Deering John Hartford Banjo - square
Deering John Hartford Banjo - front
Deering John Hartford Banjo - Back
Deering John Hartford Banjo neck pot
Deering John Hartford Banjo peghead
Deering John Hartford Banjo peghead and fingerboard
Deering John Hartford Banjo peghead and neck back
Deering John Hartford Banjo peghead back
Deering John Hartford Banjo neck back
Deering John Hartford Banjo pot side
Deering John Hartford Banjo resonator back
Deering John Hartford Banjo pop off resonator side

Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo

Regular price$5,299.00
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Please note that all our Upperline models are built to order when ordering directly through us. We recommend using the CHECK DEALER STOCK button below to find a Deering Dealer that should have this model in stock and ready to ship or contact us to discuss options.
  • Made In U.S.A.
A light weight banjo with the unique "Hartford" sound. Woody, bright, and unmistakable.


People ask why we have a non standard inlay pattern on this banjo. It was once the standard pattern and fairly common to just have the inlays grouped right in the middle and out on the ends of the fingerboard. Some of the old banjos like the Farland, and some of those old banjos made before 1900 had this, so John asked us to do that. John was a licensed river boat captain and wanted us to put some sort of a riverboat theme into his banjo. And again, we were kind of stumped a little bit, not wanting to just put inlays of riverboats in the fingerboard. Then we had a really neat opportunity because when Chuck, our head craftsman and artist who has been with us over 30 years now, was growing up and learning to play music his main banjo hero was John Hartford. Chuck grew up in Minnesota and when John Hartford would come to town to play he would never miss a concert and he thought John Hartford was the coolest musician. The idea that he would someday be making a banjo for John Hartford was beyond his wildest dreams so I gave the job of designing the inlays to Chuck.

Chuck started studying riverboats and reading a lot. He went to the library and found all the books he could about riverboats. He discovered that there is a whole classic architecture of riverboats that's significantly different than the architecture that goes into houses. People think that the gingerbread on a riverboat is the same as on the house but it is actually distinctly and identifiably different. The ratio of the length to width and the style of the scrolls that go into the riverboat architecture are different than what is on a gingerbread house, a Victorian period house. So Chuck took the riverboat architecture and used that classic form to develop inlays for the Hartford banjo. It ended up having a very riverboat type of flavor because it uses that architecture and that art form without having to have pictures of riverboats on it. We accomplished a really classic design for John and Chuck was able to have a wonderful time working with John on the inlay.

When John Hartford passed away we changed the nameplate on the fingerboard from mother of pearl to abalone in the fingerboard. So if you find a Hartford with a white mother of pearl name plate it was built before he passed away. If it has abalone it was made after his passing.

There is an even lighter weight version - the Hartford Pop-On Resonator banjo which is convertible from openback to bluegrass style by popping on the resonator. (replacing the 2 lb flange with a brass tube) - Greg Deering

Specifications

Banjo peghead icon
Specs
Neck

Neck Wood: Quartersawn AA Grade Curly Maple
Neck Shape: Slender "D" Shape
Stain: Dark Walnut
Finish: Satin
Nut Material: Bone Nut
Tuners: Deering Planetary Tuners
5th String Tuner: Deering Gotoh Geared 5th String Tuner
Frets: 22 Glued In Nickel Silver Frets
Fingerboard: AA Grade Ebony
Inlays: Steamboat Scroll Mother of Pearl Inlays

Specs
Pot

Rim: 3-Ply Violin Grade Maple
Rim Diameter: 11"
Tone Ring: Hartford Grenadillo Tone Ring
Head: 11" Top Frosted Medium Crown
Tension Hoop: Notched Brass Tension Hoop
Hooks & Nuts: 24 Round J-Hooks and ¼″ Hex Nuts
Flange: Deering One Piece Cast Zinc Flange
Armrest: Deering Armrest
Hardware Plating: Nickel
Bridge: 5/8” Deering Smile Bridge
Tailpiece: Deering True Tone Tailpiece
Finish: Hand Finished Satin Polyurethane

banjo pot icon
banjo resonator icon
Specs
Resonator

Resonator Wood: 3-Ply Poplar/Poplar/Curly Maple
Resonator Finish: Satin
Resonator Sidewalls: Tapered
Resonator Diameter: 13 7/8"
Resonator Stain: Dark Walnut

Specs
Dimensions

Neck Width at the Nut: 1 1/4"
Scale Length Nut to Bridge: 26 1/4"
Rim Diameter: 11"
Overall Instrument Length: 38"
Weight Approx.: 9 lbs

Specs
Warranty

The trust and pride we share in our product gives us the confidence to grant every owner of a Deering banjo a lifetime warranty ensuring thequality of our materials and workmanship.

Click below for more information

Specs
Strings, Tuning, Etc.

Comes strung with Deering Light Gauge Strings

Comes tuned: G, D, G, B, D
Can easily be tuned in other tunings as well.

Comes with a hardshell case.
NB: Due to current supply constraints, case brand may vary.


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