Prime “Earl Jam” sample!

One of the most influential figures in roots music, Tony Trischka, master of the five-string, shows us how he does it on “Chinese Breakdown,” from his latest album, “Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs.” The banjo is a Deering with a mahogany neck, quilted-maple resonator, and radiused fretboard with 24 frets. “The inlays are made of Dichrolam and based on the art-nouveau designs of Czechoslovakian artist Alphonse Mucha,” he tells us. “It’s unique in that it has angled bracket tone enhancers on each side of the neck, where it meets the pot.” Catch our review of the album in the June issue. Read Now!