Fine Antique Fretless Banjo (1870-1890)

This video showcases a handmade, fretless Kentucky mountain banjo built by Clifton Hicks. The description details the instrument's construction materials, including black walnut, red oak, red cedar, and wormy chestnut, with a natural goat skin head and hemp oil/beeswax finish. It highlights the absence of metal parts and power tools, emphasizing hand-tool craftsmanship. The video also promotes an upcoming Banjo Extravaganza event at Hagood Mill Historic Site in Pickens, SC, featuring musical presentations and live performances by various banjo artists.

This video features a detailed look at an August Pollman "Standard" Banjo from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The presenter discusses the instrument's history, mentioning August Pollman as an instrument dealer active in New York City and the manufacturing connection to John Buckbee's factory. The description also includes numerous links for supporting the creator on platforms like Patreon and SubscribeStar, as well as for accessing tablature, courses, merchandise, music streaming, and donations. Hashtags cover the creator's name, banjo heritage, banjo, bluegrass, and Americana music.

This video showcases a performance of the song "Trouble on My Mind" played on a fretless gourd banjo handmade by the creator. The artist learned the tune from David Hurt and Rufus Crisp, and the instrument features a 4-string setup. The video description provides multiple links to the artist's Patreon, website, merchandise, and music platforms, encouraging viewer support and engagement. The tuning used is BBE♭F♯ at 432 Hz.

This YouTube video features Matthew Govig performing the song "Barbara Allen" on a fretless gourd banjo. The description indicates that Govig likely learned this particular arrangement of the song from Noah Payne during a visit to Kentucky. The instrument itself is a traditional gourd banjo, handcrafted by Clifton Hicks. The video also promotes "Banjo Heritage," encouraging viewers to support it through Patreon, online courses, and merchandise.

This YouTube video showcases an antique short-scale banjo manufactured by Fairbanks & Cole, dating back to the 1880s. The description highlights the historical partnership between instrument maker A.C. Fairbanks and banjoist W.A. Cole, detailing their respective contributions to the company and its eventual dissolution around 1890. The video also promotes various resources from the creator, Clifton Hicks, including an online banjo heritage course, Patreon and SubscribeStar pages for exclusive content, Bandcamp for music downloads, Banjo Heritage merchandise, Spotify and iTunes for music streaming, and options for PayPal and Venmo donations, as well as YouTube channel memberships. The primary focus is clearly on antique musical instruments, specifically banjos.

This video showcases a beautiful, early 1880s fretless banjo. The description highlights its origin from a New York maker, possibly Buckbee or Cubley, and notes distinctive features like flush frets and a partial birdseye maple fingerboard. The instrument is described as an antique with significant character and wear. The video also provides links to the creator's Patreon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes, and PayPal.

This video is a banjo performance of a song titled 'Ballad of Kyle Rittenhouse' by Clifton Hicks. The description provides links to the artist's Patreon, merch store, PayPal, Venmo, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, SubscribeStar, and YouTube channel memberships. It also includes a list of hashtags related to various music genres and the subject matter of the song. The song's title and hashtags directly reference Kyle Rittenhouse and related themes.

This video features Clifton Hicks performing 'Cold Blows the Wind' on a 5-string banjo using the clawhammer technique. The performance is set against a stark, black-and-white woodland backdrop, with the artist adopting a historical frontier persona. The song's narrative unfolds through somber vocals, detailing a lover's mourning at a grave and a spectral warning from the deceased.

This video features Clifton Hicks performing 'Ballad of Bloody Bill Anderson' on a banjo, detailing the historical figure's violent exploits. The performance highlights advanced clawhammer banjo techniques and deep knowledge of American folk music and Civil War lore. The song's narrative covers Anderson's arrival, a fierce battle, his death, and the grim aftermath, including the display of his head and pistols marked with his kills.

Clifton Hicks performs the traditional folk song 'Moonshiner' on a 5-string banjo using a clawhammer technique. The song details a life dedicated to moonshining, sustained by whiskey and beer over twenty-one years. The performance features an instrumental introduction before the vocal verses begin.