International Jazz Banjo Newsletter

Deering Banjo Company celebrates 30th years of creating American-made quality banjos by expanding further into the world market as part of Europe’s premier trade show Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany, April 6th-9th. An exciting banjo display highlighted by their 30th anniversary model, performances by the world-renowned Kruger Brothers formerly of Switzerland and currently residing in North Carolina, and an opportunity to speak directly to Greg and Janet Deering await the attendees at this year’s Musikmesse.
Started in 1975 out of their family home, Janet and Greg Deering have created a business that now fills their 18,000 square foot factory to capacity with over 40 employees actively engaged in making their 4 lines of banjos. With an emphasis on quality, Greg created the Goodtime line of banjos to meet the needs of people who wanted a high quality low-priced banjo that is excellent for travel, leisure and family fun.
Deering Banjos continues the 100-year old tradition of Vega old time styles with it’s Vega line of banjos for not only the popular frailing style but for banjoists interested in a premium quality light-weight openback or resonator banjo with or without the traditional tubaphone tone ring. A new of Tenor Vega banjo will be unveiled at the Frankfurt show.
The line of banjos has expanded to include a new line of top quality professional banjos, the Tenbrooks, that have gained immediate acclaim as the best new banjo being produced today and featuring the Jens Kruger Tonering cast in a 600-year old bell foundry in Switzerland. Released in January of 2004, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka, Jens Kruger, Bill Evans, and Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys are among the top professionals who are now playing a Tenbrooks model. Greg plans to unveil the first Tenor Tenbrooks Legacy banjo at the Musikmesse. The Deering Banjo Company is noted for the broad versatility of its line. The Musikmesse exhibit will feature 5-string banjos for Bluegrass and Folk music, 4-string banjos for Dixieland Jazz and Irish music, electric banjos for pop and rock, openback banjos for Old time & Classical music, Long Neck banjos for popular Folk music, and 6-string & 12-string banjos for guitar players. We are also bringing the beautiful “Ivanhoe” plectrum banjo with the new Jens Kruger tone ring. It is beautifully gold plated and engraved with a carved neck and made of the highest grade of walnut.
The exhibit at the Frankfurt Musikmesse will be the first time an American Banjo Company has displayed a complete line of American made banjos at the Frankfurt show. The music of the Kruger Brothers will ring true the quality of Deering Banjos to one and all. They will be in the Hall 3.1 Acoustic Instrument in space #F92. Please note that the Musikmesse is only open to the public on Saturday April 9th, It's only for music dealers on April 6-8th but the public are invited on the 9th on April only.
You can check out their web site at www.DeeringBanjos.com .