Bowlin: Fretless Banjo 1865 Model

Submitted by R. D. Lunceford on 12/14/2005

Where Purchased: Bowlin BanjoWorks

Year Purchased: 2004
Price Paid: $650 ($US)

Sound

The Bowlin Fretless Banjo possesses a full, rich, and dark sound yet has a surprising amount of resonance. When played softly, the timbre could best be compared to a renaissance lute. When played with more vigor, the effect is percussive with just the right amount of sustain, and compares favorably to the best minstrel banjo reproductions being made today. Even so, it should be made clear that The Bowlin Fretless was designed with the clawhammer player in mind. It is typical of instruments of the mid to late-1860's in design- the exact period when the clawhammer style was evolving from the minstrel stroke style.

This banjo faithfully reproduces the sound of the earliest wood-rim banjos dating as far back as the 1830's. Especially when tuned to the pitch prescribed by Tom Briggs in his 1855 tutor, the Bowlin Fretless Banjo's sound is absolutely addictive.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

As received from the maker, this banjo was well set-up and has needed no adjustments over the 1-1/2 years I have owned it. The action is such that the instrument is very playable, and the bridge placement is conducive to producing the optimum tone the banjo is capable of.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

If you have ever wanted a banjo that looks and sounds as if it were 150 years old, the Bowlin Fretless is it. Every detail of the banjo is the result of meticulous craftsmanship and the product of John Bowlin's extensive knowledge of 19th century banjo manufacture and design. The Bowlin Fretless, while unique, combines all of the best features of mid-19th century banjos. The end result is an instrument that looks as if it could be the centerpiece of an early banjo collection- John's intuitive sense of style and proportion have produced a simple yet elegant banjo that is characteristic of the post-Civil War period.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

In spite of the fact that the Bowlin Fretless is fitted with a natural skin head and gut strings, it is surprisingly stable. These days it is my main performance banjo, and I never hesitate to take it anywhere or play it under any of a variety conditions.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

John Bowlin is enthusiastic, friendly, knowlegeable, and a pleaure to do business with. John considers customer satisfaction to be an integral element of his reputation as a banjo-maker, and strives to give each customer a quality instrument.

Customer Service: 10

Components

All components are hand-crafted and of exceptional quality.
The finish is hand-rubbed and of high quality.

The banjo features:
12" dia. x 3" deep rim
24" scale length
Handmade tailpiece and bridge
Natural skin head
High quality gut strings
Handmade antiqued hardware (brackets, nuts, tension hoop)
Mechanical friction tuners

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

The Bowlin Fretless is a wonderful banjo of the type that the first generation of clawhammer banjo players used. It is designed primarily with the modern old-time banjo player in mind. The 24" scale makes it comfortable to play as opposed to some minstrel banjos which feature historically correct yet unwieldy scale lengths of up to 28" or 29". The Bowlin Fretless Banjo's 24" scale is actually correct for banjos of the post-Civil War era.

It took me a very short time to become accustomed to the banjo after having played a conventional fretted banjo for years. In short order I was able to transfer 95% of my existing repertoire to the Bowlin Fretless.

My goal was to reproduce the sound of the first generation of clawhammer players, and the Bowlin fretless makes this possible. In addition to the standard old-time repertoire, the banjo is also well suited to the minstrel repertoire.

The fact that The Bowlin is fretless makes many nuances available that are not so on a fretted instrument. For my purposes it is the ultimate solo instrument. I was so taken with the music I could make on the Bowlin Fretless that I released a CD using it exclusively, entitled: "Cotton Blossom: 19th Century Banjo Tunes, Clawhammer Style" by R.D. Lunceford, available from Elderly Instruments. www.elderly.com

For Info: Contact Bowlin BanjoWorks at: old5@msn.com

Overall Rating: 10