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A short scale 17 fret open back tenor banjo from the jazz era 1920’s. Made by the owners of the famous Paramount banjo company William Lange in New York. I have sold a few of these models over the years and the owners will not part with them, so they definitely have longevity.

William Lange was an exceptional innovator of banjos, in particular tone ring systems. He is well known for his top quality Paramount & Orpheum line of banjos. Other Lange-designed banjos include the Langstile line and the Triple-X line, to name a few.

Banjo Details

2.5” deep rim laminated to 5/8” inch thick, veneered both inside and outside in bird’s-eye maple. Head edge has inlaid brass-hoop style tone ring. The original calf skin head has been upgraded with a Remo 11.5” white smooth top head. The tailpiece is a new Kershner type that controls break angle. Outer side of rim has are seated 30 cast nickel-plated shoe brackets. Original and complete nickel plated open-end nuts with double etched thumb grips and flat hooks. The bottom of the outside rim has a checkered wood marquetry and the bottom of the rim is nicely finished with a maple cap also with wood marquetry. Three-piece selected maple neck with centre rosewood strip. Ebony fingerboard spanning 17 frets with fancy cut off set angular pearl inlay, the peghead has corresponding inlay and Langstile logo badge. The neck is straight with good original frets. There is a powerful cutting tone and bass residues from this banjo with the combination of the white smooth top head and handmade rosewood bridge. The action is low which makes this instrument a dream to play. Also comes with its original compact vintage case in good condition.

Featured

• New strings gauges 12 steel, 18 nickel wound, 26 nickel wound, 36 nickel wound.
• Original vintage case in good condition
• 11.5″ Remo white smooth top head
• New handmade rosewood bridge
• Up-graded schaller geared tuners (£95)
• Straight neck with low action.

Sold

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Very rarely does a short scale 17 fret Paragon tenor banjo come up for sale, of course Clifford Essex didn’t build a 17 fret CE version. Here we have an all original Paragon pot assembly with a professionally custom made short scale neck. The original banjo was a 22 fret plectrum banjo and the new neck was built using the original mother of pearl inlays from the head stock and position makers. The neck is constructed from figured tiger maple, with a centre strip of ebony with green pear wood either side. The neck is perfectly profiled the same as the original neck and is reinforced with a trust rod for stability. The new neck is perfect in every way, ebony fretboard, new frets, birdseye maple heal cap with MOP dot, low action and original MOP, gauge 12, 18w, 28w, 38w nickel strings.

The arched resonator is finished in beautiful figured maple with side strips of double walnut wood marquetry. The CE model has a thick 3/4″ maple rim finished in figured maple and upper and lower walnut veneer. The rim is drilled through to create the tone chambers for the perforated tone ring, all together giving the paragon their unique sound. Comes with a good quality hardshell case

Priced to sell £2650

video coming soon of paragon banjo