Can anyone give me any information about the Bacon and Day Peerless tenor banjo or where I can find this information online. I was wondering if they were built with tone-rings or was the skin stretched over the wooden rim. Thanks for your help
Do you mean one like this? - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerart/sets/72157628399902317/
I've had this one for a while - it's stamped Peerless and the skin is stretched over a simple metal hoop (not just on the wood). Not a cast tone ring. I'm mostly playing a 19 fretter now, but this is a nice instrument but it could do with some restorative work. The metalwork is heavy and you get a good ringing sound from it. The fretboard is worn and the neck has a bit of a scoop to it. I've always enjoyed playing it. I think the serial number indicates that it was made in 1927 and a price list for that year says it would have cost $50 (the top of the range Bacon Silver Bell cost $900 - that was a lot of money then!)
"Selected white maple neck with center black veneer, black veneer fingerboard, 17 frets, pearl position marks. Heavy maple 11" rim with spun nickle plated metal top over large steel wire, solid black bottom edge veneer, 24 nickle-plated brackets, heavy grooved top hoop, patent keys patent pressure tailpiece. Rogers head, fitted with square brass flesh wire. All wood parts French polished"
I have one of those. Sounds like a banjo. No resonator. Serial number table I found somewhere suggested 1921/22, you could hunt that down. It's on the internet.
No truss rod. Sometimes a lug comes a bit loose. Low G is a bit floppy. I like it, close enough for government work.
Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
Hi Folks,
Can anyone give me any information about the Bacon and Day Peerless tenor banjo or where I can find this information online. I was wondering if they were built with tone-rings or was the skin stretched over the wooden rim. Thanks for your help
# Posted on December 12th 2011 by Pio Ryan
Re: Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
Pio, I'm pretty sure the Peerless had a simple rod-and-skirt thing going on, probably something like the Vega Little Wonder.
# Posted on December 13th 2011 by Upsetter
Re: Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
Do you mean one like this? - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerart/sets/72157628399902317/
I've had this one for a while - it's stamped Peerless and the skin is stretched over a simple metal hoop (not just on the wood). Not a cast tone ring. I'm mostly playing a 19 fretter now, but this is a nice instrument but it could do with some restorative work. The metalwork is heavy and you get a good ringing sound from it. The fretboard is worn and the neck has a bit of a scoop to it. I've always enjoyed playing it. I think the serial number indicates that it was made in 1927 and a price list for that year says it would have cost $50 (the top of the range Bacon Silver Bell cost $900 - that was a lot of money then!)
# Posted on December 13th 2011 by RichardB
Re: Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
This is from the 1924 Bacon catalogue:
"Selected white maple neck with center black veneer, black veneer fingerboard, 17 frets, pearl position marks. Heavy maple 11" rim with spun nickle plated metal top over large steel wire, solid black bottom edge veneer, 24 nickle-plated brackets, heavy grooved top hoop, patent keys patent pressure tailpiece. Rogers head, fitted with square brass flesh wire. All wood parts French polished"
# Posted on December 13th 2011 by vegamad
Re: Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
I have one of those. Sounds like a banjo. No resonator. Serial number table I found somewhere suggested 1921/22, you could hunt that down. It's on the internet.
No truss rod. Sometimes a lug comes a bit loose. Low G is a bit floppy. I like it, close enough for government work.
# Posted on December 13th 2011 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Bacon and Day peerless tenor banjo
The mystery of the tone ring explained: http://youtu.be/YFDhhLaeIWk
# Posted on December 13th 2011 by RichardB