2005 Crafters of Tennessee Maple Classic 5-String Resonator Banjo

The Crafters of Tennessee Maple Classic is a handmade American flathead banjo, and this one was built in 2005 in Mark Taylor’s shop outside Nashville. If you have been looking for a professional bluegrass banjo with real American craftsmanship behind it, and you would rather put your money into the instrument than into a name on the peghead, this is the kind of banjo that gets overlooked and should not be.

Mark Taylor is the son of Tut Taylor, the dobro player and vintage instrument collector who worked alongside builders like Randy Wood. Mark built under the Crafters of Tennessee name with a small crew, one instrument at a time, until the shop wound down around 2012. He also spent several years building with Greg Rich as Rich & Taylor, which is the same Greg Rich who ran Gibson’s banjo department through its best modern years. A Gibson built to this specification would cost you at least twice as much.

The neck and resonator are curly maple, and the figure on the back of this one is worth turning over for. The interior label reads Model TBC-MP, serial number 191805, signed by Mark Taylor. Crafters of Tennessee used a serial system in the early 2000s where the last two digits give the year, so 191805 puts it in 2005, which matches everything else we know about it.

This is a used banjo and it has been played. It is in excellent condition for a 21 year old instrument, and it is all original apart from a replacement tailpiece. There is some honest wear on the resonator, a few finish marks and scratches that you can see in the photos. Nothing structural, nothing that affects how it plays or sounds. The frets have been freshly dressed and the metal has been cleaned.

This instrument receives a complete professional setup by our banjo tech Tara at Banjo Warehouse in Yellow Springs, Ohio before it ships. It comes with a functional hardshell case.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

We have been selling fine banjos since 1980, and we are now based in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Every used instrument that leaves here has been through our bench first, so what you read in the description is what shows up at your door. Crafters of Tennessee closed years ago, which means there is no warranty to pass along and no factory to call, so the inspection and setup we do is the whole of it. We would rather tell you that plainly than dress it up. Free shipping anywhere in the United States, a 7 day satisfaction guarantee, and financing through PayPal Pay in 4 or Afterpay. Questions before you buy? Call or text Geoff at (404) 218-8580.

Watch: Geoff on this Crafters of Tennessee Maple Classic

Crafters of Tennessee Maple Classic Specifications

Brand	Crafters of Tennessee
Model	Maple Classic (label reads TBC-MP)
Year	2005
Serial Number	191805
Country of Origin	United States
Neck	Curly maple
Resonator	Curly maple
Tone Ring	Flathead
Hardware	Nickel
Handedness	Right-handed
Originality	All original except a replacement tailpiece
Condition	Excellent for its age, with honest wear on the resonator
Included	Hardshell case
Setup	Complete professional setup by our banjo tech Tara

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Crafters of Tennessee banjos any good?

Yes, and players who own them tend to say so loudly. Crafters of Tennessee built professional grade instruments by hand in small numbers, with premium curly maple and flathead tone rings, and the people who bought them generally kept them. The reason you do not hear the name as often as Gibson or Stelling is that the shop was small and it closed around 2012, not that the banjos were lesser. If you are shopping by sound and construction rather than by headstock, they are one of the better values on the used market. You can read more on our Crafters of Tennessee brand page.

How do I date a Crafters of Tennessee banjo?

Check the serial number on the label inside the rim. Instruments from the late 1990s use a six character system where the first two digits are the year and a T marks Tennessee manufacture, so 98T3016 is a 1998. Instruments from the early 2000s flip it, and the last two digits carry the year, so this banjo’s 191805 reads as 2005. It is worth checking, because the two systems run opposite ways and it is easy to misread one for the other.

Who was Mark Taylor?

Mark Taylor is a Tennessee builder and the son of Tut Taylor, the dobro player and vintage instrument dealer. He grew up around bluegrass and around his father’s instruments, which is about as good a start as a banjo builder can get. He built under the Crafters of Tennessee name from the late 1970s, spent part of the 1990s partnered with Greg Rich as Rich & Taylor, then returned to Crafters of Tennessee until the shop closed around 2012.