ForSale

Jeez. How can a guy get so lucky?

If someone handed me a blank check and said "go buy the best instruments out there today," I'd have to hand it back. I believe I HAVE some of the finest, right now! Below are the axes that I play. Take a look at some of the amazing work from banjo builders like Chuck Lee and Chuck Ogsbury (Ome/Ode). And the fiddles I've found and reconditioned are set to go at least another 100 years.

Not really sure what you want/need in a banjo? No worries. Go here for some advice on banjo buying.

So these are what I play. On occasion though, I run across other interesting instruments. When I can, I pick them up. As a player (my hobby), NOT a collector, I love sampling what's out there by different builders! I've also found there's a shortage of decent banjos from $750-$1,500. So after I've played them a while, I'm happy to pass the best of them along to others looking for high-quality, decent banjos. It wasn't by design, but I've kind of set myself up as an "instrument adoption agency." I just sold some, fine player/collectable banjos; an Ode Type II, a Flatiron "Montana Rose", an exotic "Wenge Wood" Wildwood Minstrel and a '94 Ome Juniper.

Please note, I don't make a living selling banjos, fiddles or mandolins, so I run this as close to a break-even effort as I can. What I have here are quality axes that have been well-cared for and loved. So, if you're in the market, ask me. I just might have a wonderful old stray looking for a great home.

"Hallelujah!

Praise God in His holy house of worship, praise Him under the open skies;

Praise Him for His acts of power, praise Him for His magnificent greatness;

Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings;

Praise Him with castanets and dance, praise Him with banjo and flute;

Praise Him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise Him with fiddles and mandolin.

Let every living, breathing creature praise God!

Hallelujah!."

Psalm 150 - From "The Message"

CRE adds - I especially like the banjo, fiddle and mandolin references!

There are few things I love more than the rich, deep, soulful sound of a wonderful, old-timey fiddle. The good news is, I've found some pearls! I've also teamed up with violin luthier, expert/historian and all-round wonder William Bartruff to inspect what I find and make sure every fiddle I find and play is as sound as can be (i.e. cracks repaired, sound posts adjusted, new strings, etc.).

Dr. Will and I both agree, "Sweet" best describes this instrument. Its voice is pure, even and full. The neck is responsive and true. It's back is a single piece. Where its delicate french design would probably better suit smaller hands, it's a very solid player. This fiddle is for sale for $2,000.

I picked this up from Royce Burt. It's an amazing old girl with over 200 years of karma packed in her pores. It's hard for me to imagine all the places and people this instrument has experienced. The bass is low, full and growly and the upper end soars. The mid-range is all one could hope for as well. What a great old fiddle! (NFS either, sorry).

2005 - 11" - "Marble Falls" (brass) Tubaphone model by Chuck Lee. Serial # 197.

This is Tattletale, one of two (main) banjos I use to perform. She also has a Bill Rickard tone ring.

When I first got this banjo, I thought it had a lovely voice. What I didn't realize was just how LOUD it is! Once it arrived, I spent 3 days trying to modulate its voice. Toyed with different bridges, heads, head tension and finally found what I felt was the banjo's true voice and volume. It's now grown into what I had in mind. Either that or I've just become accustomed to it.

Oh, the name came from the fact that she tells on me... gives me everything I go for (whether I hit it accurately or not!). Neck sensitivity among the Lee's is legendary.

Tattletale is NFS

2006 - 11" - "Marble Falls" (plated brass) Tubaphone model by Chuck Lee. Serial # 247.

And here is the lastest (and probably last) addition to my Marble Falls family, Bela. Bela is special for many reasons. First, her walnut neck (all my other Marble Falls are maple) has the sensitivity of all Lee banjos and she comes with the Rickard Tubaphone tone ring (my fav). I've upgraded the tuners to Keith's and added a 5/8" Stockwell 1/2 moon bridge (standard for me). But she has only 15 hooks versus Chuck's traditional 24. What makes her really special is she is one of 3 banjos Chuck was preparing for one of his premier customers, Bela Fleck. Where Bela ultimately decided to buy a wood tone ring, 12" model, he asked Chuck to use this particular peghead inlay style. Check out these great pictures Chuck took of Bela when he presented his banjo to him.

Bela is the second of my three performance banjos. She's also NFS.

2005 - 11" - "Marble Falls" (unplated brass) Tubaphone model by Chuck Lee. Serial # 198.

And here is the third of my performance banjos, Red Clay. I LOVE this banjo! Notice the serial number... Red Clay was the very next banjo made after Tattletale. As the story goes, Chuck made #196, a 12" Marble Falls tubaphone (owned by someone in California) and Tattletale (#197, an 11") as brother and sister. He told me it was the first time he'd ever made two at the same time, the same way. Both went to Donald Zepp. I bought Tattletale about a week after the dude in CA bought the 12". Knowing what I had, I hunted the guy down and asked him if he'd ever consider selling. "What, are you nuts?!" was something along the lines of his response. Smart guy! I also knew what I had.

So that got me moving. I scoured the web in search of another Lee Marble Falls with an unplated Bill Rickard brass tone ring. BINGO! John Drummond just happened to be selling Red Clay - sequentially, the VERY NEXT BANJO MADE AFTER TATTLETALE. I bought her, and here she is (these are even the photos John used on banjo.com - great company, BTW).

If you listen in to some of my MP3s on Banjohangout, many were recorded with Red Clay. My favorite that really shows off her twanginess is Meetin' In The Air.

Red Clay is Sold.