Awesome tag sale find

[nyvdub89]

Yesterday was national tag sale day apparently and my ma asked me to go along tagging with her. We went to a few houses with nothing that really interested me there. Old vases and paintings aren't particularly my thing. I went to this one house where I've been before. The older gentleman who owns it has a whole bunch of 80's VW Rabbits in his yard so I'm already hooked. Well I walked up and saw a gem of an old irish tenor banjo on a table. I payed a few bucks for it, but the backstory that I was given was wonderful. Apparently it's from the 1880's. It's a beautiful instrument and a wonderful addition to my collection of old instruments. I don't know how to play the banjo yet, but I've figured out a few chords already and I've played guitar for the past decade. Here is some pictures. Enjoy CR!

[SpudRider]

I love banjo music! That was a very nice find, VDub.

[nyvdub89]

Thanks Spud. I can play a few songs that I know on guitar, but it is a whole new beast. It's like going from a 200cc Zong on to a 1300 shovel head v twin Harley. The principals are all the same but one takes a different technique than the other.

[SpudRider]

I'm sure you will catch on quickly. I like your new avatar!

Here's one of my favorite banjo compositions, Big Country, performed by the composer, the incomparable Bela Fleck.

[nyvdub89]

Thanks Spud! That's a really nice song. As for the avatar, I figured either a picture of my gti or myself. That's my 1966 Guild F20 I'm playing in that picture. Sweet little folk guitar.

[SpudRider]

I'm sure your GTI is nice, but I'm glad you posted a photograph of yourself. Here's some more great music, with Bela Fleck on banjo, Jerry Douglas on dobro, and Sam Bush on mandolin.

[SpudRider]

Here's another Bela Fleck composition, Felani. Bela Fleck is accompanied by Mike McGoldrick on flute, Jerry Douglas on dobro, and Sam Bush on mandolin.



I really do love banjo music.

[zingshoen]

great find, and worth every dollar you paid (unless you find sth wrong with it). congratulations.

[bogieboy]

thats an absolutely gorgeous tenor!!!!! lets see some more pics of your instruments! i will throw some of mine up later today....i gotta get to church right now...LOL

[nyvdub89]

These are a few of my 66 F20





This is a really nice Washburn d10s/12 that a friend if mine bought off me last month for a good price.


This is my mid 80's Washburn Woodstock. My grandfather gave it to me and it's by far my favorite instrument.



Those are the only ones I've got on my phone right now. I have a few more electric guitars and digital drums but nothing worth showing off.


Thanks for all the compliments fellas! I know we all have other loves next to our Chinese machines.

[Weldangrind]

Amazing find! Son of Weldangrind has been toying with a banjo as well. He has played guitar for about six years now, and he was playing Will the Circle be Unbroken in preparation for my Grandmother's funeral, but he and my cousin decided to play it on acoustic guitars instead. They did a nice job.

[SpudRider]

Those are beautiful instruments.

[bogieboy]

This pair is my pride and joy, i built the acoustic from a kit from Martin, its a D28, rosewood back and sides, sitka spruce top, mahagonay neck....the electric is an ibanez that i completely redid, changed pup configurations, and took it from boring blue to a walnut bookmatched veneer...


Then theres all the other instruments i have worked on, most all have either been given to me broken, or i purchase them broken, and restore them...



i have since fixed the one with no bridge, tryimg to find the pins and saddle for it...LOL i have them somewhere but not sure where right now...



I also play around with restoring brass instruments...the silver one just needed a bit of dent removal and a good buffing...the other one....well.....LOL




Before

After


After a bit of research it turns out that the brass coronet (i paid $30 for off ebay) is from the 1890s, and the silver one (paid much more because it wasnt in too bad of shape) is a 1935.... If those horns could talk...the places they have been, the people that have played them....would be very interesting...

[nyvdub89]

That is amazing. Wow. I'm genuinely impressed. :O

[bogieboy]

Originally Posted by nyvdub89

That is amazing. Wow. I'm genuinely impressed. :O

Thanks! I forgot about the other electric i am building from sctatch....LOL its quartersawn oak on the face and african mahogany on the back...





And a better shot of the quartersawn grain



Will end up being a LP style stop tail/ tune-a-matic bridge setup, and covered PAF style pickups...nice vintage tone for my fender front man or my Bugera all tube V5....