This was where my new project began, a Brewster Grand Concert, fretless banjo c. 1900. Beginning the restoration process…
Many years ago, I had been singing at South London club, when a young lady approached me and asked if I was interested in buying her banjo. She apologised (?) that it was fretless, and said that her boyfriend had offered to put frets in for her. Suddenly this was more than a transaction – now I was in rescue mode.
After some discussion, money changed hands, and I took away the banjo fully intending a rapid restoration.
Life and work got in the way. I made a tentative start. There were no real problems other than a channel worn in the neck under the second string in the area where the 3rd and 4th frets would have been.
There was no real rush for me to repair it as it would not have suited my public playing in those days. I was primarily a singer but at the time PAs and amplification were rare in folk clubs, and most venues were pubs. With a need to belt my numbers out, my banjo of choice was a resonator.
So, the lovely old brewster languished for a couple of decades or more until I had time to take the task on. Which you’ll find out about in my later post.
