Expert: Jim Ryan - 4/6/2010

Question
Hi Jim- You received a question about Fairbanks banjo # 17468 in Dec. My files show this to be a Special No.4 model with a 10 1/2" rim. It was in the New England area many years ago. Nothing in my files about the additional name plate but I'm not sure I actually ever saw the banjo. Best, Jim Bollman

Answer
Hi Jim --

Nice to hear from you, and much thanks for the info, which I've passed along to the person who originally asked about the Fairbanks.  You probably don't remember me, but I'm an old friend of Philip Gura's (we studied together in Chapel HIll for some years).  He's introduced me to you a time or two at Mt. Airy/Clifftop, which I still attend when I'm able although I live in Alabama now and it's a bit more of a journey.  In fact, my first decent banjo was the Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie that I bought through the mail from your shop back in the 1990s.  Still holding up great, although I've added a nice Enoch fretless to the mix and am thinking about an Enoch 12-inch one of these days or maybe one of Jason Romero's instruments, which look to be pretty nice.  Not exactly a collection approaching your scale (!), but I'm having some fun with the music.

Best wishes,

Jim Ryan
Auburn, AL
ryanjae@auburn.edu