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Marvin Walker's banjos
Hey, we have quite a craftsman in our Pickin and Grinin group!
Contact Marvin Walker at banjomaker@XXXembarqmail.com (remove XXX
Turn up up your volume for "Dear Ole Dixie"
When I first heard that Marvin made banjos, I assumed that he purchased kits and put them together. Then I learned differently when he sent photos of his latest tiny banjo, which led me to start asking questions about the metal work and inlays. Here's his reply:
Dave Wallace
IT IS NOT A KIT!
Yes I made most of the metal parts. The pot/tone ring is made out of a piece of steel steam pipe that a friend and I turned down to the correct size on his metal lathe. I made the flange out of a sheet of brass using a drill press, jig saw, and files. The tail piece is a Waverly tailpiece that I bought and then cut it down to a smaller size. The parts were sent to First Quality Music to be nickel plated. I sawed the inlay out of mother-of-pearl and abalone with a jewelers saw and inlaid it. It is my own design. The wood is curly maple. The case is made of aspen, and is veneered with mahogany and curly maple. I have only made three of them. I still own the first one but gave the second one to Little Roy Lewis, and this one, number three, I hope to give to Ricky Scaggs, if I can ever get up with him! This one is the nicest one I have made. I started on it last Sept., and finished it three weeks ago.
Marvin
Click on the thumbnail photos below to enlarge
Isn't that absolutely beautiful work! And he just gave away a tiny banjo to Little Roy Lewis! Who is Little Roy Lewis? He's an undisputed master banjo picker. You can learn more about him and the Lewis family at http://www.thelewisfamilymusic.com/lilroy.html. This prompted me to remark to Marvin that it sure would be nice for him to see and hear Little Roy play the little banjo he gave to him and Marvin replied:
Dave
I did hear him play it at the Grand 'ol Gospel in Chockowinity in November 0f 2002. Actually we (The New Gospel Grass) opened up for his concert and played with him on stage. I have some 35mm camera photos of this, and some photos of both of us with my little banjo and his little banjo. He also played it on stage at the 2003 Kinston Winter Bluegrass Festival, but never mentioned where it got it.
Here are some photos of Little Roy Lewis playing the little banjo Marvin gave him. Click photo to enlarge.
Finally, Marvin gives away a second tiny banjo he made to Ricky Scaggs in March 2004:
On 3/15/04 I mailed the banjo and case to Scaggs Family Records and Barbara Kimes called on 3/17/04 and said it was "absolutely gorgeous", and that Ricky "loved it"! Last Thursday on 3/25, Ricky called me at work and thanked me for it. He said it was obvious that I had spent a lot of time on it and had put a lot of detail in it that most people would not do. He said he plays clawhammer style and that he and Molly (I didn't ask him who she was) both had played it, and liked it. In the conversation, he said he plans to do an all gospel CD next year.
Dave Wallace 5/1/04
Here's Marvin's latest full-size banjo creation
click on thumbnail to enlarge
I've never seen a more beautifully crafted instrument. Be sure to enlarge the above photos and notice the meticulous metal work, engravings and inlays that Marvin created with absolute perfection. Just think, someday a Walker banjo may be known along with the other fine banjo names and we can all say "I knew Marvin Walker back when..."
Marvin played his new banjo at our Pickin and Grinin jam at the Twin Rivers mall on 8/28/04. It really sounded great playing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and other tunes. Keep up the good work Marvin. You're a pro.
Dave Wallace - 8/31/04
Another tiny banjo completed
Dave,
The banjo is made from curly maple. The flower on the resonator is made from paddock, cherry, and walnut veneers. The shell inlay is gold pearl, paua shell, abalone shell, black pearl, and green snail shell. There are 119 separate pieces of inlay in the peghead and finger board, and 103 pieces of inlay in the flower on the back of the resonator. I carved the flowers on the back of the neck and peghead with a Dremel tool. The flange, tone-ring, and arm rest are made from brass. The flowers on the arm rest is my first attempt at metal engraving. I cut down a tension hoop from a uke banjo to fit this banjo, and the 6 & 1/2'' head is from a uke banjo. I shortened a normal tail-piece and reworked it to fit the smaller size. I had all the metal parts nickel plated at First Quality Music.
The case is made from aspen (shelving board from Lowes) and is veneered with figured anegre and mahogany. The inside is padded with foam pipe insulation and covered with automotive seat material. I made the handle brackets from stainless steel and links from a chain. The name "Walker" on the case is hand sawn from stainless steel ( It took 2 & 1/2 hours to make it and 12 jeweler saw blades! ). I started on the banjo in August 2004 and worked on it in my "spare" time and finished it in February 2005.
Marvin 3/4/200
And still another mini banjo for a 12-year-old
click on thumbnails to enlarge
Howdy Dave
Marvin Walker 5/9/05
The "Hollywood" Banjo
Here's what Marvin Walker says about his latest creation finished in February 2006:
The banjo is made of curly maple and has 299 pieces of pearl, Pava shell and wood veneers in the inlay. I also did the engraving on the arm rest and tailpiece. Took me almost a year to complete in my "spare" time. Little Roy Lewis liked it when he saw it at the Kinston Winter Bluegrass Festival and when I told him that the petals of the Dogwood flowers in the back were made of Holly wood he said I need to call the banjo "The Hollywood."
Marvin Walker 5/5/06
And another one for Al Batten in 2006...
Marvin made this little banjo for Al Batten of the group "Al Batten and the Bluegrass Reunion" in August 2006. It's made of curly maple. The pot assembly is from a Dixie uke banjo. The inlays are hand sawn from mother-of-pearl, abalone and pink mussel shell. The inlayed star on the back of the resonator is made of mahogany.
The banjo was given to Al at the AgriSupply Grand Opening on September 16 where they were performing. The banjo is small but it looks even smaller when "Big Al" plays it. Check out their website at www.bluegrassreunion.com
Dave Wallace 10/10/06