James Ashborn was a pioneer of factory produced banjos in the late 1840's. His factory in Wolcottville, Connecticut produced both fine banjos and guitars. Ed Britt, a respected banjo historian, calls the Ashborn banjo "the most sophisticated, modern, and technically-advanced banjo of the early minstrel period." 

In 1852, James Ashborn was the first to patent a banjo part in America . This wooden fine tuning peg was also used on his guitars of the period.