Irish Tenor Banjo? OR Fabulous Markneukirchen Fiddle Reproductions (YES)!

Is this article really about banjos?

A bit. See the end of this article for the explanation.

So, what is this really about?: Helping you to discover the best buy in high-quality fiddles you will find anywhere!

 This article is very purposefully designed to cut through the clutter of the internet so that those who need to know (ALL fiddlers) will discover our newest and exciting fiddle offerings at the Don Rickert Musician Shop, about a dozen fiddle models, all meticulously executed replicas (reproductions) of the best and most sought after German “factory fiddles” from the period starting in 1880 (19^th Century) and ending in the 1920s (20^th Century). These are the fiddles of choice for several genres of fiddling: Old-Time, Bluegrass, Irish and Scottish traditional.

This article builds on previous articles, especially:

• Introducing the Southern Mountain Classic Fiddles Collection
• Wish You Had an Original (1880-1920) German Factory Fiddle...Forget About It!
• Details on the D. Rickert Golden Age Old-Time Fiddles
• Introducing Golden Age Old-Time Fiddles by D. Rickert Musical Instruments

We have two brand new lines of replica fiddles:

Note: Both of these are in the Markneukirchen Fiddle category at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.

Golden Age Old-Time Fiddle Collection (focus on the instruments played by the influential fiddlers of 20^th century Old-Time music)

Southern Mountain Classic Fiddle Collection (focus on the highly ornate fiddles, which were quite popular in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in the late 19^th Century and early 20^th Century)

The two collections taken as a whole consists of copies of instruments by Antonio Stradivari (aka Strad, Stradivarius), Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri (aka Joseph Gaurneri, Joseph del Gesu Gaurnerius), Nicolo Amati (aka Nicola Amati), Jakob Stainer, Carlo Bergonzi, Giovanni Paolo Maggini and Gasparo sa Salo, as replicated by the workshops of:

• Ernst Reinholt Schmidt
• Ernst Heinrich Roth
• Ludwig Glaesel, Jr.
• Ernst Glaesel
• Heinrich Theordor Heberlein

While the workshop owners made high-end, expensive violins, violas, cellos and basses, the workshops, staffed by virtual armies of apprentices, supplemented by hundreds of “out workers” (i.e. contractors) turned out over 7,500,000 “student” and “conservatory” level instruments over a period of about 40 years (circa 1880 – 1920). These instruments were exported by the millions to the U.K. (which then incorporated Ireland) and mostly to the United States. These were the so-called German “factory fiddles” that one could buy from the Sears or Mongomery Ward catalog from prices ranging from about $5 to $80 (not necessarily dirt cheap) and became legendary as the virtually official fiddles of Old-Time music.

The workshops were located in and around Markneukirchen (State of Saxony, German). Many of the outworkers produced white (unvarnished) instruments and accessories in neighboring Bohemia (a Province of then Austria-Hungary; Prague was the traditional capital of the region). Bohemia is now part of the Czech Republic). During the 1880-1920s time frame, Prague was producing mostly high-end instruments. During this period of time, Janak Juzek’s workshop produced a number of instruments imported to the Czechoslovak Violin Company in Manhattan, NY, USA, started by Robert Juzek. The Janek Juzek instruments sold in the U.S. were labeled “John” Juzek (John is English for Janak). The company, renamed Metropolitan Violin, snow run by grandsons Robert and Adam Juzek, still has an office in NY, but the main office is now in Vermont.

It is noteworthy that Metropolitan Violin is a primary supplier of tools, parts, varnish and wood to D. Rickert Musical Instruments.

Southern Mountain Classic Fiddle Collection (focus on the highly ornate fiddles, which were quite popular in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in the late 19^th Century and early 20^th Century)

See the product descriptions for the following at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.

• Hellier Strad Copy: Southern Mountain Classic Fiddles Collection
• Maggini Copy: Southern Mountain Classic Fiddles Collection
• Strad Copy with Bearded Man Finial (Scroll): Southern Mountain Classic Fiddles Collection

Golden Age Old-Time Fiddle Collection (focus on the instruments played by the influential fiddlers of 20^th century Old-Time music)

See the product descriptions for the following at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.

• Ernst Glaesel 1670 Amati Copy (1895 Replica)
• Ernst Heinrich Roth 1740 Guarneri Copy (1920 Replica)
• Ernst Heinrich Roth I 1921-1933 Violin Replica by D. Rickert Musical Instruments


• Ernst Reinhold Schmidt 1665 Amati Copy (1895 Replica)
• Ernst Reinhold Schmidt 1715 Strad Copy (1910 Replica)
• Ernst Reinhold Schmidt 1742 Guarneri Copy (1900 Replica)
• Heinrich Theodor Heberlein 1682 Stainer Lion Head Copy (1885 Replica)
• Heinrich Theodor Heberlein 1700 Strad copy (1899 Replica)
• Ludwig Glaesel 1715 Strad Copy (1905 Replica)

Tenor Banjos

This article is neither about tenor banjos, nor Irish tenor banjos, nor the difference between tenor banjos and Irish tenor banjos. Even though D. Rickert Musical Instruments has never sold a regular production banjo of any sort, an old articles I wrote about the difference between tenor banjos and Irish tenor banjos and related banjo articles continue to be the NUMBER ONE (i.e most popular, predominant, persistent, etc.) topic that leads visitors to here, our website and blog.

Apologies for the cheap trick; however, we know that the tenor banjo verbiage above will bring visitors to this article in droves. Maybe a small percentage of these visitors will read what I have to say about what we really do and really sell.

As a consolation to our apparent army of tenor banjo (particularly those tuned in the currently popular Irish Traditional Music octave tuning) fans, we actually are considering making and selling such tenor banjos. I will soon be soliciting feedback from players on some design issues, how much they are willing to pay, and so forth.

Keywords: tenor banjos, Irish, difference, Irish Traditional Music, fiddlers, Adventurous Muse Store, fiddle, models, replica, replicas, reproductions, German, factory fiddles, 19^th Century, 20^th Century, Old-Time, Bluegrass, Irish, Scottish, traditional, Antonio Stradivari (aka Strad, Stradivarius), Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri (aka Joseph Gaurneri, Joseph del Gesu Gaurnerius), Nicolo Amati (aka Nicola Amati), Jakob Stainer, Carlo Bergonzi, Giovanni Paolo Maggini and Gasparo sa Salo, Ernst Reinholt Schmidt, Ernst Heinrich Roth, Ludwig Glaesel, Jr., Ernst Glaesel, Heinrich Theordor Heberlein, violins, violas, cellos, basses, Markneukirchen, Saxony, Germany, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary, Czech Republic, Janak, Juzek, Metropolitan Violin

Related articles

Wish You Had an Original (1880-1920) German Factory Fiddle...Forget About It!

Details on the D. Rickert Golden Age Old-Time Fiddles