Deering Banjo Company
Private | |
Industry | Musical instruments |
Founded | 1975 |
Founder | Greg Deering |
Headquarters | Spring Valley, California, USA |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Greg Deering, Janet Deering |
Products | 5-string, 4-string, 6-string, 12-string, & Long Neck, acoustic and electric banjos |
Owner | Greg and Janet Deering |
Number of employees | 48 |
Subsidiaries | Vega, Tenbrooks, Goodtime |
Slogan | The Great American Banjo Company |
Website | DeeringBanjos.com |
The Deering Banjo Company was started in 1975 by Greg and Janet Deering. They are located in Spring Valley, California. Deering Banjos makes Deering, Vega, Tenbrooks, and Goodtime banjos in the U.S.A.
History
Greg Deering began learning woodworking from his father at the age of two by watching him build model airplanes. At the age of 12, he purchased his first banjo by investing a months pay from his paper route into a used banjo. He learned to play Kingston Trio songs on his banjo with his best friend Tom playing guitar.
Greg Deering made his first banjo as an industrial arts major at San Diego State College. In 1970, at 19 years of age he joined other college students at the American Dream Co-Op and began doing instrument repairs and building banjos. This co-op would become the birthplace of Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjos. Greg and Janet started the Deering Banjo Company in 1975 as a family business. Their daughter, Jamie Deering works with them managing artist relations.
The lower priced and simplified Goodtime Series was introduced in 1996 to provide quality banjos for travel and learning. Named "Goodtime" because that was the purpose, a durable light weight banjo that is affordable and can be taken anywhere for having a good time.
In 2001 the company relocated from Lemon Grove to a new 18,000 sq.ft. factory in Spring Valley, California. They have produced more than 80,000 banjos since their beginning in 1975. The Deerings and their 38 employees have a combined 200 years of banjo making experience.[1]
Endorsing artists
Some of their endorsing artists are:
- Aerosmith
- Scott Avett
- Mickey Flatt
- Béla Fleck
- Carolina Chocolate Drops
- The Crane Wives
- The Dixie Chicks
- Doc Watson
- Don Wayne Reno
- Dropkick Murphys
- The Elton John Band
- Jens Kruger
- Jimmy Page
- Joe Satriani
- John Hartford
- John Marlowe
- John McEuen
- Keith Urban
- Los Lobos
- Mumford & Sons
- Noam Pikelny
- Pete Wernick
- Primus
- Rod Stewart
- Roy Clark
- Steve Martin
- Taylor Swift
- Terry Baucom
- Tony Trischka
- The Violent Femmes
- Wayne Newton
References
- ↑ "About the Deering Banjo Company". Retrieved 8 July 2012.