Historic Banjos for Sale

[Dave Houle]

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A VERY OLD SET OF BANJO HANGOUT ADVERTISEMENTS DATING FROM 2012. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE THEN SELLER.

THIS IS AN OLD POST AND ONLY A REFERENCE TO THE QUALITY AND RARE INSTRUMENTS THAT WERE FOR SALE AT THE TIME.

Anybody got any extra cash?

I noticed these for sale on Banjobuyer.com:

Van Eps Banjo-Guitar
http://www.banjobuyer.com/detail.asp?cid=18996

Bill Bowen's Banjo
http://www.banjobuyer.com/detail.asp?cid=20770

Fred Van Eps' Banjo
http://www.banjobuyer.com/detail.asp?cid=20432

Joe Morley's Banjo
http://www.banjobuyer.com/detail.asp?cid=20790

Van Eps Flush Fret
http://www.banjobuyer.com/detail.asp?cid=27034

It looks like Morley's banjo got a price reduction since the last time I saw it.

Which one would you go for if you had some extra cash lying around?

[Mike Moss]

If I had a lot of extra cash lying around, I'd deffo get the Morley banjo!

[thereallyniceman]

Oh Dear !!!  I can feel the old BAS flaring up again :-)

[marc dalmasso]

" Morley is seen in the attached photograph playing this banjo during a pre-WW2 BBC radio broadcast of the Kentucky Banjo Team. "

....some doubt ; this banjo has 14 brackets and the one Joe is playing seems to have only 12 .

 ................ ?  ?

[Dave Houle]

I'd have to go with the Morley also. I thought I saw it posted for 12k a while ago.

[24ymvtt04oa63]

The Van Eps Six String Banjo is NOT a Banjo Guitar or Guitar

Banjo. The latter has six 'long' strings as per a guitar and is

tuned the same. The Van Eps six string banjo has a short

octave string, with its peg at the side. The tuning is as per a

banjo with an extra low F bass.
 
marc dalmasso said:

" Morley is seen in the attached photograph playing this banjo during a pre-WW2 BBC radio broadcast of the Kentucky Banjo Team. "

....some doubt ; this banjo has 14 brackets and the one Joe is playing seems to have only 12 .

 ................ ?  ?

[skip sail]

i have a banjo that belonged to C.L Mays,who played with Parke hunter.

[Richard William Ineson]

Could you post a photograph of this banjo please? I have a banjo that belonged to Parke Hunter which I could be persuaded to part with, if anyone would like it.

skip sail said:

i have a banjo that belonged to C.L Mays,who played with Parke hunter.

[marc dalmasso]

limpid ... i understand now

Pat Doyle said:

The Van Eps Six String Banjo is NOT a Banjo Guitar or Guitar

Banjo. The latter has six 'long' strings as per a guitar and is

tuned the same. The Van Eps six string banjo has a short

octave string, with its peg at the side. The tuning is as per a

banjo with an extra low F bass.
 
marc dalmasso said:

" Morley is seen in the attached photograph playing this banjo during a pre-WW2 BBC radio broadcast of the Kentucky Banjo Team. "

....some doubt ; this banjo has 14 brackets and the one Joe is playing seems to have only 12 .

 ................ ?  ?

[Carmon Mays]

Is there any history associated with that Banjo relating to C L Mays. I am a relative of his and have been doing family history research on him. He was born in Dallas, Texas in Ca 1873 and likely died in the Missouri State Hospital #4 at Farmington, MO after 1906 but before 1922 when his mother died. Most of the musical publications state that he died in 1903, but I have documentation that he was alive in early 1904 when he was transferred from the City of St Louis Asylum to the State Hospital. In addition, his father passed away in Dallas in January 1906 and he was a survivor, so apparently still alive at that time. Any information would be appreciated.

skip sail said:

i have a banjo that belonged to C.L Mays,who played with Parke hunter.

[Trapdoor2]

I'd go for the "Meal Ticket", Van Eps' personal banjo.

[Shawn McSweeny]

Cameron :

Searching the archives of The Music Trades Review recently, I found an article from 1926 that has puzzled me and which you  may find very interesting.

The article announces that banjoist Tom Carey is joining the staff of the Gibson company. The article then describes Carey's early banjo days and states he traveled in Vaudeville for six years with Parke Hunter, under the name of Mays and Hunter. See the article below. If true, then Mays survived his Asylum experience by a good many years and established a new identity for himself.

I have inserted a c. 1900 picture of Mays alongside the 1926 picture of Carey. There are enough facial similarities, separated by a quarter century of course, to make one take notice.

Perhaps another reader has more info on Carey. Or perhaps this is a lead worth pursuing on your part. If you are able to follow  this clue, and learn more, I would be delighted to be informed.

[Trapdoor2]

I think it would be easier to believe that Tom Carey joined Mr. Hunter after Mays left...without changing the name of the band (which is very common, even today); the name "Mays & Hunter" becoming an entity unto itself. Since Carey was a student of Hunter, that would make even more sense.

Hunter died in 1912 so I would say that from '03-'09, the band kept the name name and had a personnel change. Saves advertising costs, etc., also.