I live in the UK where access to quality banjos has always been difficult. When I started playing in the late 1960s, it was impossible to find a good banjo here unless you were in the small circle of players with contacts (mostly in London). Over time, things improved as interest in and appreciation of banjos became more widespread, but UK players have never had the choice and ease of access enjoyed in the USA. Because of that, you'd expect that when a high-quality banjo is advertised for sale here, it would be snapped up instantly. Not so. Although I'm lucky to have found my dream banjo and consider my banjo-buying days over, like most of us I still check the market place. For weeks, an almost pristine Ode Style 'D' was advertised on eBay at an attractive price, and if I didn't have my 'Chief' I'd have checked it out. It didn't sell, and now what looks like the same banjo is being offered for sale in a specialist shop in London. It's been there for weeks, and still no takers. I've never played one, but I know some great music has come from these banjos in the hands of Bobby Thompson, Vic Jordan, Jack Hicks, Larry McNeely, Garland Shuping and many others. Why do you think this isn't selling? I know that the Baldwin/Ode neck profile can be too narrow for some. Are there other negative qualities to these instruments?
I should add that I have no connection to this banjo or the seller. I'm just interested to know why no UK player seems to want it.
Too many youonger players who have no idea about Odes. They just don’t haave the caachet they used to. Also, younger players might not understand that the D is a standard banjo—not an aluminum-shelled one.
I just assume the price is too high, that is usually why people don't buy things.
There are a number of reasons why it has not sold... Bluegrass banjo is a very specialized genre. If that banjo is an 80's Ode, definitely not as desirable as an earlier mode labelled Baldwin or Baldwin Ode. The gearbox mechanism located in the heel which requires a special tool to adjust the neck are prone to breaking and that is very bad news... As with any older Banjo you have to be very careful, added to which there are very good new banjo builders, such as Goldtone who are building excellent banjo's for a very reasonable price. I have owned both a 70's Baldwin ( Ode ) D which was superb, and also a 1980 Ode D which was absolutely average. YMMV.
Bill, I suspect you may be right that it's an age thing. Today's younger players may not know Ode banjos as none of the current 'big names' play one. In the 70s, the names of the players I listed in my original post were on the lips of anyone who was serious about 5 string banjo, and we'd all have loved to get our hands on a Style 'D' back then.
The ad makes it clear that this is not an aluminium-pot 'bottle cap' banjo (here's the link johnalveyturner.co.uk/5-string...6500-usa/ ).
Scarcity of supply and relative rarity means we always pay more in the UK than you'd expect to in the USA.
I hope it eventually goes to someone who'll love and appreciate it.
Yes, I think it’s mostly a name recognition thing. I love ODEs but unless you’re familiar with them, it’s a lot of money to risk when you’re not sure what you’re getting.
the one in question is priced at 3800 american dollars... kind over priced by at least a grand.
this 1980 ode sounds pretty good to me
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=814182674806633
heres is a nother one on the banjo hangout classifieds for 2300.
listen to it here.
Edited by - 1935tb-11 on 07/07/2026 11:52:57
Lowering the price to something much more reasonable will help.
Over many decades these fine banjos have typically struggled to move at prices above $2000 in the US. Odes may have been tagged with a reputation for the chromatic/melodic players, rather than the Scruggs-Reno-Stanley crowd. Speaking historically.
Add to the list of players above, John Hartford, who used one a little bit.
This one looks particularly fine -- the gold plating is still intact and lovely. That's not typical in a 45 year old Ode.
$3800 would be a complete non-starter in the US.
I wouldn't buy a banjo for $3800 on ebay even if the going rate for that banjo was over $4000.
I've been too disappointed with other purchases on ebay.
quote:
Originally posted by 1935tb-11the one in question is priced at 3800 american dollars... kind over priced by at least a grand.
this 1980 ode sounds pretty good to me
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=814182674806633
heres is a nother one on the banjo hangout classifieds for 2300.
listen to it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfYWrCVAonI
Terry is absolutely right. There are 2 on reverb at the moment from the same era for $2,199 and $2,499 in USD. Looks like neither have moved in quite a while, so I'd bet a reasonable offer would be entertained.
But to OP's point, the lack of decent banjos in the area could certainly be driving the price up.
But if it were me in Europe, and I'd saved up that kind of money to spend on a banjo... I would probably get in touch with Prucha...
I will add that the 1980's Ode's are also known for a very narrow neck at the nut. I personally find them difficult to adapt to due to the narrow string spacing at the nut and really no room to expand much with a new nut. They are pretty banjos though and some sounded pretty good, others, meh. Luck of the draw. The ones I've seen were plywood rims that tended to shrink over time with subsequent lousy tone ring fit that didn't help the tone any. Nice collectors items though for the right price.
Edited by - banjoez on 07/08/2026 01:23:42
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