The Steve Martin Banjo

Steve Martin and I have been friends since high school in 1960.

10 years later, In 1970, we were both living in Laurel Canyon, L.A.

I was singing and carving and Steve was writing for the Smother's Brothers TV show. Steve started talking to me about making him a solid body (non-electric) banjo.

I had some other projects in the works, so I kind of put him off. Then I found a motorcycle I wanted to buy. The Harley was $500.I called Steve and said, "I'll carve your banjo for $250... if you'll pay me in advance and loan me another $250." He agreed, gave me the $500. I bought the Harley and the wood.

About a week later, I was hired to play the lead role in the first national tour of the musical "HAIR". I told Steve the banjo was going to happen, but it would take longer than I originally thought.He said, "O.K."

For the next couple of years, I worked on this banjo in my spare time in hotel rooms all over the United States and Canada.

The body is walnut. The back of the peghead is an eagle.The back of the neck is a history of American war (revolutionary, civil, indian, "Old Ironsides", W.W.I - bi-planes, W.W.II - Iwo Jima, & the atomic bomb) A mushroom cloud sweeps into the "Mountain Whiporwhill"scene with cornicopias, angels, a banjo & a fiddle on the body's back.

The face is covered with white suede. The front of the peghead is inlaid with a take off of the Martin guitar logo... "S.G.Martin- est. 1945" The fingerboard is inlaid with a sort of boroque design