by Brooks Masten

Brooks Masten has been playing old time banjo and tinkering with banjos since 1992. In 1999 Brooks began building banjos under the tutorship of Stephen Owsley Smith while living in north-central New Mexico. Living in New Mexico introduced Brooks to many local artisans who helped him greatly in learning the fine arts of wood and metal working, which give his banjos a unique blend of fine handcrafted metal and woodwork.

The first 29 Brooks Banjos were made in a small off-the-grid cabin and in a 1959 Chevy Spartan school bus parked on his land at 8,000 feet, where he lived at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range   ( see photo below ).  After six years of making banjos in a shop without electricity, steaming rims over wood heat and the general battling of the elements, Brooks relocated to Portland, Oregon in 2005.

Living in Portland has greatly improved many aspects of Brooks Banjos. He now has a shop fully equipped and powered for both the wood and metal working aspects of his banjo making. However, his favorite part about living in the Northwest is the abundance of beautiful Black Walnut trees. Brooks handpicks his lumber from local folk with portable saw mills and air dries it himself. The Willamette valley of Oregon is historically renowned for its Black Walnut trees and the beauty of this wood shows through in each hand carved Brooks Banjo neck.

If you are ever in the Portland area, please feel free to contact Brooks for a shop tour.

The old homestead -   Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico