Banjo Question

I would be guessing but I would say that the banjo was far more evident in the South. Afterall it was supposedly brought over from Africa by the slaves like watermelons and okra. But that is not to say they weren't in existence "up North" as well.
They originated in western Africa. They were made out of gourds. Slaves from Africa found similar gourds in the south, so they made the banjo. Then Joe Sweeney made it popular.
 
I don't have one yet, I wanna play
A few things to think about:

the banjos played in the 1860s would have been fretless and only had four strings;
banjos weren't picked then as they are now but strummed in what now is known as claw-hammer style;
bluegrass hadn't been invented and people played popular tunes and even gospel music.

So, if your goal is to do a CW impression you'll need to do as above. Otherwise, then you can decide if you want to play bluegrass style or perhaps early jazz styles (e.g. New Orleans) or old-timey claw-hammer as that, too, will determine what kind of banjo you get and how you approach playing it.

Good luck. Music enriches one's life.
 
Check out Carver. Super rad guy, friendly and they got minstrel banjo kits. And considering banjos availability to people in the war, being as things were, this might be your best bet.

Another Thing is no frets. No guy I'm the field would have the kind of time of facilities to set frets into the neck.

I'm getting kit from him month after next.

And he's right, brackets are for wimps. 😁
 
A few things to think about:

the banjos played in the 1860s would have been fretless and only had four strings;
banjos weren't picked then as they are now but strummed in what now is known as claw-hammer style;
bluegrass hadn't been invented and people played popular tunes and even gospel music.

So, if your goal is to do a CW impression you'll need to do as above. Otherwise, then you can decide if you want to play bluegrass style or perhaps early jazz styles (e.g. New Orleans) or old-timey claw-hammer as that, too, will determine what kind of banjo you get and how you approach playing it.

Good luck. Music enriches one's life.
Ok, I met a reenactor and he told me of a place I can get a minstrel style banjo from. 5 string, fretless, and gum strings. So I might have to get a job soon, $699 bucks is not cheap. But he might give me free lessons.
 
Ok, I met a reenactor and he told me of a place I can get a minstrel style banjo from. 5 string, fretless, and gum strings. So I might have to get a job soon, $699 bucks is not cheap. But he might give me free lessons.
That sounds pretty good to me. Fretless is a challenge but, on the other hand, you can get some interesting sounds you can't get on a fretted instrument (i.e. quarter and half tones and slides).

Let us know how things turn out for you.
 

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