Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-20
THE BANJO IN 1884.
Held in Better Esteem Than Five Years
AgO-NOw in Fashion.

Ne9o York Sun.
The dealer in musical instruments was
stunning on profusely ornamehted
banjo. 1--WE can give you more strictly
professional One,' he rem arked TO ms
customer, sbut this style has the call for
parIor use. The difference IS that the
stage banjo is even more heavily orna-
mented than this One-has more side
screws and jewelry; but the tone is the
"Why do the stage banjos sound
louder?''
Because professionals pound them
with a thimble, which they wear upon
their right fOrefnger: that practice would
not be a good one while playing for a
small party
The customer decided on the parlor
banjo. bought a bag for it and extra
strings. and left $22 50 with the dealer.
'Pll carry it home myself he said, as he
took his departure.
The dealer turned to the reporter: "Ten
years ago" said he, ''you wouldn't catch
such man carrying a banjo in the day
time, but to-day this young fellow is
proud to do it, The instrument is now in
high favor, and to be able to rattle OIL
Babylon is Falling" or the "Rattle
Snake Jig'' is just the thing. Several fell
lows have carried banios abroad in the
past three years, and Parisians take to
them. Some of our young ladies OF So
ciety are very fair players, and the pic
ture Of an American belle picking
the banjo for a group of fashion
able listeners is by no means
caricature. This small style
of instrument-which countrymen al
ways take for boys baniO-Was gotten
up expressly for ladies. though gentlemen
very often use them. 1t is the fact OF Wo-
men playing baDjOs which has so largely
increased their popularity. They are the
fashion. gentleman doesn't like to take
his banjo to party, but when a lady pro-
duces one he considers 1t a fine oppor-
tunity to show his strength concerning
the 'Suwanee River or 'NicOdemus john
son. If ladies had no banjo in the house
these chances would not occur. Another
reason for the popularity Of the instru-
ment is that il makes fun people get
tired Of the stiff, technical, finished
piano playing which ladies have
carried to such an extreme. 1t bores
them to make the effort to show discrlml-
native appreciation of classical music.
Yes, sir, the banjo fever has been raging
all through the winter, and now that the
serenadin@ season is commencing we are
having another squirt in the business.
There are many forms and styles OF ban
los. | think there is little real difference
in them. The main point is to have fine
strings of good quality, and good parch-
ment head, stretched as tightly as it Will
bear. You can make almost any proper
" proportional banjo talk if the skin IS
tight and hard. We can give you very
good banjo for 81, as good as those sold for
$40.
1T Is considered quite nice thing for
4 young man to make a small banjo for
| his sweetheart. He buys the materials
and works them up to suit his fancy. In
| these cases the article is likely to cost
/ him about $50. The latest idea in getting
I up a presentation banjo for a girl is to
/ buy one ready made and inlay it with
| colOred woods. There was a good deal OF
/ this done last winter, and some of the re-
| suits were very pretty. II you buy IS
1 banjo, properly constructed, and pegs
/ and tail-piece OF ivory, and do little in.
! laying and carving, you will have an in
/ strument worth from SD to $50
''rhe idea that the banjo is n prime
! fayOrite among our colored people is q
! popular error. The cOlOred man will &c
! around with a banjo for business purpo
ses; he knows that people connect hin
with the instrument and is willing to give
way to their notion. But III his family
/ the colOred man plays something else
. We sell them ten guitar strings to one
banjo string. 1t is a curious cOnsidera
ton that the historic instrument of The
trOubadOur should have almost ceased t
/ be a society music-making machine
I while the once lOwly banjo is heard in th'
! drawing rooms"