BrittDLD1 - Posted - 04/22/2013:  07:09:32

90 Years Ago, Today: April 22, 1923 --

The Bacon Banjo Company, Inc., of Groton, CT, introduced their Super Blue Ribbon models at the yearly convention of the American Guild of Banjoists, Mandolinists, and Guitarists -- held in Washington, DC. Bacon's President, Fred Bacon, and VP David L. Day, were in attendance.

The Bacon Super Blue Ribbon, with its full-spun tonering, was the immediate predecessor to the B&D Super Banjo -- and the 'framework' on which the fully-resonated B&D Silver Bell was ultimately built.

The Silver Bell was specifically developed for the burgeoning 4-string market. The early tenor Silver bells had 17-fret necks, friction tuners, Presto tailpieces, and their resonator flange had small round 1/4" holes. They were made in Tenor, Plectrum, and 5-string styles, in only 3 model levels:

o The No. 1 (standard, no carving, nickel-plated)

o The No. 2 (carved heel, silver-plated)

o The No. 3 (carved heel, gold-plated)

The 19-fret tenor Silver Bells, with f-hole flanges, geared pegs, Oettinger tailpiece, B&D Soft Pedal, and metal armrest would not be developed until late-1924, and finally introduced in Bacon's 1925 catalog. The Montana Special model (made of white holly) was also introduced in the 1925 catalog. It was a No. 1 level banjo, and came with geared pegs standard. (Geared pegs were available at "extra-cost" on all other models.)

In the 1926 catalog, the Silver Bell model levels were increased -- to include:

o The No. 4 (carved, gold, engraved)

o The rare No. 5 (carved, gold, engraved)

o The highly-sought No. 6 "Ne Plus Ultra" (solid ebony neck inlaid

. . . with engraved ivory, carved lion's head heel, gold, engraved)

Best-- Ed Britt (© 2013)

Edited by - BrittDLD1 on 04/22/2013 08:01:10

jimh269b - Posted - 04/22/2013:  07:23:52

ed the was first banjo the bacon that i started playing,it was my dads and it was a 5 string,have no ideal what year it was

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 04/22/2013:  08:11:29

Hi Jim --

The Bacon banjos were not as common down in your neck of the woods. They tended to be more expensive than other makes, and were usually more common in the big city areas -- even in the South. But Bacon did have some lower models, which were less expensive.

Did your dad's Bacon have a resonator? Or was it an openback?

Best-- Ed Britt

jimh269b - Posted - 04/22/2013:  08:31:50

yes ed it did,if i remerber right the peg was inlayed with peril

David Locky - Posted - 04/22/2013:  08:34:56

Ed,

Very nice little treatise for us, thanks. At this introduction in 1923, how much influence do you think Mr. Day may have had on the Super Blue line, if any at this early point, having just come over from Vega in the last half of 1922? I know that you've mentioned this 'crossover point' as being critical to both Vega ( - ) and Bacon ( + ) in another forum topic.

Best,

DL

TB-4 Guy - Posted - 04/22/2013:  09:12:32

Hi Ed,

I don't mean to change the direction of your thread but you seem very knowledgeable on Bacon banjos. I have a 1932 B&D Slilver Bell Medailist that is a conversion to a plectrum with a custom Henry Lea neck. Do you know the origin of the term "Medalist". I presume that B&D won a contest at some point in time. Just curious.

Thanks in advance.

Edited by - TB-4 Guy on 04/22/2013 09:14:44

brunomathilda - Posted - 04/22/2013:  10:44:20

Thank you for the history lesson.

Great stuff.

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 04/22/2013:  11:17:44

Hello David --

It's a bit complicated... But after almost 30 years researching Bacon's "Transitional" period (1920 to 1925) -- it's my opinion that David Day was absolutely critical to the development of Bacon's new 4-string banjos. There is circumstantial evidence that he was probably involved (as an advisor to his old friend Fred Bacon) BEFORE he left Vega. Indeed, Bill Nelson apparently once claimed that Day had 'stolen' aspects of the Tubaphone design. (Which Day helped develop!)

There's an entire sub-story on WHY David L. Day 'jumped-ship' at Vega, in 1922.

SUMMARY: When Julius Nelson, Vega's President, died suddenly -- on July 14th, 1920 -- Day lost his 'champion' at Vega. And there were many indicators that Julius' brother, and partner, Carl Nelson (an accountant, who inherited the company) -- began to water-down the quality of banjo line, to save money. (It's also MY hunch that Carl changed the banjo line's name from "Fairbanks" to "Vega" during that period.
And NOT because A.C. Fairbanks ahd died a few years earlier.)

It's somewhat obvious that, when Julius bought the remnants of The Fairbanks Co., he also hired Day for his in-depth experience and knowledge of the banjo business, product development, and his many contacts in the banjo world. When Carl took over, I believe Day saw 15 years of his hard work 'going down the tubes'.

Fred Bacon had known Day since the late-1890s -- when Bacon was one of Fairbanks' top endorsers. (The only known photo of a Whyte Laydie "DeLuxe' -- has Fred holding it.) When Bacon began planning a new banjo company in Groton, in 1920-21, I believe Dave Day saw a possible way OUT of the mess he was in, at Vega.

There is a photo of David Day, Fred and Cassie Bacon, and "Crescendo" publisher, H.F. Odell and his wife, standing next to the Bacon Co. sign -- on their way down to NYC, for the 1922 Guild Convention. It's interesting to note is that the patent for the standard (half-spun) Blue Ribbon was filed 2 days before the Convention started. And Fred would be showing his new prototypes. I believe Fred and Day were already in cahoots, on the development of the Blue Ribbon at that point. And Fred wanted Day to see the patent application -- and OK it -- BEFORE it was filed. (Day's name is NOT on the patent.)

Fred and Dave are seen standing next to each other in the panoramic photo taken of the Convention attendees. And Day was officially offered the VP & General Manager position during the summer of 1922. (And according to Vinnie Mondello's father, who worked at Vega -- the Vega EMPLOYEES gave David Day a gold pocket watch, when he left, in August of 1922. NOT the new Management...)

Day arrived in Groton, on Sept 18th, 1922. The B&D Silver Bell was introduced less than 9 months later, during the 1st week of June, 1923. (But the full-spun tonering SUPER Blue Ribbons had to evolve, from the earlier half-spun standard Blue Ribbons -- BEFORE the Silver Bell could be finished.)

From a 'dead start', that would have been a monumental amount of work to do, in only 9 months. Which is why I believe Day was involved -- at least as an 'advisor' -- in the earlier development of the 1922 Blue Ribbon.

Best-- Ed Britt (© 2013)

Edited by - BrittDLD1 on 04/22/2013 11:23:59

David Locky - Posted - 04/22/2013:  14:16:34

Hello Ed!

Well, I could go over your well-worded response a few times and glean something new with every read  -- excellent and interesting information! I would love to see some of the images you mentioned posted (I didn't seem them or missed them in your profile). You have likely seen this image of the Bacon Silver Bell Banjo Club. 

I have been fascinated by these early- to mid-1920s tenors since I picked up a Lange Triple-X last fall but have always had my eye on a Style-M (and ultimately an X). I've come across many of your posts in the process of learning about these Vegas and you've really piqued my interest by drilling down into the past  -- now I am interested in Bacon & Day -- I suppose that this is how BAS creeps up on you. Maybe it's time for an Ed Britt website and/or book on Bacon & Day and Fairbanks - Vega...

Thanks again!

Best,

David

Edited by - David Locky on 04/22/2013 14:23:26

Polle Flaunoe - Posted - 04/23/2013:  06:10:30

Ed,

Indeed interesting infos - especially regarding Day maybe riding two horses during 1-2 years - prior to his official start at Bacon - as we´ve discussed in the past.

Plus the great observation regarding the date for the Blue Ribbon patent filing.

My recently revised database does match all of this very well. For now it seems, that the production of the Bacon Blue Ribbon model started in the winter 1921/22 - and the production of the Bacon Super Blue Ribbon late autumn 1922 - shortly after Day´s official start at Bacon.

Also - it seems, that the production of the B&D Super model started very early 1923 - followed by the B&D Silver Bell two months later. Meaning, that they were in fact in production at the time, when Bacon and Day presented the Super Blue Ribbon at the convention. The company was never good at PR-work.

The speedy development of all of these models does for sure indicate, that Day had been "active" long before his official start at Bacon. LOL!

FYI - my extended DB - with a lot of details and documentations - shows, that the production of the modern Silver Bell (including f.ex. Planet gears, soft pedal mute, Oettinger TP, armrest, F-hole flange, laminated reso and a 23" tenor scale) started in the spring 1924.

Also - the early Montana Special´s came with Grover Screw-Tab tuners - the Planet tuners became a standard feature, as the grade/style numbering was added after 2-3 months of production - also in the spring 1924.

Polle

Edited by - Polle Flaunoe on 04/23/2013 06:16:51