Bacon Model 2A Banjo Ukulele (1926)
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Bacon Model 2A Model Banjo Ukulele (1926), made in Groton CT, serial # 19678, shaded maple finish, maple neck, resonator and rim, ebony fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This fancy maple Bacon Style 2A is one of our very favorite banjo-ukes, and one the best sounding and playing instruments of this type ever made. The Bacon company’s Style 2 was the same general design as the plain Style 1, but built with fancier woods and fittings and a full resonator-and plate setup on this 2A model. Although made by the same Connecticut firm as the Bacon & Day Silver Bell banjos, these banjo-ukulele models were labeled simply as "Bacon" on the headstock.
The construction is basically like a miniature tenor banjo. The rim is heavy laminated maple, metal capped on both sides with a slightly beveled top edge. The rim is fitted with typical Bacon hardware including a heavy hoop, large nut hooks and a Grover "Presto Ideal" tailpiece with a hinged cover. The resonator back is dark-finished maple, bound in black celluloid with inlaid concentric contrasting wood rings and a perforated metal flange on the front edge. The dowel and rim bear matching serial numbers dating to 1926 with a #2 stamp on the dowel.
The multi-laminated flame maple neck has a bound ebony fingerboard with fairly elaborate shaped pearl inlay. The headstock is inlaid with a pearl "Bacon" script logo and fitted with Grover "Simplex" friction tuners. This was the one of the more expensive banjo ukes of its day listing at $55 and is a much higher quality instrument than most other banjo-ukes then or now including Formby-club favorites like the Ludwig Wendall Hall and the Gibson UB-4. Bacon #1 openback banjo ukuleles are fairly common but this resonator model is quite a rare instrument, a truly professional grade piece and really pretty durn cute as well!
Overall length is 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm.), 8 in. (20.3 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 13 3/4 in. (349 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This lovely little banjo shows fairly light play wear overall, most heavily dings, scrapes and scuffs to the resonator back. It remains all original except for the screw and some shims securing the resonator. The calfskin head is somewhat dirty but period (possibly original) and sounds great; there are some old faded pencil marks on it we can't decipher. Even the ebony-capped maple bridge appears original. This is a superb playing and sounding banjo-uke with a sonic output that defies its diminutive size, ready for the next Vaudeville gig in a modern gig bag. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This fancy maple Bacon Style 2A is one of our very favorite banjo-ukes, and one the best sounding and playing instruments of this type ever made. The Bacon company’s Style 2 was the same general design as the plain Style 1, but built with fancier woods and fittings and a full resonator-and plate setup on this 2A model. Although made by the same Connecticut firm as the Bacon & Day Silver Bell banjos, these banjo-ukulele models were labeled simply as "Bacon" on the headstock.
The construction is basically like a miniature tenor banjo. The rim is heavy laminated maple, metal capped on both sides with a slightly beveled top edge. The rim is fitted with typical Bacon hardware including a heavy hoop, large nut hooks and a Grover "Presto Ideal" tailpiece with a hinged cover. The resonator back is dark-finished maple, bound in black celluloid with inlaid concentric contrasting wood rings and a perforated metal flange on the front edge. The dowel and rim bear matching serial numbers dating to 1926 with a #2 stamp on the dowel.
The multi-laminated flame maple neck has a bound ebony fingerboard with fairly elaborate shaped pearl inlay. The headstock is inlaid with a pearl "Bacon" script logo and fitted with Grover "Simplex" friction tuners. This was the one of the more expensive banjo ukes of its day listing at $55 and is a much higher quality instrument than most other banjo-ukes then or now including Formby-club favorites like the Ludwig Wendall Hall and the Gibson UB-4. Bacon #1 openback banjo ukuleles are fairly common but this resonator model is quite a rare instrument, a truly professional grade piece and really pretty durn cute as well!
Overall length is 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm.), 8 in. (20.3 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 13 3/4 in. (349 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This lovely little banjo shows fairly light play wear overall, most heavily dings, scrapes and scuffs to the resonator back. It remains all original except for the screw and some shims securing the resonator. The calfskin head is somewhat dirty but period (possibly original) and sounds great; there are some old faded pencil marks on it we can't decipher. Even the ebony-capped maple bridge appears original. This is a superb playing and sounding banjo-uke with a sonic output that defies its diminutive size, ready for the next Vaudeville gig in a modern gig bag. Overall Excellent - Condition.