Epiphone Recording A Artist Plectrum Banjo (1929)
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Epiphone Recording A Artist Plectrum Model Banjo (1929), made in Long Island City, NY, serial # 8100, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple rim, walnut neck and resonator, ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
While the original Epiphone company is now mostly remembered as a guitar maker, the founding Stathopoulo family originally came to prominence with jazz age banjos. Starting in 1925 their Recording Series banjos quickly found acceptance in an already crowded professional market, becoming a firm success and laying the foundation for the great Epiphone instruments of the '30s and '40s. Crafted in Long Island City, early Epiphone banjos are superbly high quality instruments, and if their design owes something to Paramount (the tone ring, resonator and flange styles) and Gibson (the internal coordinator rod system) they always manifest an individual character.
This Recording Model Style A Artist plectrum banjo dates to the late 1920s or the very beginning of the '30s. The starting level model in the professional line, the Style A was still a deluxe and fancy instrument retailing at $150. The heavy brass flange with X style cutouts is stamped with serial #8100 in large numerals on the underside. The substantial brass arch-top tone ring rests on metal pillars embedded on the 3/4" ply rim, with a metal sheath covering the exterior of the wood rim. The resonator is made of laminated American walnut with contrasting inlays of white and black woods and a half-herringbone marquetry strip along the top edge.
The neck is also American walnut reinforced with a steel bar and laminated strips of white holly and ebony. The fingerboard is Gaboon ebony mounted over the same laminated contrasting woods, bound on the sides with white Pyralin. It is decorated with angled slotted diamond style position markers in a pattern reminiscent of the Paramount Style A. The headstock face is inlaid with an elaborate wreath and frond design in mother of pearl. The original tuners are Ludwig Planets and there is a prominent volute on the back of the headstock.
This is a very substantial feeling instrument at a bit over 11 lbs. The sound of these Epiphone Recording banjos is powerful and vibrant, but when backed off has a surprisingly sweet and sonorous quality. None of the Recording Series instruments are common today, although the ratio of plectrums to tenors seems higher with Epiphone than many other makes this is still a fairly rare banjo. Among old-line jazz banjo enthusiasts even this most basic model Epiphone would be considered among the very best plectrum banjos made during their 1920s heyday. The more ornate Recording Series banjos may be much flashier, but sonically they offer nothing this Style A Artist doesn't have in spades!
Overall length is 38 3/8 in. (97.5 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 27 in. (686 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.)., 11.19 lbs.
This banjo is in beautifully preserved original condition; there is only light wear overall and no visible damage or repair. There is finish checking overall and some small dings, dents and chips to the resonator back and sides. There is a little finish worn from the treble side of the neck by fingerboard just below the nut. A decent amount of yellowed lacquer has flaked off the pearl in the headstock, but the inlay is all intact.
The hardware is largely original including the planet tuners, internal rim hardware and all hooks and nuts. The armrest is the original style but appears to be a later piece, while the tailpiece is a period Waverly "Eagle claw" style but not original. The plating is very clean with only minimal wear. This banjo is fitted with a modern Fiberskyn style head that mellows the sound just a bit; these Epiphones are very loud instruments! Overall this is one of the cleanest 1920's Plectrum banjos we have had the pleasure to offer, an excellent player with a lovely straight neck, unworn frets and a truly superb and powerful sound. It remains complete with the original case, with an odd but period replaced handle. Overall Excellent Condition.
While the original Epiphone company is now mostly remembered as a guitar maker, the founding Stathopoulo family originally came to prominence with jazz age banjos. Starting in 1925 their Recording Series banjos quickly found acceptance in an already crowded professional market, becoming a firm success and laying the foundation for the great Epiphone instruments of the '30s and '40s. Crafted in Long Island City, early Epiphone banjos are superbly high quality instruments, and if their design owes something to Paramount (the tone ring, resonator and flange styles) and Gibson (the internal coordinator rod system) they always manifest an individual character.
This Recording Model Style A Artist plectrum banjo dates to the late 1920s or the very beginning of the '30s. The starting level model in the professional line, the Style A was still a deluxe and fancy instrument retailing at $150. The heavy brass flange with X style cutouts is stamped with serial #8100 in large numerals on the underside. The substantial brass arch-top tone ring rests on metal pillars embedded on the 3/4" ply rim, with a metal sheath covering the exterior of the wood rim. The resonator is made of laminated American walnut with contrasting inlays of white and black woods and a half-herringbone marquetry strip along the top edge.
The neck is also American walnut reinforced with a steel bar and laminated strips of white holly and ebony. The fingerboard is Gaboon ebony mounted over the same laminated contrasting woods, bound on the sides with white Pyralin. It is decorated with angled slotted diamond style position markers in a pattern reminiscent of the Paramount Style A. The headstock face is inlaid with an elaborate wreath and frond design in mother of pearl. The original tuners are Ludwig Planets and there is a prominent volute on the back of the headstock.
This is a very substantial feeling instrument at a bit over 11 lbs. The sound of these Epiphone Recording banjos is powerful and vibrant, but when backed off has a surprisingly sweet and sonorous quality. None of the Recording Series instruments are common today, although the ratio of plectrums to tenors seems higher with Epiphone than many other makes this is still a fairly rare banjo. Among old-line jazz banjo enthusiasts even this most basic model Epiphone would be considered among the very best plectrum banjos made during their 1920s heyday. The more ornate Recording Series banjos may be much flashier, but sonically they offer nothing this Style A Artist doesn't have in spades!
Overall length is 38 3/8 in. (97.5 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 27 in. (686 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.)., 11.19 lbs.
This banjo is in beautifully preserved original condition; there is only light wear overall and no visible damage or repair. There is finish checking overall and some small dings, dents and chips to the resonator back and sides. There is a little finish worn from the treble side of the neck by fingerboard just below the nut. A decent amount of yellowed lacquer has flaked off the pearl in the headstock, but the inlay is all intact.
The hardware is largely original including the planet tuners, internal rim hardware and all hooks and nuts. The armrest is the original style but appears to be a later piece, while the tailpiece is a period Waverly "Eagle claw" style but not original. The plating is very clean with only minimal wear. This banjo is fitted with a modern Fiberskyn style head that mellows the sound just a bit; these Epiphones are very loud instruments! Overall this is one of the cleanest 1920's Plectrum banjos we have had the pleasure to offer, an excellent player with a lovely straight neck, unworn frets and a truly superb and powerful sound. It remains complete with the original case, with an odd but period replaced handle. Overall Excellent Condition.