Resonator banjo-ukulele
Alternate name(s)
- Resonator banjo uke
- Resonator banjolele
- Resonator banjulele
- Resonator ukulele banjo
Trade Name
Illinois Guaranteed
Date1925-1928 ca.
Place MadeChicago, Illinois, United States, North America
ModelIllinois Guaranteed
Serial No.none
SignednoneMarkingsCircular decal on headstock: [five-point star]/ILLINOIS/[five point star]/GUARANTEED (red block letters with black outline on gold background) surrounding circular color painting of a person playing a ukulele by the ocean.
Entire logo is surrounded by a stylized design imitating a wax seal.
Stamped on upper edge of metal ring around shell: PAT. APPLIED FOR
Stamped on tailpiece: U-KING (surrounded by a hexagonal border)
DescriptionBanjo-ukuleles (or banjo-ukes) were extremely popular in the late 1920’s-1930’s and were mass-produced by several companies in the United States. Many instruments survive without any signatures other than those provided by the various distributors selling them.
A different line of “Richter” ukeleles exists from the Chicago area in the late 1930’s-1940’s. This was a line of ukeleles made by the Regal company which were hand-painted and resold by a man named Fred Richter.
Date: ca. 1925-1928 [patent filed for 12/12/1925, granted 7/19/1927; similar, if not identical item (although with a different name on peghead) appears in 1926-1927 C. Bruno & Sons catalog. ]
Body:
Circular metal shell with 12 tension hooks to hold the tension ring in place
over the edge of the head. Hooks are bolted to a metal ring that is attached to the
shell 1 ½ inches below the head.
Neck:
Wood painted green. 17 frets with inlaid dots; single dots behind frets 3,7, and 10, double dots behind frets 5 and 12. Terminates in stylized peghead with an elongation on the bass side. Four tuners with plastic heads. Attached to body using a square dowel which is attached to the heel, runs through a square hole in the rim, and is attached to the opposite side of the rim with a screw. The heel also has grooves cut out to fit the tension ring and the ring anchoring the tension hooks.
Head: The head currently on the instrument is metal, covered on the top with paper.
Resonator: Circular brass bowl with doubled-over edges at the top, and a large slot cut out to fit the heel of the neck. Three pads covered in felt, attached by rivets, to provide contact points for the bottom of the shell. Attaches by means of a screw through a hole in the center to a rod, which is in turn attached to the internal dowel running through the shell. A thin metal ring is in the resonator, perhaps to act as a spacer. The soldered joint of this ring has come undone.
DimensionsTotal body length: 21 1/8 inches
Shell:
diameter: 7 inches
depth: 2 3/8 inches
Resonator:
diameter: 8 3/16 inches
depth: 1.282 inches
Neck:
Length: 14 inches
Width: 1.478 inches at shell, 1.276 at nut, 2.187 at widest point of peghead
Credit LineAlan G. Bates Collection
Object number10899
On View
Not on view
