History Of Custom Made Banjos

By Timothy Edwards


We all have our favorite things to do just to entertain ourselves especially to pass time. One of mine is to listen and learn how to produce and create sounds. This is made possible with the different kinds of musical instruments made available for use. One that sparks my very interest on this matter is the custom made banjos.

Let us try to get to know more about it history. Banjo is an instrument that has originated in West Africa since as early as the 17th century. This is that one instrument that is most often called as the gourd and is usually made of animal skin, horse hair for its string, a wooden neck and a hollowed gourd. It just one of the very few instruments that has a very rich historical and cultural background.

Originating from West Africa since as early as the 17th century they have been calling this type of instrument as the gourd. The so called gourd is made out of horse hair for strings, a hollowed gourd and a wooden neck. It is also just one of the 60 plucked lute instruments to date.

In the 1940s, before the birth of the first guitars as its official replacement. The Banjo, was an instrument that is also used as a four string tool which helped to popularize the jazz age which was known as the newest society craze way back. Mentioning this, I think it is just fitting to call this string accompaniment as the father of the first guitars.

This string instrument is something that I find very easy to learn and to even play. It gives you a very defined, raw, metallic and rusty sound that is very different and organic to that of a guitars vibe. Mostly, you can find some of its uses in most folk and country music that are recently produced.

Unlike the guitar, learning the banjo was much more easier. It is a string instrument that did not need a lot of effort and strength when you use it. It was very convenient to learn and play. It lets out a very organic and metallic sound that is slightly different and softer from that of a guitar.

Coming back to the modern times, the banjo may have been underrated but its never forgotten and this gets me excited. These days, shops are offering custom made banjos for every users liking. It is more like a Do It Yourself Banjo in a way. You pick your own materials, design it as you would wish, assemble and done. You got yourself a banjo costumed to your liking.

In addition to this I have also noticed that millennials nowadays are embracing the notion of multicultural diversity and are interested on the vast exploration of cultural musicality. The uses of the Banjo are now the focus of interest in most music schools anywhere around the world as it is also found to be a very good accompaniment to most instruments present in their music studios.

Loving how learning this instrument is relative to knowing an entire history and culture more importantly knowing that it brings me closer to a nation. I can not simply wait to uncover more and learn more of such treasures. I will totally have one to keep for myself, such wonderful custom made banjos.




About the Author: