KD Banjer - Posted - 09/13/2025:  09:03:06

Hatfield ‘Feud’ Banjo - made by Arthur Hatfield; Mint, Gold-plated, beautiful inlay and artwork

I am selling my mint Hatfield Feud banjo, made by one of the best banjo makers of the modern era, Arthur Hatfield. The Feud banjo tells the historically important Appalachian Hatfield and McCoy Feud story in inlay and painting.

Anyone who has played one of Arthur’s Hatfield banjos knows that he made some of the very best sounding and most comfortable to play banjos of anyone.

This gold-plated Feud banjo has been played less than 10 times and was kept in a Calton case in a climate-controlled room its entire life. It was built by Arthur in 2017 and been played less than 10 times inside my home.

With its inlay and painted resonator, this banjo tells the story of Arthur’s ancestors, the Hatfield family, and the famous historic Hatfield and McCoy Feud.

It’s a special banjo, but I am playing more guitar than banjo at the moment, and when I play banjo, I play a custom gold-plated Sullivan “Earl Scruggs Granada” banjo with a neck made from a 1904 piano maple upright that really personally speaks to me.

I prefer to sell the banjo in person rather than ship, but I will consider shipping.

Arthur sold these for $4,500, and I would like to get as close to that as possible given that no more will be made given Arthur’s sad recent passing.

I have a video filmed at Arthur’s banjo shop where he shows and plays my banjo and explains what all the symbolic inlay and artwork means. (I’ll try to post that video separately)

NOTE: I kept the original gold-plated armrest in a box in the banjo case, and had Arthur attach a nickel armrest on the banjo, so that the gold on the armrest would not wear out. The boxed gold-plated armrest will be included with the banjo.

I am also selling my: 1) 1927 Gibson TB-4 no hole conversion (with Frank Neat neck), 2) 1998 Gibson Earl Scruggs 49 Classic, 3) 1927 Gibson TB-3 no hole conversion (with an Arthur Hatfield 5 string neck; 4) 1954 Gibson RB-250 (1st year Gibson manufactured a Mastertone after WW2) and (possibly) 5) a Sullivan chrome-plated walnut Mastertone style banjo with a neck from a 1940s walnut neck blank from Frank Neat

Description of ‘The Feud’ from the Hatfield website:

The Feud

The Feud has been in the process of design for almost 3 years. It is a limited edition with only 25 to ever be made (NOTE: only 17 were made up to the time of Arthur’s passing]. It has the same components as the Celebrity model. This model is derived from the famous Hatfield and McCoy feud from the 1800's, and all the inlays represent a part of it. The resonator is hand painted by Jackie Shepherd of Custom Inlay. It is a picture of "Devil Anse" Hatfield and Randell McCoy with the Tug River between them. This banjo definitely displays a piece of history and will for sure be a collectors item.

Features:
Curly maple sunburst with gold plated metal parts
Hatfield flat head tone ring
1 pc. flange
Gotoh geared tuners
3-Ply Northern Hard Rock Maple Rim from Jimmy Cox
Finest curly maple Gill resonator hand painted by Jackie Shepherd
Curly maple neck handmade by Arthur Hatfield
Rosewood fingerboard (ebony on request)
Inlay by Custom Inlay
All parts assembled and all wood parts finished by Arthur Hatfield

KD Banjer - Posted - 09/13/2025:  09:05:51

Ad Link: banjohangout.org/classified/112158

KD Banjer - Posted - 09/24/2025:  05:27:50

In 2017, I drove 11 hours from Virginia to Glasgow to, KY to pick up the Hatfield Feud Banjo that Arthur Hatfield built for me. I filmed this video of Arther in his shop holding my newly built Hatfield Feud and explaining the inlay and resonator painting on the banjo and how they tell the story of the Hatfield and McCoy feud. Sadly, Arthur passed away this summer:

VIDEO: Banjo builder Arthur Hatfield from Glasgow Kentucky shows us his Hatfield Feud banjo
(click to view)

 

KD Banjer - Posted - 09/24/2025:  05:28:11

Hey Everyone… There have been multiple buyers who expressed strong interest in the Feud, but the banjo has not yet found the right home yet. I want someone who would really appreciate and enjoy the banjo to be able to afford it, so I am reducing the price to $4,100. This Feud is in mint condition and has been played less than 10 times, and has been kept in a Calton case in a climate controlled room. Arthur sold these new for $4,500, and sadly, no more will be made.