Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo

Subject: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Davetnova
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 07:09 AM

I don't Know of its of any interest to anyone but I have just noticed that someone is selling Matt McGinn's banjo on ebay-uk. A peice of hitory?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Folkiedave
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 01:42 PM

What's the number?

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 02:33 PM

Could Matt play banjo??
John

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Folkiedave
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 04:59 PM

I booked him and saw him a few ties and never saw him with one!!

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Folkiedave
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 05:30 PM

A quick reference to his book McGinn of the Calton shows no pictures with him with a banjo. There is no reference to one on his record "Two Heided Man". Nor can I find any reference to him playing the banjo on the web.

Not to say he didn't play it.

What is theEbay reference number?

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Jim McLean
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 06:24 PM

I think Matt's banjo should be in the same sale as Billy Connolly's Stradivarious and Elton John's bagpipes.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Anglo
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 06:40 PM

Well, it's HERE , for what it's worth. A £500 minimum bid, but no photo and absolutely no information about the alleged banjo. I'll stick with my Whyte Laydie.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: GUEST,theballadeer
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 07:46 PM

I never heard of Matt playing the banjo. His daughter, Shonagh, started a new site--www.mattmcginn.info and can be contacted through said site. Also, did anyone notice, the seller has ZERO previous transactions?

Nick

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 08:48 AM

A certain Mr Connolly was known to accompany said Matt McGinn on occasions, and he is also known to be a player of the plunk-a-diddle.
John

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: georgeward
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 01:31 PM

Matt did gigs for Caffe Lena and for Vaughn and I here in the states (as for many others). He stayed with us on occasion and could have borrowed a banjo anytime, either for a gig or to plunk on around the house. I don't recall him ever doing so. He was a powerful unaccompanied singer, raconteur, satirist and humorist. That was his shtick. No instrument.

I'd avoid the e-bay item, unless some very reliable additional info surfaces.
                - George

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Folkiedave
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 02:58 PM

That Zero previous transactions is an offput for me straightaway. For that kind of money anyway. And it doesn't say he played it just that he owned it.

Dave (with 261 positive feedbacks and no negatives).

www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Jim McLean
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 05:09 PM

Matt was a good friend of mine, we shared flats (but never sharps) he didn't know a crotchet froma hatchet and I am 100% sure he wasn't able to play any musical instrument what so ever.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Songster Bob
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 01:34 AM

The lack of detail as to make and model, condition, etc., is also off-putting. Email 'em and offer 5 lbs, and see what happens.

Bob

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 07:22 PM

I once played a beat-up D45 in a store in San Raphael, which the sales clerk said had belonged to Mama Cass.

This apparently was the reason for the asking price of $30,000.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Davetnova
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 04:02 AM

I had never realised that I had never seen Matt playing an instrument until it was pointed out above, but its true that on the few occassions I saw him he always had an accompianist. I think I will be giving this a miss.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 04:31 AM

There's nothing in the advert to say which Mr Mathew McGinn it belonged to . . . . .

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 06:47 AM

I tried to ask the seller for some details, got none at all in reply,
sounds very dodgy to me.
eric

Subject: RE: Folklore: Matt McGinn's Banjo
From: GUEST,Matt Fan
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 06:34 PM

It's a funny story, and no doubt Matt would have loved to write a song about it ! But, no, I am sure he never had a banjo. He did TRY to play the guitar from time to time. Now a tartan bunnet of his, I would make a bid for one of them !