos or gourd banjos.  

It is certainly true because I did a presentation on this for the banjo collectors about 12 years ago, that often if a traditional Black banjo "rediscovered" in the 70s or 80s or 90s is seen with even a Boston banjo, a Fairbanks, a Vega, or a Bacon, the banjo actually belonged to a revivalist who thought they shoud play it, and their actual banjo was either a Gibson RB or  more inexpensive Harmonies, Kays etc.

The real active tradition of the banjo even among traditional players is fairly progressive, incorporating new innovations in playing that come from the big world of the banjo that opened up in the 1850s or very broad, sometimes international, exchange.

The tenor came in like a strong force, along with a whole series of alternative 4  and 8 string banjos descended from the mandolin and mandola, as well as plectrum played 5  string banjos with no short string and lots of crazy combinations.  They came in because they were seen as great tools for rhythm playing in the big upsurge in social dancing that spread across the US and similar countries at the end of the 19th and start of the 20tth centuries. People tried to make them work for the dancing old time bands played too.

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 05/15/2024:  22:08:05

quote:

---

Originally posted by writerrad

quote:

There are several stories I have heard from before I became involved in the banjo world of old time banjo revivalists hunting up Southern Black and white banjoists, presenting them with someone's replica of an 19th century minstrel era banjo, or an early gourd banjo, expecting them to be overjoyed, only finding these musicians preferred the RBs or the Japanese invasion banjos they purchased for themselves, often not know that revivalists expected them to prefer 19th century banjos or gourd banjos.  

It is certainly true because I did a presentation on this for the banjo collectors about 12 years ago, that often if a traditional Black banjo "rediscovered" in the 70s or 80s or 90s is seen with even a Boston banjo, a Fairbanks, a Vega, or a Bacon, the banjo actually belonged to a revivalist who thought they shoud play it, and their actual banjo was either a Gibson RB or  more inexpensive Harmonies, Kays etc.

 

---

---

That was exactly my experience with the old-timers, who when asked to play would go into their closets and pull out a Kay or a mail-ordered Sears banjo, often resonated.  If they were doing well enough, they had, as you mention bought themselves the snazziest banjo they could afford- usually a Bluegrass banjo. 

The old-timers, many of whom had lived through the Depression were happy to have achieved some prosperity and their choice of instruments (among other things) reflected this.  The revivalists were seeking some sort of "authenticity" as a way of boosting their own credibility and so often sought out the sort of banjo that was to be seen in old photographs.  Still, there is something to be said for playing on historical reproduction instruments as a way of capturing a previous sound, and this has certainly resulted in the current Old-Time sound.  Richard Jones-Bamman speaks to this at great length in his book: "Building New Banjos for an Old-Time World".

After a lot of begging, my Dad (who had played in his youth)  got me a banjo for my 13th birthday.  It was a $40 pawnshop Harmony.  Somewhere down the line I removed the resonator for which my Dad took me to task saying that I had devalued the instrument and had me put it back on.  

All of the forgoing aside, I own a number of vintage instruments and mid-19th c. repro banjoes, and a Brooks open-back with Dobson ring, and a John Bowlin 1865 fretless are my main players. My Harmony and my RB-250 spend most of their time in the closet.

Edited by - R.D. Lunceford on 05/15/2024 22:16:05

writerrad - Posted - 05/16/2024:  13:39:14

quote:  I really felt that Richard's book was a masterpiece.   It is unfortunate it has not been more widely read and looked at.  Right after it came out, he asked me what I thought.,   I told him that if I was teaching a graduate writing course for non-fiction of this kind or even more technical writing,  I would use this as the sample book--usually such courses have a kind of text book, and an actual published book that showa hoq the genre is done right.

The more I think about it, the more that I think what might be called a "tradition" in banjo is its radically progressive and originating nature and the acceptance of new trends and developments both in the technology of building and improving banjos,  as well as the genres of music it can fill.    

---

Originally posted by R.D. Lunceford

quote:

---

Originally posted by writerrad

quote:

There are several stories I have heard from before I became involved in the banjo world of old time banjo revivalists hunting up Southern Black and white banjoists, presenting them with someone's replica of an 19th century minstrel era banjo, or an early gourd banjo, expecting them to be overjoyed, only finding these musicians preferred the RBs or the Japanese invasion banjos they purchased for themselves, often not know that revivalists expected them to prefer 19th century banjos or gourd banjos.  

It is certainly true because I did a presentation on this for the banjo collectors about 12 years ago, that often if a traditional Black banjo "rediscovered" in the 70s or 80s or 90s is seen with even a Boston banjo, a Fairbanks, a Vega, or a Bacon, the banjo actually belonged to a revivalist who thought they shoud play it, and their actual banjo was either a Gibson RB or  more inexpensive Harmonies, Kays etc.

 

---

---

That was exactly my experience with the old-timers, who when asked to play would go into their closets and pull out a Kay or a mail-ordered Sears banjo, often resonated.  If they were doing well enough, they had, as you mention bought themselves the snazziest banjo they could afford- usually a Bluegrass banjo. 

The old-timers, many of whom had lived through the Depression were happy to have achieved some prosperity and their choice of instruments (among other things) reflected this.  The revivalists were seeking some sort of "authenticity" as a way of boosting their own credibility and so often sought out the sort of banjo that was to be seen in old photographs.  Still, there is something to be said for playing on historical reproduction instruments as a way of capturing a previous sound, and this has certainly resulted in the current Old-Time sound.  Richard Jones-Bamman speaks to this at great length in his book: "Building New Banjos for an Old-Time World".

After a lot of begging, my Dad (who had played in his youth)  got me a banjo for my 13th birthday.  It was a $40 pawnshop Harmony.  Somewhere down the line I removed the resonator for which my Dad took me to task saying that I had devalued the instrument and had me put it back on.  

All of the forgoing aside, I own a number of vintage instruments and mid-19th c. repro banjoes, and a Brooks open-back with Dobson ring, and a John Bowlin 1865 fretless are my main players. My Harmony and my RB-250 spend most of their time in the closet.

 

---

Cottonmouth - Posted - 05/20/2024:  16:26:41

There are a few old-time jams in my community that I attend on occasion. If I don't play mandolin, I will play melody banjo (4-string mandolin banjo), tuned GDAE. We have several fiddlers and generally stick to the Key of D.

Edited by - Cottonmouth on 05/20/2024 16:31:09

hobogal - Posted - 06/02/2024:  00:41:16

This is a nice example: youtube.com/watch?v=WaastC1A9mQ

Stone and Sue (bit obsessed with them): youtube.com/watch?v=NijEsyEip-Q