Banjos

About Antique and Vintage Banjos

The first American banjos were made by African slaves, who built them in the style of the gourd-body instruments they had played in their homeland. Minstrel shows of the 1830s and 1840s, both in the U.S. and England, popularized the instrument more broadly. By the end of the 19th century, numerous instrument makers were building banjos, including E.J. Cubley of Illinois, and A.C. Fairbanks and Co. of Massachusetts.

One Fairbanks banjo in particular, the Curtis Electric, is extremely rare because as few as 50 of them were made. The Curtis was loud but not a lot of fun to play. Slightly better were the four-string banjos made by Stella of New Jersey, while the cream of the crop were the banjos made by Gibson, who ruled the banjo world during the mid-1920s to mid-1930s.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Vintage Guitar Collector Clay Harrell

I grew up in upstate New York in Rochester, and started playing guitar when I was about 10 years old. We had… [more]

An Interview With Vintage Guitar Collector and Author George Gruhn

I started out primarily as a collector and the business aspect of it evolved over time, almost by accident. I… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Vintage Guitars Info

Vintage Guitars Info

This great reference site features detailed sections for vintage guitar makers including Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gr… [read review or visit site]

The Les Paul Forum

The Les Paul Forum

If you're into Gibson's Les Paul models, or even curious, this is your site. Chock full of useful reference data, p… [read review or visit site]

Vintageguitars.org.uk

Vintageguitars.org.uk

Want to see all the old brochures and ads for your favorite vintage axe? Check out this great site, which showcases… [read review or visit site]

Museum of Musical Instruments

Museum of Musical Instruments

If vintage guitars could talk... they'd be digging this site. With its many themed collections and exhibitions, it'… [read review or visit site]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Guitars


Discussion Forums: Guitars


Other Great Reference Sites: Guitars

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Gibson Tenor Banjo 1934 Tb-1 Tb-2 Original Very Good$2,659 Ends Monday 11 bids 65 watchers
Gibson Rb-75 Jd Crowe Blackjack 5 String Banjo, Nr$2,550 Ends Sunday 15 bids 57 watchers
Prewar Gibson Banjo 1935/36 Tb1 Non-typical Inlays$2,499 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 40 watchers
Gibson Mastertone Earl Scruggs Model 49 Classic Banjo$1,825 Ends Thursday 2 bids 41 watchers
E. Howard #5 Antique Banjo Clock$1,775 Ends in 15 hours 14 bids 81 watchers
1929 Gibson 6 String Banjo Guitar No Reserve Vintage$1,600 Ends Monday 1 bid 13 watchers
Original Vintage Gibson 1930s Pre-war Kel Kroydon Banjo$1,525 Ends Monday 2 bids 17 watchers
Banjo Clock - Elmer O. Stennes Movement$1,181 Ends in 20 hours 11 bids 41 watchers
Stealth 5 String Banjo, Scott Vestal, No Reserve$1,009 Ends Sunday 4 bids 30 watchers
Gibson Mastertone Banjo Copy Buy it Now$1,000.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 28 watchers
New Deering Sierra Five String Banjo Newest Model Buy it Now$840.00 Ends in 15 hours 14 bids 19 watchers
1938 Chevy Accy Banjo Steering Wheel Newly Restored $810.00 Ends Monday 12 bids 26 watchers
1972 Martin-vega Vip Tenor Banjo Buy it Now$610.00 Ends in 10 hours 6 bids 18 watchers
American Federal Mahogany Banjo Clock 2nd Qtr C.1830$610.00 Ends in 19 hours 9 bids 57 watchers
Recording King Rk-r80 Bluegrass Banjo$550.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 9 watchers
Vintage 1920's Vega Whyte Laydie 6-string Banjo - Nr$535.00 Ends in 20 hours 12 bids 79 watchers
Bart Reiter Standard Model Banjo - Used$525.00 Ends in 21 hours 15 bids 49 watchers
Concord Style Banjo Clock - Circa 1820$501.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 42 watchers
George Washburn 5 String Vintage Banjo.$500.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 33 watchers
Gold Tone Banjo Dojo Deluxe Dlx$495.00 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Old Vintage Vega Style M Banjo Estate Find No Reserve$455.00 Ends Tuesday 10 bids 44 watchers
Deering Goodtime Ii 5-string Banjo Made In Usa New Demo$412.00 Ends in 17 hours 4 bids 11 watchers
Vega 5 String Banjo$407.36 Ends Monday 6 bids 37 watchers
Fender Fb59 Banjo W/ Case Near Mint No Reserve Fb-59$405.00 Ends Tuesday 24 bids 52 watchers
Vintage C. F. Martin Short Scale Tenor Banjo Ca. 1925$405.00 Ends in 20 hours 15 bids 81 watchers
Fender Fb 59 Banjo$400.00 Ends in 13 hours 14 bids 36 watchers
Deering Vega Little Wonder 5 String Banjo W Case Nice!!$390.00 Ends Thursday 6 bids 23 watchers
1923 Gibson Mb 3 Mandolin Banjo$380.00 Ends Monday 13 bids 43 watchers
Gold Tone Bg-mini Banjo Small 5-string$375.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 18 watchers
Gibson 5 String Banjo$361.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 55 watchers
Early 70s Alvarez Custom Banjo *rare* Mint Condition!$355.00 Ends in 13 hours 8 bids 22 watchers
Gibson Five String Banjo Neck$355.00 Ends in 10 hours 11 bids 47 watchers
S.s. Stewart "little Wonder" 5 String Banjo 1897-1899!!$337.68 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 42 watchers
1920's Bacon * Special Grand Concert * 4 String Banjo$330.00 Ends Monday 10 bids 76 watchers
New Fitch 3-piece Bluegrass Banjo Pot Assembly$316.00 Ends in 18 hours 11 bids 43 watchers
Vintage 1926 Vega Little Wonder 4 String Tenor Banjo$306.89 Ends in 19 hours 22 bids 43 watchers
Recording King Rk-20 5 String Banjo And Plush Case$305.00 Ends in 11 hours 18 bids 44 watchers
Banjo Neck Copy (gibson)$305.00 Ends in 23 hours 5 bids 33 watchers
1940's -50's Stromberg Electric Plectrum Banjo$305.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 34 watchers
Gibson Style 5 String Banjo Neck Highly Flamed Maple Buy it Now$305.00 Ends in 5 hours 5 bids 38 watchers
Deering Crossfire Electric Banjo Buy it Now$305.00 Ends Friday 2 bids 15 watchers
Gold Tone "dojo" Banjo-dobro Hybrid- Electric Eclectic!$304.00 Ends in 13 hours 3 bids 12 watchers
1926 Gibson Mb Mandolin Banjo Pre War Working Antique $297.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 63 watchers
Hand Crafted Vega Whyte Laydie Style Banjo With Case$290.00 Ends in 13 hours 4 bids 50 watchers
Antique Weight-driven Banjo Clock-mahogany Wood$281.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 29 watchers
Vintage Gibson Acoustic Tenor Guitar. Banjo Martin Uke.$280.00 Ends in 8 hours 15 bids 87 watchers
Deering Goodtime Banjo With Resonator And Padded Bag$280.00 Ends in 19 hours 2 bids 13 watchers
Rare Unique Pacheco & Klem Vega Tenor Banjo Ca. 1924$261.00 Ends in 21 hours 15 bids 52 watchers
1942 To 48 Chevy Banjo Wheel $202.50 Ends in 13 hours 4 bids 12 watchers
Maple Vega Little Wonder 4 String Banjo W/case And Back$202.50 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 44 watchers
Gibson Banjo Armrest Prewar 1930 Nickel Part$202.50 Ends in 21 hours 8 bids 25 watchers
Gibson Banjo Ukulele $200.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 36 watchers
Gibson Banjo Copy, Neck & Resonator$200.00 Ends in 15 hours 11 bids 29 watchers
Buckbee Silver Gem Fretless Banjo$200.00 Ends in 21 hours 9 bids 25 watchers
Fender 5 String Banjo + Hard Case Gently Used Remo Nice$177.50 Ends in 20 hours 21 bids 25 watchers
Vintage 1950's Superuke Resonator Banjo Ukulele - Nr$160.11 Ends in 20 hours 5 bids 31 watchers
Fender Banjo With Case. Great Christmas Gift Idea !!$160.00 Ends Thursday 18 bids 18 watchers

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