Paramount Style C Tenor Banjo (1929)
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Paramounts have a distinctive sound, are loud and usually very good banjos, especially at the professional levels
The woods used in the instruments do make a difference in sound. Maple tends to be brighter, Mahogany mellower, walnut in the middle. The higher grade banjos have more expensive (and prettier) wood in them such as rosewood, holly, and ebony. Other banjo makers did the same thing with their banjos, the fancier they are, the rarer the wood and the more carving, marquetry, etc. on the banjos.
The Style C has a natural dark mahogany finish, laminated maple/mahogany rim, laminated mahogany resonator, laminated mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard. The Style C banjo is one of Paramount’s most attractive designs, richly decorated with elaborate wood marquetry and very fancy engraved pearl inlay. The overall look is dark finished mahogany with chain pattern wood edging, wood and celluloid binding, and coloured wood inlay. The mahogany neck is of multi laminate construction with carved heel, carved peg head back and multilayered wood binding with a chain marquetry inlay up the sides. The headstock is decorated with an extremely fancy engraved pearl inlay and the fingerboard has shaped and engraved pearl in a flying bird motif. Hardware includes the Paramount adjustable tailpiece and the hotdog style arm rest. Selling originally for $185, the Style C was a relatively affordable but still upscale professional grade tenor Banjo.
I have given this beauty the usual pure banjo once over and highly hand polished throughout. The neck is straight and the frets show little wear. I have upgraded the original Jos Rogers goat skin head for a brighter more powerful 11 2/16″ Weather King clear head. Which takes me to the detail & condition under the bonnet! I would have probably put a smooth white head on this banjo but the nickel plating throughout this instrument is in first class condition including the tone ring, so worth while showing of.
Quick summary
- Original page geared tuners (all working well)
- Hotdog nickel plated armrest
- Paramount tail piece
- Nice Carving to heal & back of neck head stock
- Multi piece mahogany neck featuring holly & died pear wood
- black tolex vintage hard shell case with inner velvet zipper protector
video sample of how the Paramount Style C sounds