Resonator tenor banjo
Date1920-1940 ca.
Place MadeChicago, Illinois, United States, North America
Modelwood-top tenor banjo
MarkingsStamped on tuner casing: GROVER / PAT.PEND.DescriptionThis well made wood-top tenor banjo may have been a prototype by one of the Chicago manufacturers, possibly Regal or Harmony. Its construction resembles banjo ukuleles of the time.
Stringing: four steel strings
Neck and neck: maple
Fingerboard: maple bound in black plastic, with a herringbone alternating light and dark wood center stripe; 18 brass T-frets; double black plastic dots behind 5th, 7th, 10th, and 12th frets
Heel cap: ebony; set in from back
Head: one-piece wide-grain spruce, affixed to rim with 16 slotted, domed screws; filled hole on treble side, possibly from arm rest now missing
Rim: maple with bird's-eye maple veneer; bound on top with black plastic; top trim comprised of herringbone alternating light and dark wood
Bracket hooks: none
Resonator: arched (pressed) maple; glued directly to rim; two f-holes measuring 69 mm (2-23/32”) long
Nut: brown plastic
Tuners: 4 Grover nickel-plated steel tension pegs with black plastic
Tailpiece: gold-washed steel
Finish: clear lacquer
DimensionsTotal instrument length: 774 mm (30-15/16”)
Vibrating string length: 506 mm (19-29/32”)
Fingerboard length: 335 mm (13-3/16”)
Fingerboard width at nut: 31 mm (1-7/32”)
Fingerboard width at body: 42 mm (1-21/32”)
Head diameter: 285 mm (11-7/32”)
Resonator diameter: 305 mm (12”)
Rim and resonator depth: 57 mm (2-1/4”)
Credit LineGift of Angela Schmeltekopf, 2024
Object number15809
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