#ode banjo

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Ode Banjos (Etsa Clevenger circa 1962)

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Bernunzio Music: From the first run of 100 banjos built by Chuck Ogsbury in 1960, this is an Ode Style 21 longneck, serial number "I" or "1” (it is plausible that this could be the first built, though we can’t really know this for sure). At this time Chuck had yet to build his first "real" shop, and was still "learning the ropes" with Tony Jacobs, "a seventy-year-old wood worker" who had a shop in the North end of Denver (https://www.omebanjos.com/about/history-part-2/). Not only is this banjo truly a "historic" Ode, the back of its head has been signed by undoubtedly the most significant members in the Old Time, Folk, and Banjo universe; Mike Seeger, John Cohen, "Honest" Tom Paley, Pete Seeger, Eric Weissberg, Bill Monroe, Pete Wernick, Tony Trischka, and more. The rim assembly is the earliest all aluminum variety, with original tailpiece and metal hardware; some tarnish to plating overall. The three piece neck was made with beautiful highly flamed maple, with a walnut center strip; no Grade stamp is present on the peghead; guitarish shaped peghead, with rosewood fingerboard (32.5" scale), with abalone fretboard dots; equipped with original geared tuners. Extra holes present from a past Keith tuner situation, and a chip present on the side of the nut; ding on top of peghead, of course. A pre-truss rod instrument, there is significant forward bow, though it could certainly be capo'd and played in a longneck style.

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Ode Banjo Tailpiece (detail)

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Chuck Ogsbury at ODE Banjos, circa 1962

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Ode Model 33 Long Neck Banjo