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Lyon & Healy Washburn Style A Model Tenor Banjo, c. 1925, made in Chicago, serial #2892 , shaded maple finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, laminated maple and mahogany resonator, original black hard shell case.

A very classy mid-1920’s short-neck tenor banjo from Lyon & Healy, labeled with their top-of-the-line Washburn name. The features are fairly high grade including a beautiful tiger-striped laminated maple neck, grained ivoroid-bound ebony fingerboard with fancy shaped pearl inlay, headstock inlayed with with a pearl floral pattern. Tone ring is the elaborate “cupped” Washburn style. The pie-crust resonator (similar to Vega) has a metal flange attached to the outer edge at the top and diamond wood marquetry around both edges.

The tuners are newly installed nickle-plated 4:1 geared with vintage grained ivoroid buttons. The tailpiece is an original Kersher Unique marked “Lyon & Healy Makers” and there is an unusual Washburn-specific armrest with a dressed-away outer edge. The entire instrument has a rather Vega-like design feel, especially the “pie plate” resonator back and the thick nickel plated band around the rim. Overall it is beautifully made at a very high level of craftsmanship. This is a lovely fancy banjo, and something of a rarity. A fine playing and sounding instrument especially suited to the Irish style (due to the short 21″ scale) with low action playing and a solid all-original collector’s piece.

Overall length is 31 1/8 in. (79 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) diameter head, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 21 in. (533 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.). An excellent player, set up with a high quality renaissance skin head and including the original HSC. Excellent Condition.

Banjo is now Sold

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The new short-scale Gretsch “Laydie Belle” Irish Tenor banjo is designed for playing traditional music. With a loud and proud Whyte-Laydie tone ring and three-ply solid maple rim this banjo plays beautifully, with low action and sweet tone. The banjo is practically new with no scratched or damage and the new owner can have the choice of a new clear head or black head.

Features include a three-piece maple/walnut/maple neck, 17-fret rosewood fingerboard with vintage-style B&D inlays, 19” scale, 24 tension brackets with notched hoop, 11” Remo High Crown  head, new Clamshell tailpiece, geared die-cast machine heads, Vega-style armrest and nickel-plated hardware. This model is normally sold as a openback tenor banjo but as no expense spared a custom resonator has been added. The resonator was colour matched at the Avalon Guitar factory, Newtownards and  a professional sunburst finish was added.

For Sale £600