The Wayne Adams Old 'Classic' Banjo Collection - 1897-1952, by Gérard De Smaele

Weaver Banjo belonging to Englishman Chris Sands. Circa 1900. 12" hoop,
19 frets, wooden tone ring, nylon strings, no tension tailpiece.
Photo G. De Smaele, Knuston Hall, UK, 2019.
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In recent decades we have witnessed a new golden age
in five-string banjo-making 33 , which is reminiscent of
the profusion of luthiers who worked at the end of 19th
century and early twentieth 34 . However, contemporary
interpreters of the classical style generally prefer to turn
to old, so-called ‘original’ instruments. Today a good
many of them were strung with metal strings for use
in old time music; but it’s with nylon strings 35 - natural
gut or synthetic - that our contemporary classic players
- at least the purists - use them most often, although
not always. They are most often open-backed, without
a resonator; often made with a veal or goat parchment
head 36 . The major brands are those of Dobson, S.S.
Stewart, Cole, Fairbanks –as well as Cole & Fairbanks-,
Farland, Bacon, Bacon & Day 37 , Vega. As the style has
enjoyed immense popularity in England, it is not surprising
to find English banjos on the current scene.
Temlett, Turner, Weaver, Clifford Essex and also Cam-