Used 5-String Open-Back Banjos

Index: 10633
Maker: Bacon
Year: ca. 1920
Notes:

Bacon Professional FF Banjo with a fine

reproduction Mahogany 5-String neck by Steve Sutherland, with Ebony fingerboard.

From a 10" Mandolin Banjo.

Famous Bacon Internal Resonator pot with 24 3/4" Scale Length.

Planetary Geared Pegs, Plastic Head.

Low Action, Great Sound.

Serial: #5224
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $1495.00
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Index: 10653
Maker: Bart Reiter
Year: 1993
Notes:

Bart Reiter Special 5-string banjo in near-pristine condition.

Maple neck with Ebony fingerboard.

Rolled brass tone-ring.

5-Star Planet Tuners.

Minimal playing wear.

All-Original with Nice Hard Case.

 

Serial: #1036
Condition: EX-FINE
Case: orig hsc
Price: $1395.00
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Index: 10691
Maker: Bart Reiter
Year: ca. 1998
Notes:

Near-Pristine Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie #2.

Minor fret-wear.

Stew-Mac 5-Star Planetary Geared pegs.

Renaissance Head.

A Particularly Fine Example of Bart's Work.

Serial: #1716
Condition: Excellent & Original
Case: hsc
Price: $1895.00
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Index: 10692
Maker: Brewster, J.E.
Year: ca. 1900
Notes:

Turn-of-the-Century, [the last one],

5-string banjo by London, England Banjo Maker J.E. Brewster.

9" Rim with 21" Scale.

Probably started as a fretless, then got frets, then had them removed.

Just part of the checkered history of this banjo.

Action high, forward neck bow, offered AS FOUND and AS-IS.

Project-Grade with Charm. Mostly Original Hardware.

Sorry, No Case.

Serial: #774
Condition: VG-Exc.
Case: none
Price: $495.00
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Index: 10634
Maker: Cole
Year: 1895
Notes:

Striking Reproduction 5-String neck from Padouk Wood with Ebony fingerboard by Steve Sutherland.

10" Original Cole Rim from a Banjo-Mandolin.

9 7/8" rim with 24 3/4" Scale Length.

Boat Heel.

 

Serial: #2283
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $1200.00
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Index: 10554
Maker: Cole, Wm.
Year: 1890
Notes:

A Largely Original Cole's Eclipse Banjo... The peghead Man-in-the-Moon pearl inlays have been replaced

and the neck refinished.

10 5/8" Rim with 27" Scale Length.

A Really Fine Players' Instrument.

 

 

Serial: #7536
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $2000.00
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Index: 10641
Maker: Cole, Wm.
Year: 1897
Notes:

Rare Cole's Eclipse with spectacular engraved mother-of-pearl inlays [possibly by Consalvi] and carved heel.

The 3rd fret inlay appears to be a replacement. A couple of old repaired heel-cracks.

10 15/16" rim with 26" Scale Length.

Calf-Skin Head. The pot is all-original with the H&N sets apparently re-plated at some time.

A period and possibly original Elite tailpiece.

Original Grover friction pegs with ivoroid buttons.

Straight neck and good action.

Serial: #3958
Condition: VG-EXC
Case: gig bag
Price: $2950.00
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Index: 10599
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: 1893
Notes:

An Excellent Fairbanks Electric with Carved Heel and Fancy Engraved Inlays.

Mostly Original and in Lovely Used Condition.

11 1/2" rim with 26" Scale.

Skin Head.

 

Serial: #2022
Condition: VG-EXC
Case: gig bag
Price: $2995.00
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Index: 10632
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: 1891
Notes:

Original A.C. Fairbanks Electric 12" pot with fine reproduction neck by Steve Sutherland.

The original peghead facing with engraved pearl has been re-used;

mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard, 26 1/4" Scale.

 Engraved fingerboard pearl accurately and nicely reproduced.

Carved Heel. 

Gig Bag.

Serial: #1798
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $1600.00
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Index: 10358
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: 1902
Notes:

An Original Fairbanks 5-String Banjo

with a replaced ebony fingerboard and peg-head facing,

with added appropriate pearl inlays.

10" Rim.

26" Scale Length

Serial: #21601
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $1295.00
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Index: 10629
Maker: Gibson Reproduction
Year: 1990's?
Notes:

Nice Open-Back Gibson Reproduction banjo by unknown professional maker.

Figured Maple neck with Ebony fingerboard inlaid with Bella Voce pearl pattern.

3/4" 3-ply Maple rim with large tube tone-ring, possibly sourced from late 1920's Gibson

Tenor Banjo.

11" head with 26" scale length.

Tension hoop looks like maybe 1970's Gibson.

A few dings in the finish, but otherwise un-played.

New Hard Case.

Serial: None
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $1350.00
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Index: 10686
Maker: Kevin Enoch
Year: 2000
Notes:

Kevin Enoch Tradesman 1/2 Fretless banjo.

Pristine and Un-Played.

12" Rim with Renaissance Head.

Gig Bag

Serial: #T879
Condition: Minty
Case: gig bag
Price: $1225.00
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Index: 10696
Maker: ODE
Year: 1960's
Notes:

Standard ODE polished aluminum shell.

ODE-style ex-long neck by unknown maker.

Planetary Geared pegs.

Plays and sounds Great.

Nice rectangular hard case presumably made by the previous owner.

The style of banjo-neck-making, the hand-made case, the sliding capo and the ample strap holder

all suggest this banjo was put together and played in the 1960's

 

Serial: None
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $1095.00
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Index: 10636
Maker: Vega
Year: 1921
Notes:

Nice original Vega Regent 5-String with Little Wonder tone-ring.

10 3/4" Head size, 26" Scale Length.

A serious players' instrument that is not super-heavy.

Some appropriate engraved-pearl inlays have been added.

Modern Planetary  geared tuners.

 

 

Serial: #44186
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $1475.00
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Index: 10580
Maker: Vega
Year: 1922
Notes:

All-Original Style M Tubaphone Pot with 11 13/16" Rim.

Reproduction 5-String Neck by Intermountain Guitar and Banjo [#367, 1976].

Maple Neck with Ebony Fingerboard and Engraved Pearl Inlays.

27" Scale with 20 Frets. Used, Partial Refret. Low Action.

Presently has a Calf-Skin Head, but other options are available.

New TKL Arched-Lid Hard Shell Case.

Serial: #49163
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $1495.00
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Index: 10607
Maker: Vega
Year: 1924
Notes:

A prime Vega Whyte Laydie, originally a plectrum and now a fine 5-string

 using most of the original neck.

Great technique by Master Banjo Maker, Dick Powell.

Maple neck, 27" scale, 10 15/16" head size.

A great [almost] all-original Vega 5-String banjo.

Not a lot of these around.

New Hard Case. 

Serial: 56262
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $1995.00
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Index: 10557
Maker: Vega
Year: 1929
Notes:

From a Style S Tubaphone Banjo-Mandolin.

Tubaphone #9  20-fret 5-String neck with Chubby Dragon by Steve Sutherland.

10 1/8" Rim with 24 1/2" Scale Length. 

Planetary Geared Pegs.

Serial: #86518
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $2995.00
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Index: 10583
Maker: Vega
Year: 1914
Notes:

Vega Tubaphone with 10 1/8" rim and reproduction 5-String neck by Doug Unger with

Exquisite Engraved Mother-of-Pearl inlays by one of the greatest.

25 1/2" Scale Length.

S-M 5-Star Planetary Tuners.

Custom Scalloped Tension-Hoop.carved Frailing Scoop.

Serial: #30366
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $2995.00
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Index: 10329
Maker: Vega
Year: 1930
Notes:

From the Magic Workshop of Dick Powell.

Vega Tubaphone #3, formerly a plectrum banjo:

The original neck transformed into a 5-String.

10 15/16" Tubaphone Rim.

 

 

 

Serial: #89034
Condition: Excellent
Case: hsc
Price: $$1700.
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Index: 10571
Maker: Vega
Year: 1924
Notes:

Tubaphone Plectrum #3 Converted to 5-String,

Retaining Original Heel Carving.

Conversion and Flowerpot Peg-Head Inlays by Steve Sutherland.

Original Tubaphone Pot with Replaced Nuts.

Banjo has been fitted with a narrow-spacing bridge to accomodate the slightly narrow 

fingerboard profile.

10 15/16" Rim with 26 1/4" Scale Length.

 

Serial: #58330
Condition: Excellent
Case: gig bag
Price: $2000.00
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