Hartel Minstrel banjo

William E. Boucher Jr. Banjo
ca. 1845

Union Cavalry Soldier with Boucher Banjo, ca. 1864. This is a reverse image with the banjo held upside-down & left-handed. Ferrotype, courtesy of Edwin Sims

William Boucher began making banjos in his Baltimore musical instrument factory beginning about 1840. His banjo achieved widespread distribution during the middle of the 19th Century. They were used in minstrel shows and carried by soldiers during the Civil War.

This banjo, with it's graceful scrolled peghead and sculptured neck has come to be recognized as the icon of the minstrel era banjo.

The overall dimensions of this banjo is 40" long x 12.5" wide. It has a 26" scale length with the bridge in the center of the head.

Standard features:

The neck has a 20 inch fingerboard and is made from curly maple.*
The 12" diameter scalloped rim is 3.25" deep. The rim can be either oak or maple. Oak was the most common original wood for this banjo but maple rims seems to sound better.
Gut Strings or Aquila Nylgut Strings.
Natural skin head.
Rosewood tailpiece and nut.
Ebony tuning pegs.
Brass tension hoop and brackets. Steel hooks and brass wing nuts.**
Cedar bridge or maple bridge

Additional options:

Curly maple or birds eye maple veneer - add $50
Other neck woods are available; birds eye maple, cherry and walnut - add $50
Slotted rim - Add $50
Synthetic head - add $25
Soft padded banjo case - add $40

*The shorter single ogee neck is also available at no additional cost. The fingerboard is about 17.5" with a scale length of about 23.5" with the bridge in the center or the head.

**Hardware - The authentic tension hoop on a Boucher banjo is steel. I like to use brass that is oxidized to look old. Brass works well and does not rust but the steel tension hoop is also available at no additional cost. I also use brace brackets and brass wing nuts with steel hooks for authenticity.