Aaron and Darlene Carr with Earl Scruggs’ Jim Faulkner banjo donated to the Earl Scruggs Center
A custom banjo built for Earl Scruggs by Jim Faulkner in 1971 has been officially donated to the permanent collection of the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC. This unique instrument, played by Scruggs during his time with the Earl Scruggs Revue and belonging to Aaron and Darlene Carr of West Monroe, LA, has been on loan to the museum, and the Carrs made the gift official in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary on October 18.
Faulkner was a banjo builder in Indianapolis who was especially well known for his high quality reproduction necks. At a time when fingerboard inlay was not yet the fine art it is today, Jim helped bring detailed hand craftsmanship to this aspect of neck making. He was also one of the first to experiment with making tone rings in the manner of the older Mastertone banjos from the 1930s and early ’40s during a period when the quality of rings coming from Gibson were of questionable character.
Jim made this banjo for Earl after having built a replacement neck for Scruggs’ legendary Granada. Unlike the other banjos Earl had played, this one, a Faulkner Mark V model known as “Ruben” for the small red text inlay of that word on the headstock, is a top tension banjo. The Scruggs family held on to this banjo for some time after Earl died in 2012, and eventually sold it in 2018 through Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. Before the Carrs obtained the banjo, it had been owned and played by Noam Pikelny.
The Earl Scruggs Center acknowledged this generous gift with a reception on October 21, 2024 at the museum, at which Aaron and Darlene Carr were present. During this event, they were presented with a special plaque which will hang in the Center’s Heritage Gallery where significant donors are commemorated.
Executive Director of the Earl Scruggs Center, Mary Beth Martin, expressed the gratitude of all at the Center for this gift.
“We are truly honored to receive this historic instrument, which represents an important chapter in Earl Scruggs’ legacy. Aaron and Darlene’s thoughtful donation ensures that future generations can appreciate the artistry and story behind this unique piece.”
Earl’s custom Faulkner Mark 5 Ruben banjo is on permanent display at the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. Full details for visitors can be found online.
