Author Archive | kate spencer

I’ve been the proud owner of the Northampton #AES-255 since the mid 70’s. I purchased it from David Shepherd Guitar shop in Raleigh NC and it has been with me all of these years. I’ve had many other banjos over the years but this one has always been one of my favorites. I’d love to […]

I picked up AES #336 at a pawn shop many years ago where the seller had no idea what he was selling. I also had no idea what I was buying. Just today I was able to figure out that it Must be a A.E. Smith Northampton. I love this banjo and play it every […]

I’m the original owner of an AES Northampton, serial #131. I purchased her from a small folk music shop across from Old Dominion University by the name of ‘Ramblin Conrads’, in Norfolk VA. I could ill afford this seeming extravagance at the time but have never regretted doing so. I have not been as diligent […]

My memory was spotty, but Kate’s record system filled in some of the gaps. Apparently it was 1977, and I’d negotiated my first real job for the following Fall. The anticipated bump in income meant that I could consider replacing the banjo I made for myself while still in high school (1965) by one made […]

I had never heard of A.E. Smith banjos, having only gotten into playing in 2013. I bought a Goodtime and once I was good enough to play a few tunes I started looking for another open back (not that the Goodtime is not a good banjo, it is!). I came to a realization that for […]

“The appointed thing comes at the appointed time in the appointed way.” –Myrtle Reed (1910) I’m relatively new to the banjo. I started about 18 months ago, but it’s only after retiring last October that I’ve had the chance to devote substantial time to it. When I started out, I made a number of trips […]