The First Quality Music Blog

Our friend Tyler Mullins stopped by and picked up his new mahogany Sullivan Vintage 35 banjo today. Tyler got his start as the banjo player for the now famous Kentucky Sassafras. He’s now working as a member of the Lonesome Ramblers picking the five for Bluegrass legend Larry Sparks. We are proud to welcome Tyler into the Sullivan banjo family!

Everyone knows banjos just sound better when they have a tone ring installed.  The only drawback is the weight, right at three pounds.  First Quality is proud to introduce a direct replacement flathead tone ring made entirely from wood.  These tone rings are made on the same machines as the regular rings and they are have all the same features.  You can get a ring with a long or short skirt and with or without 20 holes.  The one pictured was custom ordered out of  factory floor maple and a Brazilian rosewood top.  Call for more information. 800.635.2021

This 1930’s Gibson TB-11 Conversion Banjo features a one-piece flange and has been retrofitted with a prewar 40hole archtop tone ring, with a Mitch Meadors Tone Ring Mate installed. It has been converted to a five-string with a presentation-grade curly maple neck. This consignment piece is in great condition and sounds as good as it looks!

You can learn more about this 1930′s Gibson TB-11 Conversion by giving Murrell a call at (800) 635-2021.

We’re proud to welcome another owner to the Sullivan Banjo family! Chris Hogue of Bargersville, IN picked up his Sullivan Vintage-35 banjo today in our retail showroom. This particular V-35 is a Mahogany model and is one of the first in the series we’ve produced.

To learn more about the Sullivan Vintage-35 Banjo, give us a call at (800) 635-2021 and be sure to check out the Sullivan Vintage-35 Story here.

Steve Gill came by the shop today. After a short tour and a little business, Steve played a few tunes on one of our new Vintage 35 banjos. Steve is a big part of our new banjo as he supplies the resonators for these models. Steve owns and operates Gill Mfg. which currently produces the most accurate reproduction Pre-War Gibson Mastertone banjo resonators on the market. Steve makes all of the resonators by hand and they are so accurate that they could be passed off as original. Finding such a high quality product that is produced by one of the nicest guys I know has really put the finishing touch on our new Vintage 35 banjos.

Rounder recording artist Summertown Road’s self titled debut CD is in stores today.   We here at First Quality are sure excited about the group’s new project!  You can find a list of the group’s upcoming performances on their Myspace.  Be sure and check out Jack’s Sullivan V-35 banjo when you catch a performance!

JENS & UWE KRUGER’S BANJO & GUITAR WORKSHOP – Lake Worth, Florida April 9-10th  2010

Time is fast approaching for what will be a wonderful banjo and guitar event in Southeast Florida.  Jens and Uwe Kruger, in conjunction with Fretmentor.com are conducting there first of what may become an annual “Jens & Uwe Banjo & Guitar Workshop”.

David Jakubiak, an instructor, writer for Banjo Newsletter, and the founder of Fretmentor.com is coordinating this weekend event.  You can see the details by going directly to his website and viewing the online form and registration process.

As if banjo and guitar instruction by Jens and Uwe were not enough, David has secured many exceptional sponsors who have donated items to be raffled.  We at First Quality Music have donated a Sullivan Bluegrass Jam banjo. This will be the grand prize for one lucky attendee.

The Jens & Uwe Kruger Banjo & Guitar Workshop will be held on April 9-10 in Lake Worth, Florida.  On Sunday April 11th, the Kruger Brothers will be performing a concert in Palm Beach.  Fretmentor.com has reserved a block of tickets for those who desire to attend the Sunday concert.  Tickets for the concert are only $10 each.

We look forward to seeing our friend and customers at this wonderful event.  Good luck to the attendee who wins our grand prize.

Every now and then, we receive a “letter of endorsement” from a Sullivan owner that overwhelms our hearts with joy, and affirms the sense of pride and enjoyment we get in making our own line of high-quality banjos. We’d like to share this one from Mark, serving our Country in Kabul Afghanistan, with you.

Greetings from Kabul Afghanistan!

Just to let you know that Bluegrass is alive and well on the other side of the world – and in the midst of the Taliban! I am getting great service from my Sullivan banjo. It has been across the globe three times all in baggage compartments of foreign airlines. It went with me to Kuwait (2008)(in 140 degree heat!), crossed by air over the Persian gulf, over Iran and down to Kabul (10,000 feet). Then it survived the unload by Afghani handlers and its still going strong! In fact tonight we were just finishing a rehearsal and whooooooosh! BANG! “Hit the Bunkers!” We had a rocket attack. So you can say my Sullivan has been baptized by hostile fire.

I have enclosed some shots from performances we’ve done here in Kabul (church and on New Years) (note all the Mongol soldiers we had there celebrating with us). We (Four Horsemen) have been invited by the MWR department (Morale Welfare and Recreation) to provide two more performances in February here on post and across town. Note the hat I’m wearing in the shots.

Best wishes!
-Mark

Mark asked us to let everyone know that if they just happen to be in town, they are having an open jam every Monday night in downtown Kabul. In Mark’s own words: “Second floor Ciano’s building, Camp Eggers, downtown Kabul right across the street from Karzai’s house“.

Thanks for the note, Mark, and we’re glad you are enjoying your Sullivan Banjo!

Aaron Thomas was in the showroom this week from Washington, IN and was kind enough to try out one of the new Sullivan Historic Vintage-35 Banjo Prototypes. We debuted this Banjo at IBMA and will have more information on it in the coming weeks – for now, the sound speaks for itself! He’s a great picker and in the video below performs a wonderful and unique version of “What a friend we have in Jesus”. Thanks for stopping by, Aaron!

Today we had a few friends of ours stop by and, like many other days, a little impromptu jam broke out in the Banjo room. I was handy with a camera this time, and thought I’d share a little bit of what goes on at First Quality Music every day. Here we’ve got Malcolm Moger, an excellent Banjo player from Springfield, Virginia, and Shari Mabe from New Haven, Kentucky. Shari is a teacher at New Haven School where she tells us she’s formed a Guitar Club for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that’s been operating since 2006. We weren’t able to get the information of the other guitarist before she left, but we thank them all for dropping in and letting us record them! A group of great musicians, check them out in the video below!