warrenpridgeon wrote:
X-rated Bob wrote:
Banjos you say?
You find an original Gibson Mastertone and you're in the pound seats. And it's believed that there are a couple knocking around here still.
Imagine finding a set of duelling banjos...
Banjo duelling is now outlawed. The move away from what Lincoln referred to as "this heinous and devious practice" began after the Civil War. The states fell one by one. Eventually Kentucky was left standing alone. The state government tried to square the circle by allowing a duelling season with a license required and a lower age limit, but eventually the practice was banned there too.
Illegal banjo duels flourished for a while, up until WW2. The original Gibson Mastertones were well regarded because they were well suited to shredding.
The shredded opponent usually decided that waving the white flag was the better part of valour.
This was because of the construction of the Mastertone's tone ring. Collectors still treasure the original tone ring and rightly observe that they don't make 'em like that any more. However it's not clear that the design of the legendary ring was actually intended to promote TONE.
I suppose one might find a set. Gentleman tobacco farmers would often have a set of duelling banjos in case a visitor caused offence that had to be resolved there and then. It was, of course, the mark of a gentleman to allow the visiting party first choice of instrument. After a good shred they would shake any remaining hands and get stuck into the mint juleps.
One of the great antebellum popular songs was Hiram J Prendergasts "Them Gents is Shredding More Than Just Tabacky", inspired by a famous shredding session at the O'Hara farm.
