I'm sure that this question has been asked many times before but I was hoping that somebody may be able to offer me advice regarding the purchase of a tenor banjo.
I'm after a short-scale tenor with a resonator in the region of £500. I did have a Cussen before which I had to sell and I liked it very much but, obviously, that's out of my price range just now.
Any ideas? Are Ozark or Gold Tone any good or should I be looking elsewhere? Am I likely to pick up a playable vintage short-scale for that sort of money? Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
I'm after the exact same thing! I've tried the Goldtone and they're really nice but I'd prefer something older and preferably with a closed back. Let the search begin!
you should be able to get a 1920's short scale Vega with a resonator for 1200-1400US or so. Check John Bernunzios site. That is where Gerry O'Conner got his Ephipone Recording (Walnut) model. Not too far off your budget with the exchange, if that is pound sterling. Cussoin says the Ephipones were one of the best banjo's made. You would be happy with either I am sure.
Vintage is the way to go in my book. I bought this 1927 Vega, Whyte Laydie, Style R recently. Cost me $995, I'm delighted with it, it plays great. It was open back but Bernunzio's fitted a Vega resonator at no additional cost.
Definitely go for vintagebanjos.com. I got my 1920's Vega Style M from them for a good price, and I'm really happy with it! Good luck, tommy_wintle and JM!
If you go to Bernunzio's, Gruhn Guitars (http://www.gruhn.com) , either of the Vintage Instrument places (the other is http://www.vintage-instrument.com), but not Mandolin Bros, you will find reasonably priced 17 fret banjos and a few outside of your range right now. Virtually any banjo made by Vega, Paramount or Lange, Bacon, or Weymann is going to be a good banjo for your purposes and will surpass anything you can buy new in GB if Andy Banjo prices are indicative. The advantage of going to a GB store is that you can throw a brick through the window if they screw you (or ask for help, the ones we recommend are top notch) and you can touch the instrument before you buy.
The States are where the majority of decent vintage banjos are and if you are willing to pay the aprox $200 dollars in shipping and customs charges, you can still get a bargain.
Another honest source is Vinnie Mondello (mailto:mrvintagebanjo@aol.com or http://www.4stringbanjos.com) who has sold to certain famous banjo players who we discuss all the time.
Too bad you had to give up your Cussen banjo, it is a very nice instrument.
Ome and Deering make superb tenor banjos and will make a short scale to order, but you are talking about $5000. The Gold Tone IT-250 can be ordered with or without the resonator (Gold Tone will make up anything that they can by mixing and matching parts) and is a good banjo once you replace the bridge, tailpiece and tuners in that order if you can afford to do so. I am not familiar with the Ozark but assume it is made from the same types of parts as the Gold Tone, but may not be set up as well or as well designed. Still, you are looking at 500+ pounds for these instruments in GB.
A last recommendation is to have you make your own from parts you can get from either Gold Tone (they will sell parts as a kit or whatever) or from First Quality (http://www.fqms.com), something I did for about $600 using a Gold Tone neck that was taken off of a tenor being turned into a five string. Again you have to pay shipping, but parts may carry less tarrif, I don't know. Making the banjo was a blast and not that hard. There are plenty of books (Siminoff is the best) and URLs on the web to help.
There's currently a Gibson TB-1 for sale in the UK on ebay.com. It's listed as Gibson Tenor Banjo It seems to be original except for the tuning pegs (ask the seller). The mid-1920's TB-1s were not ornate, and so prices will always be low. But they are solid and consistent, with good hardware, resonators and straight necks. They should go for $400-$800 U.S., depending on the buyer's/seller's desparation.
If you're hesitant to buy something you see on ebay, you could ask Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan, to look at the item and speculate for you, or you can get on their waiting list for a TB-1. Good luck.
tenor banjos
tenor banjos
I'm sure that this question has been asked many times before but I was hoping that somebody may be able to offer me advice regarding the purchase of a tenor banjo.
I'm after a short-scale tenor with a resonator in the region of £500. I did have a Cussen before which I had to sell and I liked it very much but, obviously, that's out of my price range just now.
Any ideas? Are Ozark or Gold Tone any good or should I be looking elsewhere? Am I likely to pick up a playable vintage short-scale for that sort of money? Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Tommy
# Posted on March 8th 2006 by tommy_wintle
Re: tenor banjos
I'm after the exact same thing! I've tried the Goldtone and they're really nice but I'd prefer something older and preferably with a closed back. Let the search begin!
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by JM
Re: tenor banjos
Try www,vintagebanjos.com
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by Bog_Trotter
Re: tenor banjos
you should be able to get a 1920's short scale Vega with a resonator for 1200-1400US or so. Check John Bernunzios site. That is where Gerry O'Conner got his Ephipone Recording (Walnut) model. Not too far off your budget with the exchange, if that is pound sterling. Cussoin says the Ephipones were one of the best banjo's made. You would be happy with either I am sure.
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by CDNMoose
Re: tenor banjos
Go for Vintage. You are likely to get more bang for the buck.
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by Unseen122
Re: tenor banjos
Vintage is the way to go in my book. I bought this 1927 Vega, Whyte Laydie, Style R recently. Cost me $995, I'm delighted with it, it plays great. It was open back but Bernunzio's fitted a Vega resonator at no additional cost.
http://www.bernunzio.com/item.php?sku=059463
http://www.bernunzio.com/index.php
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: tenor banjos
Definitely go for vintagebanjos.com. I got my 1920's Vega Style M from them for a good price, and I'm really happy with it! Good luck, tommy_wintle and JM!
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by Fiddlekit
Re: tenor banjos
i think deering are doing some well priced nice sounding tenors
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: tenor banjos
Speak to Andy Perkins
http://www.andybanjo.com
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by showaddydadito
Re: tenor banjos
Tommy,
If you go to Bernunzio's, Gruhn Guitars (http://www.gruhn.com) , either of the Vintage Instrument places (the other is http://www.vintage-instrument.com), but not Mandolin Bros, you will find reasonably priced 17 fret banjos and a few outside of your range right now. Virtually any banjo made by Vega, Paramount or Lange, Bacon, or Weymann is going to be a good banjo for your purposes and will surpass anything you can buy new in GB if Andy Banjo prices are indicative. The advantage of going to a GB store is that you can throw a brick through the window if they screw you (or ask for help, the ones we recommend are top notch) and you can touch the instrument before you buy.
Kevin Scott at Findanjo (http://www.findajo.co.uk/) has a good selection of banjos too.
The States are where the majority of decent vintage banjos are and if you are willing to pay the aprox $200 dollars in shipping and customs charges, you can still get a bargain.
Another honest source is Vinnie Mondello (mailto:mrvintagebanjo@aol.com or http://www.4stringbanjos.com) who has sold to certain famous banjo players who we discuss all the time.
Too bad you had to give up your Cussen banjo, it is a very nice instrument.
Ome and Deering make superb tenor banjos and will make a short scale to order, but you are talking about $5000. The Gold Tone IT-250 can be ordered with or without the resonator (Gold Tone will make up anything that they can by mixing and matching parts) and is a good banjo once you replace the bridge, tailpiece and tuners in that order if you can afford to do so. I am not familiar with the Ozark but assume it is made from the same types of parts as the Gold Tone, but may not be set up as well or as well designed. Still, you are looking at 500+ pounds for these instruments in GB.
A last recommendation is to have you make your own from parts you can get from either Gold Tone (they will sell parts as a kit or whatever) or from First Quality (http://www.fqms.com), something I did for about $600 using a Gold Tone neck that was taken off of a tenor being turned into a five string. Again you have to pay shipping, but parts may carry less tarrif, I don't know. Making the banjo was a blast and not that hard. There are plenty of books (Siminoff is the best) and URLs on the web to help.
MIke Keyes
http://www.banjosesssions.com/feb06/sessions.html
# Posted on March 9th 2006 by mikeyes
Re: tenor banjos
There's currently a Gibson TB-1 for sale in the UK on ebay.com. It's listed as Gibson Tenor Banjo It seems to be original except for the tuning pegs (ask the seller). The mid-1920's TB-1s were not ornate, and so prices will always be low. But they are solid and consistent, with good hardware, resonators and straight necks. They should go for $400-$800 U.S., depending on the buyer's/seller's desparation.
If you're hesitant to buy something you see on ebay, you could ask Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan, to look at the item and speculate for you, or you can get on their waiting list for a TB-1. Good luck.
# Posted on March 14th 2006 by BarryM