Bob keeps an eye out for old banjo parts and likes to piece together banjos just to see what he can come up with. After Bob puts the instruments together you’ll generally find him giving them away to folks in need. Bob’s most recent project is one that we think our friends in the banjo community will find really interesting and heart warming.

During his latest scavenging for parts, Bob found himself with an old Oriole block rim, all the necessary metal, an old Gibson resonator (early 50’s at our best guess) and the most interesting part a prewar plectrum neck. You might ask why an old plectrum neck would be of any interest to a fellow that puts together 5 string banjos but that’s the coolest part, especially for those that like to fiddle around with banjo parts and pieces. Bob saw an opportunity to take an old discarded neck (it was actually quite a disaster, with numerous holes in the peg-head, just pretty much left for the trash bin) and turn it back into a useful neck for this parts banjo project. He started by splitting the neck in half and then inserting a piece of old growth maple between. The lamination gave him a neck blank large enough to reshape the original narrow plectrum neck into a five string banjo neck. It turned out fantastic.

Bob is originally from southwestern Virginia, a place well known for it’s large pool of traditional music loving musicians. He found out that his relative Clay Lillard had not only taken up the banjo but he had become quite accomplished at the instrument. For about the last year he has been the banjo picker for traditional bluegrass artist James King.

A number of years prior Clay lost his father suddenly. Clay’s father was a banjo player and due to circumstances (which we won’t get into here) unfortunately none of his father’s instruments found their way to Clay. Bob was aware of this situation and felt his relative deserved a fine instrument with which he could follow his vocation. Well you know how the story ends. James and his band took a little pit stop at the store but the real reason for the stop over, unbeknown to Clay, who was very pleasantly taken aback by the whole experience. Needless to say when he saw a banjo hanging on the wall with his name on the truss rod cover he was more than a little surprised!

Bob you’re one fine friend and we’re proud to know you.

Keep pickin’ that 5 Clay!

Back last October we had the Banjo Hangout Meetup when the BJH’s webmaster Eric Schlange was in town and it was a great old time. Chris Watts came over from Missouri to attend that event and to order himself a custom Sullivan Greenbriar. We finished up that custom banjo today and sent it over to our dealer First Quality Music to ship off to Chris. Chris picked out his neckwood and resonator and we made the rest of the instrument to his personal specs. Complete with a black Remo head, a speed neck, Keith D Tuners, Vintage 35 Brown color and “Chris” in the fingerboard nameblock this truly is a one of a kind. And Chris the icing on the cake it is a great sounding banjo! Thanks from all of us at Sullivan Banjo, enjoy your new custom Greenbriar!

Another Vintage 35 banjo hot out of the shop and ready for shipment.  This one is a beauty and it sounds great!  On it’s way down to Stanfield North Carolina and our dealer Ron’s Pickin’ Parlor.  Be sure when your in the neighborhood to stop into the Pickin’ Parlor and check a new Sullivan Banjo.  Tell Ronnie we said howdy.

We just delivered a Maple Vintage 35 to our Louisville Kentucky Dealer First Quality Music. A beautiful banjo with a highly flamed neck and resonator,  you couple that with the V35 sound and you’ve got yourself a dandy!  The Vintage 35’s all come with Old Growth rims and a Vintage 35 tone ring. If you’d like all the specs you can click here and you’ll be able to see all the details.

Give us a call and we’ll get you in the drivers seat. 800-635-2021 x126

We like to share photos of our Sullivan family of banjo pickers when we get them.  Our friend Hal Pylant is shown here picking his Vintage 35  maple.   Hal purchased his banjo from our good dealer in Georgia – Banjo.com  When you’re in the Marietta, Georgia (Atlanta vicinity) be sure to stop in and see Mark, Hayden, John and the gang at Banjo.com

If you have a current photo of you and your Sullivan banjo, drop us an email and we’ll be happy to include you in our blog.  You can send the photo to Murrell at mthixton@fqms.com

We want to welcome Roland Tousignant from Barre, Vermont to our Sullivan Banjo Family.  He is the proud of owner of a brand new Maple Vintage 35 that he purchased through our Louisville, Kentucky Dealer First Quality Music.   You can see Roland here with his custom left handed V35.  We are so very proud to welcome him to the Sullivan Banjo family.  Roland we wish you many hours of happy pickin’!  Thanks so much for choosing a Sullivan!

Sullivan artist Marc Pruett on the cover of the October issue of Banjo Newsletter.   Wayne Peeler had a very interesting discussion with Marc taking us from his childhood days to the present with Balsam Range.  Pick yourself up a copy.

Click here if  you’d like to catch up with Marc and Balsam Range, be sure to attend a show when they’re in your area.

This past weekend, the IBMA awards and showcase took over Nashville, TN. Artists and groups from all over the world traveled to The Historic Ryman Auditorium to join in a celebration of the best that bluegrass has to offer. This year, Mountain Home Recording Artists, Balsam Range was chosen as the winner of 2011 Song Of The Year!

We here at Sullivan Banjos would like to offer our congratulations to Balsam Range on receiving this coveted award.

“We’re extremely honored to be acknowledged buy our peers at this level.  We were up for three awards and at that level there is a lot of tough competition.  Alison and Dolly were also up for song of the year against ‘Trains I Missed”, so we are very proud to bring such an accolade home to WNC.  It’s more gratifying for us to see that album do so well and this song.  A song we all believed so much in from the start.  Thanks to all who have supported Balsam Range on an incredible journey.”

Darren Nicholson

Mandolin Player for Balsam Range

Pictured here is our good friend and endorsing artist Marc Pruett picking up his  Maple Vintage 35 from Murrell Thixton with Sullivan Banjo Company.   Marc put his new banjo right to work that Friday afternoon when Balsam Range hit the stage at the IBMA giving the audience a smoking hot performance.

You can hear Marc pickin’ his V35 at an upcoming Balsam Range performance be sure to try and catch one when they’re in your area.   You can find out where they’ll be by clicking here.

Hey Murrell,

Just wanted to let you know I’ve recently received my Sullivan Vintage 35 Mahogany and I’m having a hard time putting it down. The tone is amazing, it has that growl when you want it and it has a beautiful clear bell like ring clear up the neck. The craftmenship built into this instrument is also amazing, it just feels right. I personally, am highly impressed and would recommend this banjo to anyone. I hope to get a chance to come visit your shop sometime, only thing is, I think my wife might want me to keep my wallet home. Keep up the good work guy’s,
Thanks,
Pete Swanzey
Simcoe, ON, Canada

Pete we’d like to welcome you to the Sullivan family of pickers! Thanks again for choosing a Sullivan Banjo and may it bring you many years of enjoyment.