In answer to your question about my concern with reenacting I have to say yes.... I am concerned.

First let me say that I am a purist but only in a historical context. I have a problem when players go to a historic site and say " This is what it sounded like" but their instrumentation, playing style and music are all wrong. This is different from a bar or music house where the music is represented not as a reenactment but rather a living musical form.

For historical purposes, only five and six string, gut strung fretless banjos should be used for musical historical interpretation before 1865 and after 1850. Those with six strings should have a short chanter like the five strings. Plectrum banjos came after 1880. Also only stroke or minstrel style playing should be used for this type of work. If I see one more Civil War player with a 1910 plectrum playing Stephen Foster and telling his buddies that " this is just how it sounded during the war" I think I will explode. Why not either :1 do it right or 2 do it in a non-educational setting.