WS15-22

Fairbanks                     Fred Martin Special Electric No. 6                              5 String

 

S/N: 20270       1901                       10 7/8 x 26"                 5 3/4 lb.

 

Originality leaves something to be desired but this is the only known example. Tuner buttons are ivory reproductions. The cobra hooks are a Hutton reproduction set. Some of the board inlays were probably replaced.

Condition: Excellent.

Background: Fred Martin was a prominent Boston banjo teacher and performer. Around 1900 he had a line of banjos made by the Fairbanks Co. and labeled with his name on a metal plate on the dowel stick. Interestingly, on his instruments, Fairbanks chose to continue their sequence of serial numbers. I am uncertain which other models were made for his line but am aware of a Whyte-Laydie No. 2. Surviving Fairbanks Martin banjos are very rare. A nice picture of Fred Martin holding a similar banjo to this Electric No. 6 appears on page 40 of Ring the Banjo.
 

Features of this model: If other No. 6 models were made, they may or may not feature standard Fairbanks characteristics but this banjo is decidedly different and presumably ordered so by Martin himself. The most striking difference is that, in place of the almost universal Fairbanks 1 piece neck, this has 7-piece construction ( i. e. 5 veneers bisecting the neck perpendicular to the board). This added both beauty and strength. The neck is also noticeably thicker than typical Fairbanks necks and the scale is only 26". Rather than the double flower design, the heel carving is what routinely appears on Whyte-Laydie No. 7 models. The pot is half spun with the bottom edge decorated with an 18-layer combination of marquetry and binding. The tuners are especially interesting and relate a story that is more than a bit sad. When makers were changing from ivory twist pegs to patent metal tuners with celluloid knobs, this banjo was made at just the right time to document a very short-lived transitional style with metal shafts and fancy carved ivory knobs. When Jim Bollman first saw this instrument, those original ivory knobs were on it. By the time he was able to purchase it, they had been removed and he had epoxy ones made. I replaced those with an ivory set. The griffin on the back of the peghead has far more detailed engraving than a typical No. 6. ( Viewers may want to refer to S/N- 18320 listed just prior to this for many details about No. 5 and 6 models).

About this instrument:
1) Ex-Bollman Collection.
2) The only known Fred Martin No. 6 Electric.
3) Seven piece neck construction.
4) Heel carving is the standard Whyte-Laydie No. 7 design.
5) Lovely marquetry pattern on the bottom of the rim.
6) Transitional tuners with metal shafts and ivory knobs.
7) Finely engraved griffin on the back of the peghead.
8) Binding is the very thin, ivory colored variety. 

 

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