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Vega Vintage Star Dobson Style Open Back Banjo by Deering

On November 8, 2021 /

The new Vega Vintage Star open back banjo by Deering has arrived, featuring a classic Dobson-style tone ring, Ebony fingerboard and Satin finish! At the heart of the Vintage Star lies a stunning Dobson tone ring. Originally patented by Henry Dobson in 1881, the Dobson balances the low ends with clear highs, and adds just the right amount of sustain to the banjo. The brass Dobson glows from behind the renaissance head, which itself sits on a thinner walled, 12” violin grade maple rim. A knotless tailpiece tops off the set up to produce a classic old-time tone.

New

Deering Goodtime Blackgrass 5-String Banjo Black, 2019

On February 16, 2021 /

Here’s an unusual instrument for the Goth bluegrass enthusiast – a Deering Goodtime Blackgrass 5-String banjo, in black with chromed tension hooks! Introduced in early Spring 2019, the Deering Goodtime Blackgrass is based closely on the Goodtime resonator models. The construction is all Maple, sourced in North America. The fingerboard is black-stained Maple and the rest of the instrument has a satin Black finish. These instruments are built in the USA, in the same Spring Valley are of San Diego where top-end Deering banjos are made.

Used

This instrument has sold

Thompson & Odell Luscomb 5 String Openback Banjo 1890s

On January 24, 2021 /

Here is a fantastic rarity, a Thompson & Odell Luscomb banjo in mostly original condition and built during the 1890s in Boston, Massachusetts. This specific instrument was part of the Akira Tsumura collection, and appears in Tsumura’s 1994 book ‘1001 Banjos’. This banjo has a story! J F Luscomb was a well known banjo soloist and composer in the 1880s and 1890s, and was granted a number of banjo-related patents that are used on this banjo.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Dave Mills 5 String Openback Banjo with Frailing Scoop, 2018

On January 7, 2021 /

This neatly constructed Dave Mills 5 string openback banjo uses a 12 inch pot with a spun-over Maple rim and Dobson-style tone ring, and a 3-piece Maple neck with an Ebony fingerboard that carries a frailing scoop. The Maple used on the rim and neck has a very convincing Cherry stain – so convincing that even our repair shop staff thought it was cherry from a short distance! The head uses a traditional ‘paddle’ outline.

New

This instrument has sold

Lyon & Healy 5 String Banjo, c. 1895

On December 22, 2020 /

Here is a lovely example of a turn of the century Lyon & Healy 5 String banjo, built circa 1895. Though there is no stamping on the dowel stick or label, it has the signature L&H shaped peghead and the lovely L&H Patent tailpiece which confirms the origin. The Lyon & Healy firm grew out of an effort by Oliver Ditson – beginning in 1864 – to expand his wholesale musical instrument business into the US Midwest, with a facility in Chicago run by George Washburn Lyon and Patrick J. Healy.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Pattison Whyte Laydie 5-String Black Walnut Banjo

On December 9, 2020 /

Once again we have a locally sourced Ian Pattison Whyte Laydie style open back banjo in Black Walnut from Pattison Stringed Instruments in Guelph, Ontario. The original Whyte Laydie banjos were made by A C Fairbanks starting around 1901 and ending in 1904 when the Fairbanks shop was destroyed in a fire, and the Vega company took over production. This lovely Pattison Whyte Laydie banjo features a Whyte Laydie tone ring by Rickert from Aurora, Ontario and a Renaissance head.

New

This instrument has sold

Open Back

Vega Vintage Star Dobson Style Open Back Banjo by Deering

Deering Goodtime Blackgrass 5-String Banjo Black, 2019

Thompson & Odell Luscomb 5 String Openback Banjo 1890s

Dave Mills 5 String Openback Banjo with Frailing Scoop, 2018

Lyon & Healy 5 String Banjo, c. 1895

Pattison Whyte Laydie 5-String Black Walnut Banjo

THE TWELFTH FRET

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