Jessica, our banjo-player (and band manager) in New River Bound, is awaiting delivery of a custom build from these folks.
http://www.ozarkbanjo.com/photos/
Actually, we're both 'expecting' delivery soon... of custom built dream instruments, so it's kinda' become a race between us! Jess' old 1890's (restored) John Buckbee banjo will be playing second fiddle pretty soon I think. ;D
Anyway, I thought maybe some here might enjoy seeing what the upper-end of vintage reproduction banjos looks/sounds like.
Looks like they make the Alembic's of the banjo world! Beautiful.
Charlie at the shop is my favorite.
Boulder is home to Ome Banjos, who make some very fine instruments.
https://www.omebanjos.com/store/banjos-in-stock/parrot/
That's quite a presentation model Edwin. :)
I had forgotten about Ome banjos... we just don't see them much on the scene here. I can't quite remember what the connection was, but at some point the Ome brand was associated with Baldwin-Ode. There's this one guy the next county over with a Baldwin-Ode... he once had my Dad install a clear mylar head on it. We found out later, it was so you could see he had pasted a cartoon of Snoopy and Woodstock to the inside of the resonator. ;D
Jess heard from Lukas and Eden at Ozark yesterday evening... they are putting the final touches on her order. Adding to the suspense, we've got a big weekend coming up right before Memorial Day, so we're all fingers-crossed her new banjo makes it in time for a proper debut. ;)
OMG! Don't let my wife see that banjo!
I used to work at a photo lab with the daughter of the founder of OME, so I've gotten to hang there quite a bit. Good people, another family run business.
After some last-minute delays, Jess got her new instrument from Ozark Banjo Co. yesterday afternoon. I love the simple elegance about as much as I love her playing, which is actually quite complex. :)
* on that subject, I should also have mentioned - Jess placed 1st in the old-time banjo competition in Buena Vista, Virginia last weekend, but playing her old (1890's) John Buckbee banjo. She plans to continue using it, but in alternate tunings.
Congrats to Jessica.
Lends a whole new meaning to "shell inlay" - neat!