For enthusiasts of early banjo
North African gombri
Here's another early image (circa 1880s) of a north African three-stringed (one short string) lute. It's called a gombri and was/is used in stambeli trance music by Tunisian descendants of sub-Saharan slaves. While not a direct precursor to the American banjo, it does illustrate how similar instruments may have evolved on the African continent.
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Comment by Bob Lanham on April 21, 2015 at 6:18am
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One thing's for sure: that strap is a direct precursor to Pete Seeger's banjo strap.
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Comment by Strumelia on April 21, 2015 at 10:45am
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That's the way most mandolin players wear their straps- just over the one shoulder, not over the head too.
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Many folks did things differently back in the 50s and 60s, especially if they were young then.
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