Archives:

BRC Activities, Cell Perches & HVO, G&F Singers

A Belated Thanks

July 27, 2024

For a numbers of years in the pre-Covid days, the BRC craftsman and the G&F Singers entertained patients, siblings, and parents at the local Children’s Hospital. Two of the most devoted vocalists in these quarterly concerts were ladies from the weekly Lake of the Ozarks jam session. As a trio, we entertained in the pediatric ward playroom and in the private rooms of bedfast patients.

As a belated thank-you to these two women who volunteered their time and voices for these songfests, the BRC craftsman constructed cell phone perches for them in between banjo projects. One of the vocalists (right) is also a clogger who had performed at a nearby regional theme park as a young girl. Her cell perch below depicts a songbird and two dancers.

In addition, this singer is also a student of the harmonica which is represented on the base of her smartphone stand.

Our other singer (left) is a well-accomplished picker on the guitar and mandolin. These instruments are displayed on the front of her cellphone perch (below) along with a songbird.

As this multi-instrumentalist has been a key figure in getting our weekly Ozark jam session relocated to the township`s community center, her stellar advocacy skills and gifted musicianship are represented by a starry sky on the base of her smart phone stand seen below.

Both cellphone holders have identical blossoms inlayed (below) on the rear platform of each perch as a flowery representation of these two gracious and skillful back-up vocalists.

 

While cradling their belated thank-you gifts (arrows) in their hands, the two harmony-singing women are congratulated by the BRC banjoist for their generous years of time and spirit dedicated to entertaining the patients and families at our local Children`s Hospital.

From the BRC: It is a blessing to have such marvelous friends as these talented  ladies.

 

Art Shows, BRC Activities

The Sky Prince

June 15, 2024

The summer show at the community art league is an unjuried exhibit open to members. The BRC craftsman submitted the “Sky Prince” banjo to the gallery. The peghead features the fierce countenance of an eagle surmounting the silhouette of a raptor in flight. The princely crown of this breed of avian is displayed on the truss rod cover. The Cooper`s Hawk and red-tail hawk are no strangers to the BRC lakeside premises, and a bald eagle not infrequently glides overhead en route to the Eagle’s Bluff Preserve down by the Missouri River.

The fretboard displays a cavalcade of eagles and hawks on-the-wing, and the regal face of a raptor repeatedly appears. Known for their hooked beaks and sharp talons, raptors include eagles, hawks, kites, falcons, owls, and the diminutive but swift kestrel- a BRC favorite

On the heel of the neck, a bird of prey is reiterated in flight, and nearby is the rim inscription indicating that the Sky Prince is the 104th banjo crafted in the BRC workshop.

At the gala art exhibit opening reception, gallery visitors study the Sky Prince.

From the BRC: Enjoy your summertime.

Cell Perches & HVO

A Perch for a Pickin` Pal

May 19, 2024

The G&F jam band has a valuable member who works as a computer skills instructor for the local school district, and he is imminently approaching his retirement date. While in between banjo projects, the BRC craftsman fashioned a cell phone holder gift for this musician`s special occasion.

The front of the cell perch displays a computer screen surmounted by two banjos, and the shooting stars in the foreground signify this picker`s stellar role as the coordinator of our nursing home performances.

As our pending retiree is a devoted and lifelong bicyclist, the back of the smartphone stand (above) features two inlayed bicycle sprockets.

All BRC banjos have a special inlay on the heel of the neck for the eyes only of the musician. Hence, the undersurface of this cell phone stand has a unique composite inlay reminding its new owner that he is the king of keyboard and fretboard digitalization.

In a Thursday night jam at the BRC domicile seen above, the soon-to-be retired computer guy holds his newly acquired cell phone perch (white arrow).

From the BRC: BTW, there is no retirement age for picking Bluegrass music.

 

BRC Activities, G&F Band

Milestone & Thanks & Update

April 28, 2024

Shortly after the recent mid-day solar eclipse, the G&F musicians surpassed the $32K milestone of gig tips collected since our band`s inception in 1995 for donation to the local Childrens Hospital. A subsequent evening celestial event seen below also signaled this monetary accomplishment with a spectacular moonrise over the lake behind the BRC workshop.

Since 2009, the Broadway Brewery has graciously hosted our Sunday afternoon jams where its patrons have donated over three-fourths of the aforesaid tip money into a guitar case at the foot of the bandstand. We salute the generosity of our listeners and the brewpub`s community spirit to support our local pediatric medical center.

Other news includes the migration of our Wednesday afternoon jam sessions in a small village near the Lake of the Ozarks. We recently relocated this music gathering from the basement of a local church to the township`s community center which has welcomed us.  Many of the musicians pictured below in our newly-situated picking venue frequently trek north to join our Sunday afternoon performances at the brewpub.

From the BRC: We are appreciative of these many good folks and thank them all for their generous civic-mindedness.

BRC Activities

From the BRC Mailbox

April 13, 2024

D.B . says:

Dear BRC: I bought my vintage Vega Martin banjo from a music shop in California several years ago, and I’d really like to find out more about it!  I`m interested in everything from the year/place of manufacture to what materials were used.  Also, I’m looking to get the frets replaced, and one day I’ll probably have to replace the head, so I’d love to be able to do it right, in keeping with the original design and level of craftsmanship.The serial number inside the rim of the head (just underneath the lettering “Martin & Co est. 1833”) is 1023.  The drum head (curious if it’s original) is a Remo (says “Remo Fiberskyn Banjo, made in USA, pat.4308782). Thank you in advance for any information you’d be able and willing to provide on this instrument.  Cheers! D.B.

The BRC replies:

Dear D.B. – Thank you for the detailed photos of your Vega Martin “Wonder” banjo SN 1023 that was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1974 per Shop Order #2214.

According to my files, the “VW-5” model banjo with a resonator first appears in a Vega catalogue flyer from the Boston factory in 1961. The Vega franchise merged with the C.F. Martin Company in May of 1970. Per a September 1970 VM publication, the Wonder banjo featured a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, geared tuning pegs, a 3-piece maple neck, a blackwood finger board, pearl dots, a four-section metal tone flange, nickel-plated metal parts, a plastic head, an arm rest, and a shaded mahogany finish.

The back page of this above 1970 VM publication briefly introduces the open-back FW-5 folk music banjo which is otherwise the same instrument as the original Wonder 5-stringer but without a resonator. In a 1971 VM price list, the VW-5 Wonder banjo sold for $345. To my knowledge, Fiberskyn heads were never installed on Vega Martin banjos. According to the aforementioned 1971 price list, the VM plastic head sold for $8.50 each.

The tuning pegs on your banjo labeled “PING” are not original, as the Martin Company had their own patented banjo tuning pegs that sold as a set of 4 for $3.75 back in 1971. Geared side-machine rotomatic type tuners appear only on the Vega Martin long-neck Folklore banjo in 1968 and the Pete Seeger model banjo in 1971. Thank you for the privilege of commenting on your banjo. Happy pickin`. Barry

D.B. says:

Dear BRC: Wow and thank you!  I’ll be archiving all this information, so I can always refer back to it.  Your attention to detail is much appreciated! Regards, D.B.

From the BRC: Dear Readers- There are plenty of Letters to the BRC and detailed replies under the Vega Martin Banjo Info header. Click-on, scroll down, and enjoy.