minstrel Banjo website

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Marty Liebschner has revamped his website, check it out at

http://www.folkinstruments.biz/

Greg Starbuck

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Marty Liebschner has revamped his website, check it out at

http://www.folkinstruments.biz/

Greg Starbuck

This is great news...I've got a nice English Jaw Harp, I need Marty to take a look at. I probably need a new sounding iron on it, and was hoping Marty could help me out.

Paul B.

[dedogtent]

When you go to the web site and the banjos change pictures on the left of the screen, mine is the one with the red paint on the inside of the pot. Marty made this for me a couple months ago and it's a sweet banjo for the price. Give him some business, he's a great guy.

[Danny]

John -

I just missed the opportunity to bid on one of Marty's banjos on eBay - not making the connection. That eBay one looked as if it had a very fat neck, the only thing which gave me pause (before I found out it was actually a Marty L. banjo). I can see he doesn't make reproduction-quality banjos based on real instruments but still they appear authentic except for the round dowel behind the head, and I've seen him play his own banjos so I know they actually are playable.

Does yours have that fat neck and if so, do you find it harder to play because you have to hold up the weight and finger it at the same time? Or do you strap to the headstock to hold the neck at the right angle so you have free finger access?

I guess I'm considering a purchase from him.

Dan Wykes

[dedogtent]

Dan,

Marty's banjos are not dead on authentic and he will tell you that, but are pretty close and playable for the money. I didn't want to spend close to two thousand for a dead on to take in the field. It does have a bit of a fat neck but weighs almost nothing so I haven't used a strap. I have a almost dead on authentic made by Jay Moschella in Mass. and his has a fat neck too. So I guess that's the way the old fretless banjos were made. I am certainly no expert here, a very new banjo player really but having a great time with it.

[kevinw33]

What an awesome site!

Do any of you know of someone like this that makes fiddles???

[Danny]

... I am certainly no expert here, a very new banjo player really but having a great time with it.

John -

Thanks for the hands-on report. Would an authentic 1855 Briggs banjo instructor booklet (in a 3-part pdf download) help you in your efforts?

http://groups.google.com/group/Albert-Baur?hl=en

There's enough evidence that this and a couple of other tutors were in use by the CW, as such a best source for period technique and content. Regular 'ole farm boy soldier players probably hacked out their own method by raw reckoning, but at least this was what they were trying to mimick from stage players.

Dan Wykes

[dedogtent]

Dan,

I have certainly heard of this booklet but haven't bought it. Thanks very much for the link. Looks like I have alot of studying to do.