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Vintage 1970’s 19 fret tenor banjo from English maker John Grey. Features a maple neck with ebony fretboard and MOP position markers, rosewood headstock veneer and upgraded with modern geared tuners. multiply rim with 24 shoes,bracket, hooks and nuts seated on a nickel plated flange. Tone ring is similar to the type fitted on Maybell banjos and gives plenty of volume and sustain. The plating throughout is in good condition, and if fitted with a clear head it would look very impressive seeing the inner tone ring etc. Fitted with white smooth top head, quality maple bridge, arm rest and john grey tailpiece. The resonator has a nice figured maple grain and the lacquer on the neck and resonator is in good condition. The neck is straight and low playing action and fitted with new strings. As a bonus there is a pickup fitted with a jack input fixed under the tailpiece. Comes with a brown leatherette hard shell case.

sold

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A little bit of history

Slingerland was started by Henry Heanon, sometimes going by H.H., Slingerland who was a music instructor at Chicago’s West Side Conservatory of Music. He renamed the company Slingerland Correspondence School of Music and began labeling the instruments “Slingerland May Bell” or just “May Bell.”  H.H. decided to hire a local German craftsman and in 1923, Slingerland began manufacturing their own instruments under the name “Slingerland Manufacturing Co.” By the late 1920’s, Slingerland was a full-fledged competitor in the stringed instrument-making market. There is a great history to the Slingerland company who in fact went on to become the biggest drum manufacturer world wide, click here  for more facts.

About this banjo

The banjo has been completely re-lacquered and re-fretted. The 3 piece neck is constructed from quality dark stain figured maple with centre ebony strip for strength and stability. The fret board is ebony with dot position markers and white side position dots. The neck is straight and the action is nice and low. The head stock bears a single MOP star and is fitted with new geared tuners. The spun over heavy duty tone ring is what gives this banjo its unique power. I fitted it with a 10 3/4″ Remo white head to enhance the mid to high tones ringing from the bell brass tone ring. There is a presto tail piece fitted and new arm rest.

Although this is a mid range banjo the build quality is second to none. All of the metal parts i.e.  hooks & nuts, shoes,tone ring, tension hoop etc. are solid brass with nickel plating and are all in excellent condition and is what makes this banjo feel heavy. The resonator looks to be dark stained maple also with the outer sidewalls finished with white binding. A great upgrade and session player which also looks and sounds great.

Comes with newer style hard case.

For Sale £850