Has anyone ever heard of this make of banjo? I was told the Conservatory I have, a tenor banjo bought from Tom Cussen of Clareen Banjos, was made in Boston in the 1930's. It has the word "CONSERVATORY" written vertically down the head.The banjo is distinctive in that it has a unusual glittery gold inlay on the body and the surface of the head is completely covered in gold flake except for the conservatory brand name. I am just curious if this is a well known make because I have not seen another like it, all info. appreciated,
Paul
I checked with my friend Vinnie Mondello (who is the guru of all things four string) and he thinks it might be from the "American Conservatory of Music" which was a mail order place in those times. They sold banjos made by Lyon and Healy or Slingerland.
well there go's the other information I was given on banjohangout, I was told it was a probably a student banjo made by a company called Gretsch from NYC, I don't know who to believe but the man on the other forum, Brian, seemed very sure of this and says he has owned a similar one in the past, thanks for the help!
Those mail order music lesson companies in the thirties and forties used a variety of sources for their instruments. Some of them were quite good instruments and yours looks like a middle range instrument, not an entry banjo. They would give mail order lessons and sell the instruments all part of the package. Gibson even made a few instruments for these companies, I understand (guitars, I think.)
I have a very nice little tenor guitar made for a company in Cleveland, Ohio that is fun to play. Yours is a decent banjo and It has a familiar headstock that I can't place right now but a little work on the net should find it.
I think it might be a SUPERTONE .Has it two pale stripes running up the neck to the top of the headstock with a gap of about 3/4 inch between the stripes or does it have just one single light stripe? It doesn't appear to have much of a tonering and appears very expensive at 800 . I have a similar but much better and more ornate quality MOP tenor with a heavy good tonering for sale which I'm sure sounds a lot better than your instrument. I have seen that gold glitzy head stock tenor before with just a decorative diamond pattern and no maker's name
I have found on mugwumps a listing of Conservatory as a Wurlitzer brandname and it says they were made in Boston in 1905+, this seems to fit in with the information I was given when i got the banjo, do you have any thoughts on this? the site i found it on is http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html#C. Thanks, Paul
Red Robin, it doesn't have any pale stripes on the neck, just a single dark stripe running up to the top of the headstock, paul.
P.S I think it sounds pretty good actually ;)
Wurlitzer was/is a music store in Boston that often had instruments made in its name. I bought my first Mastertone five string there in 1963. When I was in the store, they had a selection of Martin guitars that were made only for them. It is likely that the banjo was made by one of the many companies that were exant in the '30s.
Yours is a 19 fret banjo and they were not made until about 1925 at the earliest and certainly not at that price point. I have a no-name banjo with the same headstock that I suspect is a Chicago made banjo (home of Regal, Lyon and Healy, Slingerland, and a host of others) and not made in Boston.
Your banjo is not a piece of crap, it is just not a professional level banjo of the era. All of the Chicago companies made banjos at several prices including the top of the line banjos. I am sure yours is not a Slingerland but may be a Regal. Not that the brand is that important, most of the Chicago makers would sell parts and ideas to each other. The Boston makers did the same thing (Vega/Fairbanks, Bacon, Stromberg, etc.) and Vinnie Mondello has a picture of a Lange XXX whose parts are obviously Stromberg and Vega in manufacture.
I know, you probably thought this was over but I contacted an expert on the mugwumps site and he has cleared it up for me. Here is what he said:
Wurlitzer was (and still is) a major NY distributor of musical instruments and retail outlet. They never manufactured them, but contracted to others. In this case probably Gretsch, judging by the peghead shape and unique resonator hardware. It seems to date from the 20s or 30s, certainly not earlier.
Information on Conservatory Banjo
Information on Conservatory Banjo
Has anyone ever heard of this make of banjo? I was told the Conservatory I have, a tenor banjo bought from Tom Cussen of Clareen Banjos, was made in Boston in the 1930's. It has the word "CONSERVATORY" written vertically down the head.The banjo is distinctive in that it has a unusual glittery gold inlay on the body and the surface of the head is completely covered in gold flake except for the conservatory brand name. I am just curious if this is a well known make because I have not seen another like it, all info. appreciated,
Paul
# Posted on August 7th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
How much did you pay for it?
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by Red Robin
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
I paid €800 for it four years ago
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
If anyone is interested, I posted the same question along with pictures on a more specific forum. The question is on this site:
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=59683
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
I checked with my friend Vinnie Mondello (who is the guru of all things four string) and he thinks it might be from the "American Conservatory of Music" which was a mail order place in those times. They sold banjos made by Lyon and Healy or Slingerland.
MIke Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
well there go's the other information I was given on banjohangout, I was told it was a probably a student banjo made by a company called Gretsch from NYC, I don't know who to believe but the man on the other forum, Brian, seemed very sure of this and says he has owned a similar one in the past, thanks for the help!
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Those mail order music lesson companies in the thirties and forties used a variety of sources for their instruments. Some of them were quite good instruments and yours looks like a middle range instrument, not an entry banjo. They would give mail order lessons and sell the instruments all part of the package. Gibson even made a few instruments for these companies, I understand (guitars, I think.)
I have a very nice little tenor guitar made for a company in Cleveland, Ohio that is fun to play. Yours is a decent banjo and It has a familiar headstock that I can't place right now but a little work on the net should find it.
MIke Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Thanks for the help, please let me know what you find out :D
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
I think it might be a SUPERTONE .Has it two pale stripes running up the neck to the top of the headstock with a gap of about 3/4 inch between the stripes or does it have just one single light stripe? It doesn't appear to have much of a tonering and appears very expensive at 800 . I have a similar but much better and more ornate quality MOP tenor with a heavy good tonering for sale which I'm sure sounds a lot better than your instrument. I have seen that gold glitzy head stock tenor before with just a decorative diamond pattern and no maker's name
# Posted on August 8th 2006 by Red Robin
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
I have found on mugwumps a listing of Conservatory as a Wurlitzer brandname and it says they were made in Boston in 1905+, this seems to fit in with the information I was given when i got the banjo, do you have any thoughts on this? the site i found it on is http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html#C. Thanks, Paul
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Red Robin, it doesn't have any pale stripes on the neck, just a single dark stripe running up to the top of the headstock, paul.
P.S I think it sounds pretty good actually ;)
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Paul,
Wurlitzer was/is a music store in Boston that often had instruments made in its name. I bought my first Mastertone five string there in 1963. When I was in the store, they had a selection of Martin guitars that were made only for them. It is likely that the banjo was made by one of the many companies that were exant in the '30s.
Yours is a 19 fret banjo and they were not made until about 1925 at the earliest and certainly not at that price point. I have a no-name banjo with the same headstock that I suspect is a Chicago made banjo (home of Regal, Lyon and Healy, Slingerland, and a host of others) and not made in Boston.
Your banjo is not a piece of crap, it is just not a professional level banjo of the era. All of the Chicago companies made banjos at several prices including the top of the line banjos. I am sure yours is not a Slingerland but may be a Regal. Not that the brand is that important, most of the Chicago makers would sell parts and ideas to each other. The Boston makers did the same thing (Vega/Fairbanks, Bacon, Stromberg, etc.) and Vinnie Mondello has a picture of a Lange XXX whose parts are obviously Stromberg and Vega in manufacture.
Just enjoy your banjo!
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Ok, thanks for all the help, I'll stop thinking about where it came from and go back to playing it!
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by tnoumarap
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
The glittery gold stuff makes me think it's probably a Weymann. Great banjo. I have one sitting about 10 feet over there. . .
Mark
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by lastnitesfun
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
Move over a bit Mark, I can't see it from here!
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Information on Conservatory Banjo
I know, you probably thought this was over but I contacted an expert on the mugwumps site and he has cleared it up for me. Here is what he said:
Wurlitzer was (and still is) a major NY distributor of musical instruments and retail outlet. They never manufactured them, but contracted to others. In this case probably Gretsch, judging by the peghead shape and unique resonator hardware. It seems to date from the 20s or 30s, certainly not earlier.
# Posted on August 9th 2006 by tnoumarap