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Vintage & Used Instruments - Open Back Banjos (5-string)


 
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Index of Vintage & Used Instruments Updated Wednesday July 23, 2008

ACME "THE PEARL" (c.1908) 14 photos
VG-EC, ~10-3/4" head, 9/32" metal clad wood rim, 30 brackets, cherry(?) neck with dark stain finish, wood-bound 17-fret fingerboard, pearl block inlay covers entire fingerboard with various fancy inset abalone inlays, 1-5/16" nut width, ~25-15/16" scale length, Elite tailpiece, white plastic violin friction pegs, fancy pearl and abalone peghead inlay, set-up with nylon strings, made for Sears, Roebuck and Co., very cool, on consignment, with newer oversize SSC (red interior)
60U-2136.....$1,200.00 buy

BACON GRAND CONCERT (1920's) 11 photos
VG-EC, donut style tone ring, natural finish, maple resonator with dark back veneer and 2 f-holes, 24 brackets, 11" head, maple neck with dark veneer and inlay on back of headstock, nice replacement 22-fret ebony fingerboard with fancy pearl inlays, 1-3/16" nut width, ~27" scale length, cream-bound body, ivoroid-bound neck, gold friction tuners with pearloid buttons (2nd tuner replaced), front headstock veneer with "Bacon" script and fancy inlay, dowel stick has been repaired (partially sawed off and a graphite rod has been inserted to secure the repair, which is invisible from the outside), really nice and rare old Bacon, on consignment, with oversized period HSC (green lining), price reduced (SN:5973)
60U-2080.....$2,950.00 buy

BACON MONTANA SPECIAL (1924) 26 photos
VG-EC, believed to be made for cowboy star Montana (who dressed in all white and was called the "Cowboy Beau Brummel" and for whom the later series of Bacon & Day ivoroid banjos were named) but in any event is one of very few similar banjos to have surfaced, 11" plastic head, 27-1/16" scale, 1-7/32" nut width, unique tone ring reminiscent of Vega tubaphone but with a solid instead of hollow tube with holes (see photos), 24 brackets, natural finish 9/16" maple rim with ivoroid exterior and ivoroid trim on back edge, natural finish 2-piece maple (possibly white holly) neck, ivoroid-bound ivoroid fretboard with nice pearl inlays, ivoroid peghead overlay with multiple rhinestones inlaid in the form of two stars, Planetary (marked "Planet PAT PEND.) tuners with ivoroid buttons, friction 5th peg, modern replacement No Knot tailpiece (covers area where there was a 4-string tailpiece built into the tension hoop - Montana was a 4-string plectrum player), sounds great, super rare, with Harptone HSC (black with violet interior), price reduced (SN:16606)
60U-1899.....$6,750.00 buy

BART REITER WHYTE LAYDIE (2005) 15 photos
EC+, natural finished maple neck and rim, ivoroid-bound 22-fret ebony fingerboard, engraved pearl leaf at 1st fret and star at 5th fret, 1-9/32" nut width, ~26-3/8" scale, 11" Fiberskyn head, Whyte Laydie tone ring, Waverly tailpiece, rosewood rim cap, ebony peghead overlay with engraved griffin, star and leaf inlays, Five Star Planet tuners with pearloid buttons, on consignment, with tweed HSC (brown lining) (SN:2585)
60U-2220.....$1,425.00 buy

DAWSON (recent) 13 photos
EC+, 12" head, maple neck and rim, 15-fret ebony fingerboard with dot inlays, moon and star on 5th fret, scooped near rim, 18 brackets, No Knot tailpiece, Five Star Planet tuners and geared 5th string peg with ivoroid buttons, 25-5/8" scale, 1-1/4" nut width, handcrafted by Mike Dawson in the U.S.A., with arched-lid HSC (burgundy lining), on consignment
60U-2203.....$900.00 buy

DEERING BLACK DIAMOND EXTRA LONG NECK (1994) 17 photos
EC-, mahogany extra long (Seeger style) neck, 25-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl slotted diamond inlays, 1-5/16" nut width, ~32-1/4" scale, flathead tone ring, nickel hardware, tube flange, 24 brackets, dual coordinator rods, push-on mahogany resonator, Presto tailpiece, ebony headstock overlay with pearl "DEERING" banner and star inlays, five geared tuners with pearloid buttons, Shubb 5th string capo installed, on consignment, with OHSC (red lining) (SN:048294-3219)
60U-2216.....$1,800.00 buy

GOLD TONE OB-250 ORANGE BL OSSOM" EXTRA LONG NECK (recent) 16 photos
EC+, dark stained maple Seeger style extra long neck, sunburst finished cream-bound flamed maple resonator, white-bound 25-fret rosewood fingerboard with hearts and flowers inlays, 1-3/16" nut width, 32" scale, 11" Renaissance head, one-piece flange, Mastertone style flathead tone ring, Price style tailpiece, b-w-bound rim, flamed maple headstock overlay with pearl torch and "gold Tone" inlays, 5 geared tuners with pearloid buttons, good quality import, with flat-lid OHSC (SN:2212314)
60U-2207.....$785.00 buy

H.C. NELSEN (c.1890) 10 photos
VG-EC except needs work (install new high crown head, reglue loose peghead veneer, reglue fingerboard on bass side, shim nut, dress and level frets, install new bridge, strings, setup, etc. - sold AS-IS), ~11-1/8" head, 7/16" black painted metal clad wood rim, 24 brackets, black painted neck, 17-fret ebony fingerboard with micro dot inlays, 1-11/32" nut width, ~25-1/2" scale length, replacement tailpiece, four replacement friction tuners with black plastic buttons, replacement chrome geared 5th string tuner, "TS" and "Theo Smith" written on nickel silver heel cap, likely made by J.B. Schall, a cool rare banjo, "MADE FOR WM BECKER CHICAGO" and "H.C. NELSEN MAKER CHICAGO" written on dowel stick, nice project. NOTE: Our friend and Chicago-area banjo expert Juel Ulven tells us that this Wm Becker is likely "the same William Becker that testified as an expert witness in the U.S. Supreme Court appearl where H.C. Dobson and C.E. Dobson sued E.J. Cubley for patent infringement with his all metal rim patent & construction. They had lost the civil case and the appeal was argued April 10-11, 1893, and the Supreme Court ruled that Cubley's patent for the rim design was not infringing on the Dobson patents. Probably one of the few times banjo decisions have gone to the Supreme Court. Becker was listed in the 1889 and 1890 Chicago Lakeside City Directory as a "Music & Musical Instrument" dealer."
60U-2068.....$550.00 buy

HARTEL MINSTREL BANJO HENRY STICHTER REPRODUCTION 11 photos
EC+, curly maple fretless neck, painted black up to 5th fret, 14" bent oak rim painted black with 7 handmade brass brackets, calfskin head, 1-11/16" nut width, ~31" scale length (47" long overall), handmade rosewood friction pegs and tailpiece, handmade by James Hartel (SN:82)
60U-2201.....$950.00 buy

MONTGOMERY WARD & CO. WINDSOR (c.1890's) 14 photos
VG-EC, ~10-1/2" frosted plastic head, 5/16" metal clad wood rim, 20 brackets, mahogany neck with ornate heel carving, 22-fret ebony fingerboard with fancy pearl inlays, 1-1/4" nut width, ~26-1/8" scale length, ebony peghead overlay with fancy pearl inlays and star, five mechanical friction tuners with ivoroid buttons, metal plate on dowel stick reads "MONTGOMERY WARD & CO. / WINDSOR", a screw has been added to end of dowel stick to help secure neck, made by Lyon & Healy in Chicago, very similar to a Washburn Model 1050, on consignment
60U-2082.....$1,200.00 buy

S.S. STEWART CHAMPION (1895) 11 photos
VG-EC except needs work (reseat and dress frets, replace missing hook, re-angle neck, restring and set up, etc. - sold AS-IS), ~11-1/2" metal clad wood rim, cherry neck with lightly carved heel, 20-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl diamond and moon & star inlays, Elite tailpiece, ~1-1/4" nut width, 27" scale, 24 brackets, ebony headstock overlay with pearl flowerpot inlay, mechanical friction tuners, made in Philadelphia, no case (SN:51797)
60U-2005.....$900.00 buy

S.S. STEWART ORCHESTRA NO. 2 (c.1890) 12 photos
EC-, 12" frosted head, metal clad wood rim, 30 brackets, cherry neck with carved heel, 19-fret ebony fingerboard with fancy pearl diamond, moon and star inlays, 1-1/4" nut width, ~27-1/4"" scale, unique tailpiece, ebony headstock overlay with fancy pearl inlays, mechanical friction tuners marked "PAT. MAY 8, 88" with ivoroid buttons, mechanical friction 5th string peg with black plastic button, setup with 1/2" bridge and steel strings, made in Philadelphia, very cool, with newer rough SSC (missing handle) (SN:10688)
60U-2017.....$1,750.00 buy

VEGA TUBAPHONE STYLE X NO.9 CONVERSION (1923) 11 photos
EC, 11-13/16" Renaissance head, tortoise plastic-bound 1/2" rim with fancy marquetry on bottom, flamed maple repro neck with backstrapping and carved heel, ivoroid-bound 22-fret ebony fingerboard with fancy engraved pearl inlays, 1-3/16" nut width, 27" scale, 30 brackets, bracket band, tubaphone tone ring, ebony heelcap with fancy engraved pearl inlay, Kerschner style tailpiece, elaborate engraved inlays on front and back of headstock, Five Star Planetary tuners with ivoroid buttons, railroad spikes at frets 7,9 and 10, modern Vega style armrest installed, on consignment, with modern arched-lid HSC (SN:54003)
60U-2209.....$4,000.00 buy

VEGA WHYTE LAYDIE STYLE L A-SCALE CONVERSION (1926) 11 photos
EC, newer Wyatt Fawley 2-piece maple neck with ebony center stripe replaces the original, bound ebony fretboard with dot and star inlays, 22 frets, star inlay on headstock, ~24-3/4" scale, 5 geared tuners with pearloid buttons, Vega Style L rim with Whyte Laydie tone ring, 1/2" rim thickness, 10-1/8" plastic head, new tailpiece, new hooks and nuts, conversion well done, sounds and plays great, includes origional neck, tuners and dowel stick, on consignment (SN:69705)
60U-2185.....$1,500.00 buy
Index of Vintage & Used Instruments
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Updated Wednesday July 23, 2008
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