LoudHymns.Com - Tom Mitchell's Banjo Collection

Memorable Banjo Purchases

My First Banjo - Taking the Plunge

I've bought and sold several banjos, all open-backs. For my first banjo, I risked life and limb to travel 20 miles through a raging blizzard to visit The Podium, a Minneapolis shop specializing in acoustical instruments. Half a dozen Bart Reiter instruments were on display but I hadn't a clue how to choose one. I jokingly suggested that I should ask Bart Reiter for his advice. Before I knew it the store's owner had Mr. Reiter on the telephone. Bart cracked me up. When I asked him "which banjo do you sell the most of," he answered "whichever one is in the store." I bought a Reiter Tubaphone on the spot. It had a distinctive and beautifully sustained tone and displayed stunning craftsmanship. Since then, Bart discontinued the flowerpot version of the Tubaphone, so unbeknownst to me I blundered into a collectible investment on my very first banjo purchase.

When One is Not Enough

Even though I loved the appearance of the Tubaphone, it's traditionally shaped neck was comparatively thin and narrow. It did not fit my large inexperienced hands very well. It never occurred to me that someone built wide-neck banjos until I discovered Cedar Mountain Banjos, by Lo Gordon. (I have since learned that Mike Ramsey's stock banjos have a more hand-filling neck cross-section than most other makers). Lo's wide-neck D2 Model, recently discontinued, sported side dots on the fingerboard and a rosewood tone ring that gave the instrument a dark mellow sound. Through a fluke in his production cycle I was able to nab a new D2 overnight, avoiding his characteristically long waiting list.

Searching for the Ultimate Banjo

My banjo quest was not over, though. I really wanted a banjo with Reiter's craftsmanship but with a wide neck. I also wanted fancy inlays. Ugly rumors were circulating that current-day banjo makers were getting out of the "ornate" business. When I asked Bart if he would entertain such a project he deferred. He directing me to his friend Mike Ramsey, owner of the Chanterelle Workshop. Mike said he would take the project and I immediately placed an order through Turtle Hill Banjos. Specs called for a custom wide neck "Electric Style" banjo with full inlays, inverted scalloped tone ring and Waverly tuners. I had a hankering for a dark red finish as on the fine old mahogany instruments but preferred the fiery figure of high grade maple. I wasn't sure that the combination would work, but wow - did it! Between the exceptional figure of the neck and red stain, the instrument looks as if it is on fire. It is gorgeous.

Your "Favorite" Banjo May Not be Your "Best" Banjo

One evening after a sacred harp singing I was checking the hyperlinks on my WEB site and ended up spending time visiting Zepp Music's on-line store. When I clicked on the "New Arrivals and Specials" page, I froze. There before me were pictures of a custom Ramsey banjo with extensive Christian themed inlays. Knowing how quickly Ramsey banjos sell, I was certain the instrument was long gone. But alas, Don still had it in stock because it had only been listed for 24 hours and wasn't described in the store's main inventory (proof that idle WEB surfing pays off once every blue moon). The banjo is one of the few things that I own that I hope gets handed down in my family.

Banjos In The Pipeline

I have two banjos in Mike Ramsey's production queue. The first is a Boucher Minstrel model ordered in the spring of 2001. The second is a custom that I euphemistically call a "Midnight Amish." It takes the dark/plain Ramsey Amish motif to a new level, calling for a solid black Deering head, black chrome Stelling hangers and hardware, black knobbed tuners and one small abalone dot at the fifth fret. I am really looking forward to seeing how that one turns out.

Maker	Model	Description of Banjo Characteristics
Deering	Good Time	The Good Time banjo is great for traveling, sharing, backup or for when you need one you won't cry over when the baggage handler throws a 50 yard pass. It sports a plain maple finish with no overlays. The tone is bright and airy as one would expect from such a lightweight instrument. The action is low and narrow. The perfect disposable banjo?
Lo Gordon (Cedar Mountain Banjos)	D2	This discontinued banjo was notable for its wide-neck and integrated rosewood pot/tone-ring. Mine had a walnut neck and marquetry around the rim. The instrument's tone was a paradox; plunky yet loud. To my ear it sounded best when played hard. It is now in the hands of a professional musician in South Dakota who was thrilled to find one. (For those considering a Cedar Mountain Banjo, I strongly recommend contacting previous owners to solicit their input prior to making your purchase.)
Bart Reiter	Tubaphone	This beautiful instrument is made of darkly stained maple with a three ply rim and three piece maple neck. It has a bright bold tone with incredibly long sustain. Among Diller-philes I associate with, some think Reiter instruments sound cold, even sterile. Yet others have said this Reiter Tubaphone is the best-sounding instrument in my collection. Go figure. In terms of build quality, Bart undoubtedly produces some of the best finished banjos in the business. About a year ago he discontinued the flowerpot inlay design in favor of a simpler and cheaper to produce star motif.
Mike Ramsey (Chanterelle)	Student	In my opinion, The Chanterelle Student model represents the best value of all currently produced "real" banjos. While evidencing Ramsey's standard maple rim and neck design, rosewood was chosen over ebony for the fingerboard and peghead overlays to conserve cost. Even in this basic trim, Mike still provides tasteful star and dot inlays.
Mike Ramsey (Chanterelle)	Amish Standard	Ramsey makes an easily spotted "Amish" model for Zepp Music. It is distinguishable because of its squared-off Gibson style peghead and plain black finish. My banjo is a hybrid one-off, sharing the dark finish and tiny inlays of the Amish model but utilizing Ramsey's more prototypical headstock design and two-piece neck with ebony heel cap. The resulting understated styling is soothing and the sound is fabulous. (Given a choice, I will more often than not pick up this banjo first.)
Mike Ramsey (Chanterelle)	Custom Electric Wide Neck	There is nothing understated with this banjo! Ramsey made this custom instrument to my specifications. It has a wide neck constructed of highly figured maple. A scalloped tone ring sits upside down atop a thick 11" rim. The banjo is stained dark red. The pot is thick and ebony trimmed. Bay State 325 inlays cover the entire fingerboard, headstock and heel. It is a real showpiece item with nothing given up in the sound department either.
Mike Ramsey (Chanterelle)	Custom With Christian Themed Inlays	The Christian themed inlay pattern of this banjo is beautiful. Being a slightly older Ramsey instrument, the hangers ride atop the rim rather than in notches. Also, the neck has more of a triangular cross-section than the rounded profile seen in his more recent builds. Although I prefer the newer design, I love the looks and character of this earlier banjo. I can not fathom why the original owner parted with it. It is in safe hands now.

Memorable Banjo Purchases

My First Banjo - Taking the Plunge

When One is Not Enough

Searching for the Ultimate Banjo

Your "Favorite" Banjo May Not be Your "Best" Banjo

Banjos In The Pipeline

I LOVE MIKE RAMSEY BANJOS!