RARE - Vintage Gordon 4 String Banjo
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:20551320 | Modified Item: No |
| Number of Strings: 4 | Exact Year: Unknown |
| Brand: Gordon |
This listing is for a Vintage Gordon 4 String Banjo - I have searched and searched on-line about these banjos and can't seem to figure out who made it, or an exact year it was made. But, I did find out some interesting information thanks to Don Banjo Smith.
From what I understand, Bacon & Day and Stromberg-Voisinette (SV) made banjos for Gordon. Don had thought that the headstock is not a SV headstock, nor a Bacon headstock that he's ever seen. Plus..., from what he said, any Bacon made Banjo of this era (past 1921, which the pearloid demonstrates) would have a serial number. It could be a Weyman made Gordon Banjo, according to what the headstock looks like. The other thing that made Don Banjo Smith think that it wasn't a Bacon made Banjo is the shoes (the things that the bracket hooks pass through) aren't correct for a Bacon. Bacon always used the heavy "L" shaped shoes, not hex shaped ones. And, the type of neck tensioner that is on this banjo (the thing on the dowel stick - up against the rim opposite of the heel of the neck) is not the type that was every used by Bacon.
I have read that Gordon made banjos for a lot of different companies (Including Bacon & Day, Stromberg-Voisinet). But, I could not find a stamp/marking on this banjo anywhere that would indicate who Gordon made this banjo for (besides the ones I found on the peg head, the bridge, the tail piece, and a piece on the inside of the banjo - listed below).
Please understand that the above information is just what I have gathered from reading about aging banjos and the input from Don Banjo Smith.
As you can see in the pictures, there is wear on the wood neck and the finish is rough and chipped. There looks to be a small chip one the very top of the backside of the peg head.
-The peg head is marked "Gordon"-The bridge is marked "Grover Notip" -The tail piece is marked "Waverly Musical Products Company Inc - Patent Applied For"-There is another piece on the inside of the banjo on the piece of wood that goes through the resonator part of the banjo and it's labeled "WMP Co. Pat. Pending"- It friction tuning pegs.-It has stars and circles on the resonator ring.
There is a coordinator rod connecting the neck to the tail piece that's made from wood (from what I've read dates to it pre-WWII). The resonator fastening mechanism looks to be a bracket attached to the coordinator rod, and the resonator attaches with one flat head screw.
It measures approx. 33" Long X 13" Wide (Including the resonator ring)There are 19 frets and 24 "J" hooks. There is one "J" Hook that is slightly bent, and missing the nut that goes with it. I will include it in the auction (you can see where it is missing in the pictures attached)
There was the date 1940 written in pencil on the side and I took a damp cloth and wiped it off - not thinking that it wouldn't have any other identifying marks.
If you have any questions, or would like more detailed pictures, please feel free to contact me!
Happy Bidding!
From what I understand, Bacon & Day and Stromberg-Voisinette (SV) made banjos for Gordon. Don had thought that the headstock is not a SV headstock, nor a Bacon headstock that he's ever seen. Plus..., from what he said, any Bacon made Banjo of this era (past 1921, which the pearloid demonstrates) would have a serial number. It could be a Weyman made Gordon Banjo, according to what the headstock looks like. The other thing that made Don Banjo Smith think that it wasn't a Bacon made Banjo is the shoes (the things that the bracket hooks pass through) aren't correct for a Bacon. Bacon always used the heavy "L" shaped shoes, not hex shaped ones. And, the type of neck tensioner that is on this banjo (the thing on the dowel stick - up against the rim opposite of the heel of the neck) is not the type that was every used by Bacon.
I have read that Gordon made banjos for a lot of different companies (Including Bacon & Day, Stromberg-Voisinet). But, I could not find a stamp/marking on this banjo anywhere that would indicate who Gordon made this banjo for (besides the ones I found on the peg head, the bridge, the tail piece, and a piece on the inside of the banjo - listed below).
Please understand that the above information is just what I have gathered from reading about aging banjos and the input from Don Banjo Smith.
As you can see in the pictures, there is wear on the wood neck and the finish is rough and chipped. There looks to be a small chip one the very top of the backside of the peg head.
-The peg head is marked "Gordon"-The bridge is marked "Grover Notip" -The tail piece is marked "Waverly Musical Products Company Inc - Patent Applied For"-There is another piece on the inside of the banjo on the piece of wood that goes through the resonator part of the banjo and it's labeled "WMP Co. Pat. Pending"- It friction tuning pegs.-It has stars and circles on the resonator ring.
There is a coordinator rod connecting the neck to the tail piece that's made from wood (from what I've read dates to it pre-WWII). The resonator fastening mechanism looks to be a bracket attached to the coordinator rod, and the resonator attaches with one flat head screw.
It measures approx. 33" Long X 13" Wide (Including the resonator ring)There are 19 frets and 24 "J" hooks. There is one "J" Hook that is slightly bent, and missing the nut that goes with it. I will include it in the auction (you can see where it is missing in the pictures attached)
There was the date 1940 written in pencil on the side and I took a damp cloth and wiped it off - not thinking that it wouldn't have any other identifying marks.
If you have any questions, or would like more detailed pictures, please feel free to contact me!
Happy Bidding!
