Dobson Minstrel Banjo?

Subject: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 01:41 PM

I'm trying to find out more information about an old minstrel-style fretless banjo manufactured by George C. Dobson.

An old friend of mine has one that her late husband picked up in Boston during the 1940's which appears to be one of his earliest models. It is a basic fretless with no inlay or other ornamentation; it has 12 brackets. "Geo C Dobson" is clearly stamped on the neck and dowel piece.

Here's a link to the Banjo Hangout website where I've posted some images of the banjo and received some additional information:

Banjo Hangout

I'm not sure if there are any "minstrel banjo" players here at Mudcat, but if there are I was hoping you might add a comment here or on the Banjo Hangout thread.

Here's a direct link to an image of the banjo I'm puzzling over: Dobson Banjo

Bob Webb thinks it's from the 1870's.

Not to fret,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 02:04 PM

Hi Charley-

Looks something like What I bought a couple of years ago. Mine has inlayed (with wood) fret markers, and square nuts for the head brackets.

Give me an E-Mail address and I'll send you some images.

dick greenhaus

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 03:23 PM

Thanks to Dick and Greg for their suggestions. I'll follow them up.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 09:30 AM

Charley what a beautiful banjo .THanks for so many pictures I aggree with Marc on the other chat that Jim B would be very happy to have a digital look at this one if the drive is to much ..You could also send some hard pics to Tony at The Fretting Instrument in Amherst . I dont know his expertise but I do know He has a love for early Dobsons .
            That little split in the drum head makes me want to put the smallest peace of magic tape on the inside of the head to hold it .. I dont know what a real conservitor would say to that but I know it would stableizie the rift .
            I bet the tone of this banjo is wonderful . I hope its getting some good play .. All the best , Guy

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 09:38 AM

Heres Jim B's information .. Music emporium Lexington MA
http://www.themusicemporium.com/



Heres Tony's information    fretted Instument Amherst .MA
http://www.frettedinstrumentworkshop.com/

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Jon W.
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 12:42 PM

Great looking banjo, Charlie. Thanks for posting the pix.

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 02:11 PM

Guy-

Thanks for the feedback. I don't think we want to touch the tear in the head until an expert looks it over. The banjo hasn't been played for years and the owner is uncertain what she wants to do with it.

I'm trying to help her find out what she really has, and I love a good puzzle!

I'll probably be posting a couple of more close-ups of the 5th peg platform which has attracted some attention. Marc was describing it as a vestigial structure which used to support a vertical 5th string peg, and which may help date this banjo back to the early 1870's.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 10:03 PM

Charley Hello
          I did have another thought . A little while back I started a thread on "Your Favorite Banjo Maker"
         
          thread.cfm?threadid=85947
         
          In that thread we brought up some great makers who are replcating some wonderful old banjos you will find links there to : George Wunderlich James Hartel Kevin Enoch who all may be helpfull in more pessific information on this banjo .. Good hunting , Yours Guy

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 09:20 AM

Here are links to two more images of the curious "platform" adjacent to the 5th string peg:

Click here!
Click here for another view!

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:37 AM

Here's an update on the "Dobson" minstrel banjo that I've been researching on behalf of an old friend.

Bob Webb pointed out that there was one described as a J. Bogan Civil War Era banjo sold in mid-December on eBay that shared some of its features:

click here!

Check it out while the link still works for completed sales. It is a more elaborate model (sold for $1600) but the peghead cut is similar as is the slot below the lower fingerboard, the hardware on the rim, and the general shape of the 5th peg "bump." However the 5th peg runs vertically through the outlier rather than horizontally into the neck as in the "Dobson" which is evidence that the "Dobson" is a newer model.

What Jim Bollman suggests is that the Dobson brothers may have contracted with John C. Bogan of NY to manufacture some of the banjos they sold before they contracted with Buckbee Co. One can't judge a "Dobson" by its label!

This minstrel banjo has certainly been an education for me. I now have copies of Bollman and Gura's AMERICA'S INSTRUMENT and Bob Webb's RING THE BANJAR.

Thanks again for the leads.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Dobson Minstrel Banjo?
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 10:32 AM

I don't have any hard documentation, but I own an old banjo that has been diagnosed as a Dobson model by Bob Clayton and Clarke Buehling. It's fretless, but the fretboard is inlaid with light colored wood lines where the frets would go, so it's an ideal instrument to learn fretless on, since it tells you where to put your fingers, more or less. It's strung with nylon strings, and needs a new bridge to make it playable, since the strings fly off of the current bridge with any pressure whatsoever.

Clarke Buehling is another person who knows everything there is to know about 19th century minstrel banjos. (see http://www.mountainmusicshoppe.com/buehling.htm, and
http://www.playprettyproductions.com/buehling.htm
for more about Clarke (he spent the first week of December in DC at a banjo collectors gathering, and did a concert for the FSGW then.

--Charlie Baum