... of 15 Terry Street, Nelson, Lancashire, was an enthusiastic teacher of the banjo whose banjo playing experiences went back to the days of the smooth and unfretted instrument. In addition to his own professional appearances in and around his home town, he directed the Nelson Banjo Band for many years and as a result he had ample opportunities for selling his banjos bearing his name as maker. The images of this Lund Cello banjo show that he clearly had access to play and copy the instruments eminating from makers such as Essex and Dallas in London on the back of the BMG Orchestras. His training in the gas industry almost certainly influenced him as clearly he was a fine engineer producing quality hardware. Typically at the start of the 20th C a lot of components for standard sized banjos could be bought off the shelf at hardware shops but it is demonstrated here that his small production gave rise to a certain naivety in woodworking, displayed in this example, in the dovetail joints used for the perch pole. Or perhaps the steel bracing was a later modification. Images courtesy of David Grego William Lund to 1945 next maker

In the June issue of “The Cadenza” it notes that EN Guckert, of Toledo, Ohio is the owner of the Union Music Co, “ a concern which manufacturers the ‘Duplex” banjos and publishes chord books for stringed instruments. Guckert wrote and published a chord book in 1919 and 2 years later this was followed by a tenor-banjo chord method, but it is doubtful when he actually manufactured instruments. Duplex Do you have a banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

... of Gloucester, was a banjo enthusiast who made (and sold privately) several conventional banjos when he was a pupil of S.E.Turner of Cheltenham. In 1927 he conceived the idea of making an all wood instrument. Basically, the hoop of this banjo (which he patented in 1928) consisted of a series of blocks glued together in a ring and turned to a section similar to that of a bell. A metal band was fitted under the"shelf" of the hoop to act as a wearing plate for the nuts of the tention brackets, thus eliminatingthe neccessity for the conventional shoes. Mr Merriman sent his prototype to Windsor of Birmingham who made about half a dozen instruments to his design. They were sold privately. In 1932 about the same number of instruments were made for Mr Merriman by J.G.Abbot and he advertised them in the June 1932 "BMG". When these were sold Mr Merriman retired from the field of commericial banjo making. In later years Harold was the Landlord at the Royal Exchange Public House in Hartpury Gloucester. Pictures countesy of John Craze of a banjo made by Merriman in 1943 while serving in Kenya. He and John's father Frank Craze played with the Phil Barker Banjo Boys from Gloucester. Harold Thomas Merriman 1903 -1977 next maker

.. was born in St Joseph Montana in 1852 and in his younger days worked as a stone mason. He became interested in wood working and mechanics of various kinds and became skilled in the use of a wide range of tool based skills. As a hobby he played the banjo (extremely well say critics of the period) and while still a young man joined a minstrel troupe with which he toured extensively for several years. His familiarity with minstrel performers and theatrical people , coupled with the growing demand for banjos induced him to open a factory in Chicago in 1870. He became one of the greatest banjo makers in America (as far as quality was concerned) and it was said the reason for the excellence of Schall’s banjos was due to the fact that he was an exceptionally skilled mechanic who worked at the bench beside his five employees. His banjos became justly celebrated and were in demand among all the leading banjoists of the day. In 1881 Clarence L Partee became the manager of his offices and showrooms and in addition he taught banjo “by note”. Schall sold all the banjos he and his five workmen could manufacture and received high prices for them, but he would not enlarge his factory to keep pace with the growth in demand for his instruments. Also, prosperity proved too much for his and as soon as he had accumulated a few thousand dollars he would neglect his business until he had spent the money and then returned to the factory floor. By1893 he was also making banjos for the celebrated banjoist E Hall who had a teaching studio in Chicago, and James Waldo. In his absence , with no foreman in charge, his workmen could not be relied upon to keep up the standards and when new less skilled workmen replaced the older ones quality suffered and poor instruments were produced. About 1895 Schall suffered a stroke and had to close his business down. He eventually recovered but for several years suffered from chronic rheumatism and partial paralysis. In 1905 his health had improved enough for him to open a small banjo shop (over which he lived alone) and he started to make banjos by himself for professional players although orders were scarce. He did make a banjo for Bert Earl in 1907. He died in dramatic circumstances in around 1907 when he was 55. He had just completed two banjos for an act appearing at the Olympic Theatre in Chicago and the players invited him to hear their performance. Occupying a front seat on the balcony he was listening intently to the instruments he had made when he suddenly rose out of his seat with a choking cry and appeared that he would fall over the balcony when he collapsed to the floor. Ushers rushed to his aid and carried him into the foyer where they attempted to resuscitate him. The act on stage had continued unaware that Schall was dying on the balcony. Once he partially gained consciousness , opened his eyes and murmured “I can go home now” and as the act on stage burst into the last bars of a popular song JB Schall breathed his last. Images courtesy of the estate of Richard Evans J B Schall 1852 - 1907 next maker

.. was born in Hampton Wick, Middlesex. From the early 1880s until 1913, Alfred Smith, of Grove Road and, after January 1895, Penrhyn Road, Kingston on-Thames, Surrey, was a successful teacher of the banjo, mandolin and guitar and a public performer on these instruments. In addition, he conducted a successful amateur B. M. & G. orchestra of over thirty members, made up of his pupils. He also arranged successful concerts in and around Kingston. All these activities enabled his name to sell the banjos and zither-banjos bearing his name as maker but these were probably made for him by Parslow or Tilley . These images show his "Special" with the neck angle adjuster fitted. Alfred Smith 1873 to ... next maker

Frank Goscha of Philadelphia is mentioned as having been one of the early banjo makers in America but no details of him or his products have ever come to light. Philadelphia was a centre of activity for banjo making in the early 1880’s and it may be that he was one of the wood workers that cashed in on the banjo craze. Frank Goscha Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

.. of Reading, Berkshire put his name as maker on banjos around about the turn of the 20th century'. A specimen seen had a 10 inch hoop of nickel silver with 36 brackets. 'The fingerboard was inlaid with 17 frets; the remaining space of the fingerboard being taken up with of a large crescent and star in mother-of-pearl inlaid into the ebony. The ornate inlays in the fingerboard were of mother of pearl and diamantÆ stars. No details have been discovered of Deane but it is possible he was a local teacher and the banjos were made for him - possibly Windsor or Abbott. October 2012: Arthur W Deane born October 1865 in Henley on Thames and was living in Reading St Lawrance and registered as a carpenter in the 1901 census, aged 35. His wife Elizabeth ( b 1867) was a music teacher. The banjo referred to in Sharpe's original text has been located and these are the pictures of it. Living near Reading he would have had easy access to London by train and would have been able to buy the hardware to make banjos from dealers in London probably making the necks and doing the inlays himself. Arthur William Deane 1865 - 1909 next maker

... of 263 Camberwell Road, London in 1895, was one of three brothers, Charles A, Henry G and Walter J all of whom were makers of musical instruments. (Brother Henry gained fame as a builder of organs) . He was still making banjos there in 1915. Chas. Hudson worked in a music shop and started the South London Banjo Studio in 1888. He was a clever maker and repairer of musical instruments and specialised in the zither- banjo which he always fitted with extra-wide frets to facilitate the smooth playing of the slide or slur." In the early 1890’s he was well known as a player of the banjo and gave concerts at the Surrey Masonic Hall and was working from home in his own employment. He made all the instruments bearing his name and it is interesting to note he was the inventor of the mandolin-banjo with a hoop like a miniature zither-banjo, which he patented in 1899. (no 1484) He died in 1946. for more on Hundson go here Charles Alfred Hudson 1866 to 1946 Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

.. was one of the leading banjo soloists of America, was born in 1871 , became a pupil of A A Farland and started his professional career at the age of 16 years. In 1890 he met a lady who was to become his wife and stage partner in tours that for many years took them across the USA from NY to California. In 1908 he opened a studio at Forestdale, Vermont and with the title of "The Bacon Manufacturing Company " first advertised the "Bacon Professional Banjo" which had been made for him by the Vega Co . of Boston Mass. By 1921 he had formed the Bacon Banjo Co. with a factory at Grotton, Conn. to manufacrure instruments that were said to "incorporate the ideas of tone and workmanship by the President Fred J Bacon" . Bacon banjos were in demand and the factory kept working overtime to fulfill orders. On September 18th 1922 David L Day, with 39 years of of experience behind him left the Vega company and joined the Bacon Banjo Co as Vice President and General Manager and sson after the instruments were branded with the "B&D Silver Bell" trade mark. The Depression of 1929 seriously affected the company's business and in 1939 it was taken over by Fred Gretch Mfg. co. Inc. of 60 Broadway Brooklyn, New York. which continued t0 make the "B&D" banjos. Fred Bacon died in 1948 and David L Day in 1956. for more information Pictures courtest of Smakula's Fretted Instruments www.banjoonmyknee.com Fred J Bacon .. 1871 to 1948 next maker

... was a banjo manufacturer in Cleveland, Ohio, active from about 1873 to about 1900. No two instruments are alike, and it is probable that they were built-to-order. All have spun-over rims, necks of Walnut, and metal hardware made in-house. Earlier instruments have metal inlays, square tension and shoe nuts, and a unique bulge at the 5th peg which encloses the peg. Many of the earlier instruments are fretless. Later instruments eliminated the neck bulge, used mostly shell inlay, and had fancier tension and shoe hardware. Two instruments have appeared with a cast metal neck adjusting apparatus, similar in function to that used on The Cole "Eclipse" banjos, but unique to French. Some instruments carry engraved metal presentation or owner's name/initial plates For more information go here Bio and pictures courtesy of Andy Fitzgibbon J. Lafayette French 1843 to 1918 next maker

.. in 1881 his son was listed as a Musical Instrument Seller living in Kensington, married with a son and daughter. From 1891 to the turn of the century he was as Musical Instrument Manufacturer living in Fulham where he died in 1911. His unmarried son George Joseph Butler (b1864-1950) carried on the business Manufacturing Musical Instruments. A zither-banjo marked "Butler, Haymarket, London" passed through the hands of A.P Sharpe but no other details of this maker of (or possibly dealer in) musical instruments were discovered at the time (1960s) Images courtest of the estate of Richard Evans George Butler 1798 - 1867 next maker

Charles G Long 1827 to 1908 Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker .. was born in Carlisle, Cumberland (as it was known in 1827), England and was taken at an early age to America. Here he developed in to a child prodigy and by 1844/45 was a member of The Virginian Serenaders. When he retired from minstrelsy about 1868 he was associated with George T Rees in the management of the academy of music in Selma, Alabama and made banjos.