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| What is this? - General - General - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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dcastaway Approved
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I have a banjo that is in really nice shape and I don't know anything about it. It is a 5 string, right handed banjo with a closed back decorated with the decal of a gold eagle holing a branch in one claw and 3 arrows in the other. there is a small crude looking eagle on the peg head as well. I have had it looked at by 2 different"experts" both have given me different makers and date of mfg. one says its a "Kay" mfg. in 1950's. The other says it's a Matsumoto mfg. in the 1970's. There are no other markings or visable numbers. Can some one tell me anything about this banjo? Attachment: 60da_12 eagle on banjo resonator.jpg (Downloaded 36 times)
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Philj200 Approved 
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Can you send some more images? THis really isn't enough information, But the eagle looks like a decal making it both a newer and lesser prices instrument. Kay was known for cheap (in price) instruments but I don't remember them making any with eagles. Can you remove the resonator and see if there's any information inside. Usually four small thumb bolts are all that hold the resonator in place. A look at the tuning board, where the tuning machines are, would help.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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dcastaway Approved
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Here is a picture of a similar head to mine there is one on ebay identical in every way except the little eagles face opposite directions and hold different branches in their claws. the one on ebay is without info as well, I compared the peg heads from at least 30 different banjos and the only one with the same violin shaped peghead was an AIDA, I had been told mine was a Matsumuko made in the 1970's, aren't AIDA and Matsumuko associated? The one on ebay was originally bought in the 1970's too. I'm sorry I didn't thank you sooner, and I would apreciate your help identifying this banjo. Thanks Dave Attachment: b752_12.jpg (Downloaded 17 times)
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Philj200 Approved
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That's not the most majestic eagle I've ever seen. Those tuners are not top of the line. Did you remove ther resonator and lool inside. I have never seen a banjo in the witness protection rpogram before.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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dcastaway Approved
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Yes I opened the resonator and there was nothing inside
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Philj200 Approved
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That's a new one on me. Can you post a picture of the entire banjo?
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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dcastaway Approved
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I'll post a couple more Attachment: a1f0_12.jpg (Downloaded 16 times)
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dcastaway Approved
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this is the back Attachment: bc20_12.jpg (Downloaded 16 times)
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dcastaway Approved
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I borrowed these pic from the listing on ebay of the exact same banjo, my pics are too large to post and "duh, I aint all that smart" I dont know how to reduce my pics to post here, but other than the transposed little eagles they are the same. Attachment: b245_12.jpg (Downloaded 16 times)
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dcastaway Approved
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mine has all 5 strings
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Philj200 Approved
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In the picx, there is something on the heel of the tuning board. Does yours have anything there. Visually, I'm estimating that you hae an inexpensive import. Not that you didn't already know that. If it is set up well... correct action, etc, it can sound pretty good and serve you well. It will not ever give you the versatility and sound of a Gibson Mastertone, but you didn't spend multiple thousand bucks for either. What you can do to make the most of it: Get a top quality head, have a knowledgeable person install it to the proper tension. Use good strings and change them more often than you'd like. Make sure the nut, that's the part where the string pass over near the tuners, and the bridge, and the angle of the neck give you best string geight the instrument is capable of. This is called setting up an instrument. I don't know your skill set. So this might be a job for more experienced hands. You might need a better bridge. Barring accidents, they can last forever, so get a really good one. They help the sound a lot. Likewise, the nut on cheaper instruments is probably plastic of some kind. Not bad. But you can replace it for one made of bone. The bone is harder and conducts sound better. The tuning machines are guitar type with a limited gear ratio. Getting better tuners will make living with the banjo a lot easier. Tuning will be faster and more accurate and the banjo will stay in tune better. A set can cost from 50 to 80 bucks. If you don't want to spend that now, then seriously consider jsut replacing the 5th string tuning machine. From what I can see, it it s 1:1 friction peg tuner. Unless you have the hearing of a young bat, these are nightmares. Getting just the 5th string tuner will set you back about 15 bucks. Or just relax, tune it up, and play. Chaulk it up to one of life's mysteries. Going much further would mean calling in the FBI, the Found Banjo Investigators.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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