American Conservatory Model 4815 Guitar Banjo, made by Lyon & Healy , c. 1922
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American Conservatory Model 4815 Model Guitar Banjo, made by Lyon & Healy, c. 1922, made in Chicago, serial # 12060, brown varnish finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, black chipboard case.
This is a cool late-'20s 6-string Guitar banjo from Lyon & Healy, labeled with their not-quite top-of-the-line "American Conservatory" brand. The cosmetic features are plain but this is a solidly well-made instrument, if not as high-grade as the "Washburn" model 5115 equivalent. The 3-piece laminated maple neck has a fairly shallow medium-V profile with some nice figure to the wood under a dark stain finish. It is capped by an unbound ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlay. The headstock has an interesting double-scooped shape and is fitted with ivoroid button friction tuners. The tone ring is very simple an the hardware solid but basic except for the heavier original 6-string Kershner Unique tailpiece marked "Lyon & Healy Makers".
The entire instrument is fairly light but has a solid feel, a decent quality piece despite a lack of decorative elements. This 4815 guitar banjo is something of a rarity, and varying styles of this and its Wasburn cousin appear in small numbers over a fairly short 1920s production run. In the 1920s Lyon & Healy seemingly not producing banjos in anything like the numbers of competitors like Paramount and Vega, and 6-strings are not common at all. While not a flashy instrument by 1920s banjo standards this good fine-playing and sounding guitar banjo suited early jazz, ragtime or jug band stylings.
Overall length is 34 1/4 in. (87 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) diameter head, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 1/4 in. (590 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 100 or so year old banjo shows some general wear and tear, but overall is relatively clean and a nice playing instrument. The original dark stain finish shows some light dings, scratching and scuffing, but no really heavy wear. Some of the veneer along the back of the rim had flaked off and been replaced; there is discreet finish touch up there but the rest of the finish remains original.
The hardware appears original including the full set of hooks and nuts and the rare 6-string Kershner tailpiece. The head is older calfskin and the carved maple bridge appears period as well. The frets appear original and remain quite clean. This is a solid playing "Guit-Jo" with a cheerful plunky sound, housed in a later chipboard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a cool late-'20s 6-string Guitar banjo from Lyon & Healy, labeled with their not-quite top-of-the-line "American Conservatory" brand. The cosmetic features are plain but this is a solidly well-made instrument, if not as high-grade as the "Washburn" model 5115 equivalent. The 3-piece laminated maple neck has a fairly shallow medium-V profile with some nice figure to the wood under a dark stain finish. It is capped by an unbound ebony fingerboard with pearl dot inlay. The headstock has an interesting double-scooped shape and is fitted with ivoroid button friction tuners. The tone ring is very simple an the hardware solid but basic except for the heavier original 6-string Kershner Unique tailpiece marked "Lyon & Healy Makers".
The entire instrument is fairly light but has a solid feel, a decent quality piece despite a lack of decorative elements. This 4815 guitar banjo is something of a rarity, and varying styles of this and its Wasburn cousin appear in small numbers over a fairly short 1920s production run. In the 1920s Lyon & Healy seemingly not producing banjos in anything like the numbers of competitors like Paramount and Vega, and 6-strings are not common at all. While not a flashy instrument by 1920s banjo standards this good fine-playing and sounding guitar banjo suited early jazz, ragtime or jug band stylings.
Overall length is 34 1/4 in. (87 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) diameter head, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 1/4 in. (590 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 100 or so year old banjo shows some general wear and tear, but overall is relatively clean and a nice playing instrument. The original dark stain finish shows some light dings, scratching and scuffing, but no really heavy wear. Some of the veneer along the back of the rim had flaked off and been replaced; there is discreet finish touch up there but the rest of the finish remains original.
The hardware appears original including the full set of hooks and nuts and the rare 6-string Kershner tailpiece. The head is older calfskin and the carved maple bridge appears period as well. The frets appear original and remain quite clean. This is a solid playing "Guit-Jo" with a cheerful plunky sound, housed in a later chipboard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.