The Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo sounds like a vintage pre-war banjo when new but also as it ages, it ‘plays-in’ like a violin and gains in volume and presence the more it is played. We’ve seen it out-do even the best bronze tone-ring banjos in jam sessions!
For the Deering John Hartford 5-String Banjo, Greg Deering’s years of experience with various woods combined with John Hartford’s research into the design of vintage banjos culminated in the idea of using a ‘Grenadillo tone-ring’ made from a wood used on marimbas.
This unique tone-ring is mounted on a three-ply maple rim with a zinc flange to create lighter weight (9 lbs instead of 11 or 12) banjo – a very good choice for bluegrass as well as other styles!
