I did find a bit of writing on the inside on a metal part (stick dowel brace?) "pat. pend. w.m.p. co."

Elton made the tailpiece which was one of many pieces of banjo hardware they made. The W. M. P. on the dowel brace stands for Waverly Musical Products which was another manufacturer of banjo hardware. I have a couple of banjos with Waverly braces in them.
The circle with four slash marks inlay on the peghead was used by Gretsch but I'm not sure if this banjo was one of theirs. It looks like a lot of the banjos that hit the market back in the sixties when a lot of manufacturing was moving overseas.

I’m thinking Gretsch made too…the back of the headstock has that volute thumb stop like the Gretsch banjos

Oh interesting! The only guess I had elsewhere was that it was from the 20s or 30s. 60's and it being an import is very different! Surprised it doesn't say the country of origin at least if it was imported. Or is that normal for these?

Thanks for the responses! Gretsch would be very different from what I expected too. Fascinating.

I'd say US made, and (probably!) pre-WW2. Gretsch's post-war designs did retain more of an older style than did other manufacturers', but the peghead shape and decal on the resonator on this one suggest 30's vintage to me.

Take off the resonator, and show us some photos of the inside of the rim, and how the neck is attached.

Sure, here's 3 photos with the resonator off, and one with the Elton hardware opened up

Hm photos really get compressed when uploaded here, eh? Is there a better way to share?

quote:

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Originally posted by sabbatical

Hm photos really get compressed when uploaded here, eh? Is there a better way to share?

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You have to click on them. The photos are fine.

quote:

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Originally posted by Emiel

quote:

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Originally posted by sabbatical

Hm photos really get compressed when uploaded here, eh? Is there a better way to share?

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You have to click on them. The photos are fine.

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Thanks, yeah, I knew that though — even when I click on them they still look quite low-res compared to how they looked on my phone. But if it's enough detail for folks trying to assess them, that's good for me! 

Yeah. That's a Gretsch.

What do you plan to do with the instrument? If you want to sell it, do so as-is, and don't expect to get more than ~$100 for it. It's an entry-level tenor banjo, which means that even though it may be nearly a century old, it's got little to no value as a collectible piece, and isn't much sought after by players, either.

If you want to play it, it's going to need at least a couple of repairs, and a general set-up. Take it to a luthier who works on banjos (I've met some who know guitars, mandolins, and fiddles inside and out, but are surprisingly ignorant about banjos!), and get an estimate. It might (or might not) make more sense to hang that one on the wall, and buy a new Gold Tone.

From what I can see: Looks like the dowel stick has come loose from the neck, which should be an easy repair. The head is stretched out to where it can't be tightened, and should be replaced. (That's something every banjo needs eventually.) Those mismatched tuners might work OK, once they're cleaned and oiled, but you'll probably want to replace those. First, though, make sure the neck is straight. If it's warped or twisted it's probably not worth fixing.

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Originally posted by Dan Gellert

Yeah. That's a Gretsch.

What do you plan to do with the instrument? If you want to sell it, do so as-is, and don't expect to get more than ~$100 for it. It's an entry-level tenor banjo, which means that even though it may be nearly a century old, it's got little to no value as a collectible piece, and isn't much sought after by players, either.

If you want to play it, it's going to need at least a couple of repairs, and a general set-up. Take it to a luthier who works on banjos (I've met some who know guitars, mandolins, and fiddles inside and out, but are surprisingly ignorant about banjos!), and get an estimate. It might (or might not) make more sense to hang that one on the wall, and buy a new Gold Tone.

From what I can see: Looks like the dowel stick has come loose from the neck, which should be an easy repair. The head is stretched out to where it can't be tightened, and should be replaced. (That's something every banjo needs eventually.) Those mismatched tuners might work OK, once they're cleaned and oiled, but you'll probably want to replace those. First, though, make sure the neck is straight. If it's warped or twisted it's probably not worth fixing.

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I like everything about this except "buy a new Gold Tone". Don't waste your money! Find someone who knows tenor banjos, and you can get a vintage banjo that will blow any Gold Tone away.

Set up properly, this banjo should make a Celtic session player very happy. You want to learn how to do this yourself—paying someone else will cost a lot more than this is worth. Fortunately, the Banjo Setup and Repair section will supply all the help you need.

Step one: Lubricate everything that turns or has threads. 3-In-1 is ok but I like WD40 on the bracket hooks. Spray some into the cap and paint the threads with a Q-Tip — it will creep into the nuts and break up any rust and corrosion after 48 hours or so. You want to save that hardware if you can,

Not 100% certain about the connection, but Bacon & Day made up "limited edition", custom-branded copies of their Senorita model for various buyers. Victor Pifer was a notable local (central PA) band leader.

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