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Mike's banjos are known for that "Deep South" sound. Want proof? Check this photo of Tom Carlson playing his Chanterelle. Can't get much souther than this!
I stock what banjos I can get from Mike, but his instruments sell very quickly, and he is a small producer (No, no, I'm not referring to the fact that he's only about 5'9, I mean he doesn't make many instruments). He will do custom work, but the wait for one of his banjos is now ca. 36 months. If you can't find what you're looking for somewhere, and you're willing to wait, please ask, and we'll try to get one for you!
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Click for a brief history of the Student Model.
Temporarily Out of Stock
"Standard" Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Rolled brass tone ring. Out of Stock
(Click on link or photo for more info and pictures.)
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Not in stock, but available in ca. 3 years on order
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A beautiful, naturally finished maple neck (this one has great "flaming," too) with Mike's trademark, Saturn-inlay headstock and mounted on a 12-inch maple-laminated pot with rosewood binding, a scooped neck, and an ebony fingerboard with engraved inlays all combine to make this a strikingly handsome banjo. Great sound from a easy-playing banjo.
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Hear this banjo.
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jump to the "Student"), but having a bubinga-wood tone ring (Sorry, this is a rather large photo, but I wanted you to see this ring clearly), a wood similar to rosewood in appearance and density). The sound was great, (you can hear that very prototype here) and Mike upgraded the model to be a variant of the "Special" model ( jump to the "Special"). In 2001, Mike realized what a hit he had on his hands, and upgraded the instrument again, using fancier inlays, and that is the "Woody" you see today.
MP3 sound file of a Ramsey Woody being played.
The Woody most recently in stock is a Maple Woody, having a highly flamed maple neck. Its ebony fingerboard is scooped, of course. The peghead's tree inlay is especially nice. This particular banjo has 5-Star brand planetary tuners.
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. This instrument was sold new in 2000, and was sold used, 4 years later in mint condition. This time, I got a recording of it!
"Dobson" Model.
12-inch open back banjo. Dobson-style tone ring and aesthetics. Temporarily Out of Stock
(Click on link or photo for more info and pictures.)
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see and hear it played (8MB .wmv file).
MP3 sound file of my Ramsey Electric being played .
Not in stock, but available in ca. 2 years on order
MP3 sound file of a Ramsey Tubaphone being played.
In 2004, Mike had made three nearly identical, experimental banjos for his pot comparison: the 3-piece, maple necks were all cut from the same piece of wood, and finished the same. Each has simple dot inlays in its somewhat wider ebony fingerboard (1-3/8"), and each has a handsome inlay in its headstock overlay. What is different is that one of the banjos, as noted, had Tony's block pot, one had a laminated, submerged (old wood) pot, and the third had a "standard," modern Ramsey rim.
Mike sent me two of these banjos, and after Bob's article was published, I came into possession of the third. So, I thought it would be fun to allow folks to hear them without benefit or the prejudice of knowing which was which. To this end, we took the following steps:
I was most interested to hear what people think of these three pots, as there is a price difference among them. Of course, I still haven't told folks which was which.
. The neck is somewhat figured, and its ebony fingerboard has simple dot inlays. It is scooped, of course. Though the peghead is classic Ramsey, it has a rather non-Ramsey-like "torch" inlay in its ebony overlay. The tuners are 5-Star brand, with black buttons.
Hear this banjo.
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