| For most of us, the graceful elegance of the banjo is stirring, captivating,
romantic and simply beautiful. Whether played in Dixieland jazz, Bluegrass,
Rock and Roll, Classical, Pop, Celtic, Country, Brazilian, American or other
Ethnic Folk music, the sparkling brilliance of this timeless instrument is
aesthetically unique. It is an instrument of tremendous power as well as
delicate and sensitive expression that allows the player a completely
unrestricted creative musical canvas. The uniquely American development
of the banjo adds a rich and fresh cultural inheritance that is young
and growing. Like the nation that raised this young instrument, the
development is continually expanding. Despite our love of this
relatively new,(compared to the violin for example) dynamic, yet delicate
stringed instrument, it is still somewhat shrouded in mystery.
As a banjo enthusiast for over 30 years, whether performing or selling banjos and now as the sales manager of the Deering Banjo Co., I have been asked many questions over the years about banjos and have realized that many of the questions address features of the banjo that are not written anywhere except in a few magazine articles that have appeared throughout the years. This has made the banjo even more mysterious and, I think, less accessible. Many questions in fact, allude to more in depth answers than the questioner is even aware. "Why are banjos so heavy?" is a question that really is asking how are banjos made and why? It is this hunger for real information that has lead to the Info-Guides that we have placed here for you. These were originally written for Music Store owners and salespeople and it quickly became apparent that everyone would be helped by freely dispensing this information. We are beginning the Info Guides with specific model information that will give you more in-depth information about Deering Banjos. In the next months and years, we will be adding many new Info-Guides relevant to more and new models of banjos as well as care, maintenance and greater understanding of this cherished and exquisite instrument: The Banjo. |