I'm hoping to buy a new tenor banjo over the Summer and was just wondering if anyone had any CONTACTS for banjo sellers or makers in Ireland (apart from Clareen Banjos as I all ready know of his)?
Or would it be worth taking a trip to England to purchase one?
I'm looking for a high quality instrument that I can play on stage and in sessions....I'm still not sure if I'll buy a VINTAGE or NEW INSTRUMENT but I was hoping to go some where and try out a few different instruments before making a decision.
dave boyle:016243082 , no other new banjo makers as far as i know(gerry o'connor , barney mckenna, kieran hanrahan, dessie kelliher have dave boyles). i have one , and its brilliant ,no need for another banjo.i had a 1926 paramount but the tone is better on the dave boyle!
If you're wanting to try a broad range of different tenor banjos before buying one (i.e.a mixture of top-grade vintage items and new ones), you're likely to struggle to find that anywhere in Europe. there are relatively few sellers who carry both a range of top-grade vintage banjos AND a range of good modern ones. Sully, for instance, may have one or two old banjos but mostly he will only have his own products - and maybe not many of them these days.
Eagle Music will have the Deerings & the Davidsons but his vintage stock may well be negligible. Hobgoblin & The Music Room will likely be much the same as Eagle Music .
Findajo may well have some really nice old ones (but read the listings carefully : some of the instruments are on consignment sale and therefore not be at his house - he's very careful to say what he has & what he hasn't physically got but you need to look at the listings to see which is which). .................... the other smaller dealers in vintage banjos will be similar, I'd say
If you're reasonably handy to both Tom & Dave, I'd say that they are the best bet. I wouldn't say that either makes better banjos than the other - I know there's a lot of partisan comment on this site but the truth is that they both make fine banjos. They're just different, that all - not better or worse, just two different views of the banjo by two different individuals. best to play examples of each and make your own mind up as to what suits you personally.
If you think they look expensive, just figure out what a new top-grade Deering would cost you - nice enough banjos but not in the same class (as Irish tenor banjos) as the "home-grown" product. owning a craftsman-made banjo from a maker who truly understands the idiom of the music beats even the shinest of glossy bluegrass "5-strings with a tenor neck" from a factory in california ..............
few vintage banjos would equal the sound of either a Cussen or a Boyle - though maybe a good Paragon would give the boys a bit of a run for their money ..........
You could contact Mulroy Music in Donegal who are dealers for OME Banjos. These are truly excellent hand made banjos with great choice of different configurations giving different tones. There number is 0749163329 or email info@mulroymusic.ie
Plenty of options for travelling round various places to try out their wares - but the point remains valid that there are very few places in Europe where you can find a good range of both vintage & modern Irish tenor banjos to play and compare in the same shop ........
It would be wonderful if there were a place that kept the selection of old tenors that you could find at Bernunzio's place in Rochester NY combined with a wide range of modern banjos .... I'm not sure that you could find such even in the USA (Elderly, perhaps? US readers would know better than I) though I suspect that 5-string players may be rather better served.
You could spend a lot of time & money travelling - though a trip to Donegal to look at the fine OME banjos (one of the very few US banjo makers who truly understands the tenor banjo) wouldn't be wasted - but you would be unlikely to go far wrong with a Boyle or Cussen banjo ...........
Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
Hi all
I'm hoping to buy a new tenor banjo over the Summer and was just wondering if anyone had any CONTACTS for banjo sellers or makers in Ireland (apart from Clareen Banjos as I all ready know of his)?
Or would it be worth taking a trip to England to purchase one?
I'm looking for a high quality instrument that I can play on stage and in sessions....I'm still not sure if I'll buy a VINTAGE or NEW INSTRUMENT but I was hoping to go some where and try out a few different instruments before making a decision.
Any suggestions?
# Posted on May 31st 2011 by Irish Mandolin
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
dave boyle:016243082 , no other new banjo makers as far as i know(gerry o'connor , barney mckenna, kieran hanrahan, dessie kelliher have dave boyles). i have one , and its brilliant ,no need for another banjo.i had a 1926 paramount but the tone is better on the dave boyle!
# Posted on May 31st 2011 by banjitar
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
How about Sully banjos in England, I've had one for years, a fantastic instrument.
# Posted on May 31st 2011 by Michael Eskin
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
If you're wanting to try a broad range of different tenor banjos before buying one (i.e.a mixture of top-grade vintage items and new ones), you're likely to struggle to find that anywhere in Europe. there are relatively few sellers who carry both a range of top-grade vintage banjos AND a range of good modern ones. Sully, for instance, may have one or two old banjos but mostly he will only have his own products - and maybe not many of them these days.
Eagle Music will have the Deerings & the Davidsons but his vintage stock may well be negligible. Hobgoblin & The Music Room will likely be much the same as Eagle Music .
Findajo may well have some really nice old ones (but read the listings carefully : some of the instruments are on consignment sale and therefore not be at his house - he's very careful to say what he has & what he hasn't physically got but you need to look at the listings to see which is which). .................... the other smaller dealers in vintage banjos will be similar, I'd say
If you're reasonably handy to both Tom & Dave, I'd say that they are the best bet. I wouldn't say that either makes better banjos than the other - I know there's a lot of partisan comment on this site but the truth is that they both make fine banjos. They're just different, that all - not better or worse, just two different views of the banjo by two different individuals. best to play examples of each and make your own mind up as to what suits you personally.
If you think they look expensive, just figure out what a new top-grade Deering would cost you - nice enough banjos but not in the same class (as Irish tenor banjos) as the "home-grown" product. owning a craftsman-made banjo from a maker who truly understands the idiom of the music beats even the shinest of glossy bluegrass "5-strings with a tenor neck" from a factory in california ..............
few vintage banjos would equal the sound of either a Cussen or a Boyle - though maybe a good Paragon would give the boys a bit of a run for their money ..........
# Posted on May 31st 2011 by teetotaller
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
If popping over to England you could try
Alan's Banjos.
http://www.cft-jhopkins.supanet.com
The North West's Premier Vintage Banjo Specialist.
# Posted on June 1st 2011 by Catail
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
You could contact Mulroy Music in Donegal who are dealers for OME Banjos. These are truly excellent hand made banjos with great choice of different configurations giving different tones. There number is 0749163329 or email info@mulroymusic.ie
# Posted on June 1st 2011 by Patrick Mc
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
Plenty of options for travelling round various places to try out their wares - but the point remains valid that there are very few places in Europe where you can find a good range of both vintage & modern Irish tenor banjos to play and compare in the same shop ........
It would be wonderful if there were a place that kept the selection of old tenors that you could find at Bernunzio's place in Rochester NY combined with a wide range of modern banjos .... I'm not sure that you could find such even in the USA (Elderly, perhaps? US readers would know better than I) though I suspect that 5-string players may be rather better served.
You could spend a lot of time & money travelling - though a trip to Donegal to look at the fine OME banjos (one of the very few US banjo makers who truly understands the tenor banjo) wouldn't be wasted - but you would be unlikely to go far wrong with a Boyle or Cussen banjo ...........
# Posted on June 1st 2011 by teetotaller
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
THANKS ALL FOR THE GREAT REPLYS
# Posted on June 2nd 2011 by Irish Mandolin
Re: Buying a new tenor banjo in Ireland?
replies
# Posted on June 2nd 2011 by Irish Mandolin