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In the 19th Century, all three of the banjo types listed below were being played, but the tackhead banjo became more popular than the gourd banjo. The tackhead was probably the most popular among Civil War soldiers; therefore a favorite of re-enactors. Tackhead banjos could made in camp and were light in weight.
The more state-of-the-art Minstrel Banjo, introduced in the early 1800s, had tensioning hardware (i.e. brackets) and are the precursor to the modern banjo. They were a more expensive instrument played by professional musicians or amateurs with some money to spend for a "store-bought" banjo.
These precursors to the modern banjo generally DID NOT have frets. If they did, they were more likely to be tied gut (like a lute or viola da gamba) rather than inset metal frets.
From left to right, a Gourd Banjo, a Tackhead Banjo and a Minstrel Banjo, all made by Master Banjo Maker, Jeff Menzies
Here are some really nice recordings of a gourd banjo (played by Jeff Menzies) and a tackhead banjo (played by Donald Zepp):
Cuttin at the Point Jeff Menzie Wendy Robinson Travis McCauley
Year of Julilo tackhead Donald Zepp
The Early Modern Banjos of the 19th Century
In the second half of the 19th Century there began to appear factory-made early versions of modern banjos with metal frets. Many of these new banjos had spun aluminum (a very expensive commodity at the time) pots. We have some actual photos of one of these early modern banjos dated to somewhere in the the 1860s or 1870s. It probably had fewer brackets when it was new, and upgraded at a later unknown date.
That Extra Hole in the Peg Head?
Note in the last photo the extra peg hole in the middle of the peg head. You cannot see the extra hole from the front because it is covered by a large diamond-shaped inlay, installed later in the life of this banjo.
What was this 5th peg hole for? The answer is...a fifth peg. Six-string banjos (5 main strings with a 6th drone string) were popular in the 19th Century. This type of six-string banjo is not to be confused with the guitar-tuned banjos that available today.
An example of how this new type of fretted gut-strung banjo would sound playing along with reproduction of an 1860s Style Cigar Box Fiddle
Don Rickert Lutherie makes an AFFORDABLE open-back banjo similar to the actual antique banjo dipicted in the photos above. It is called the Fairbanks Type Metal Rim Open-Back Banjo and is available at the Adventurous Muse Store.
Our metal rim open-back banjo is quite versatile. With the standard modern planetary tuners, coordinator rod and metail strings to meet the needs of the contemporary Old-Time banjo claw-hammer banjo player. Replacing the tuners with violin-type tuners, the coordinator rod with a wooden dowel stick and the strings with Nylgut, you have a 19th Century banjo! All of these retro-setup modifications are options that we will do if you order them...You DO NOT have to do any of these mods yourself!
We can even get rid of the truss rod (not needed for gut or Nylgut strings) and the tell-tail truss rod cover on the peg head.
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