Sound
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The deep 12 inch pot and ebony tone ring, combined with a Rennaissance head and Kershner style tailpiece give the "Gryphons' Grandeur" banjo ample volume with a rich bottom end. Numerous fine banjo players picked this instrument at Clifftop last August at its release party, and gave it universally high marks for sound quality. |
Appearance
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Pictures of the "Gryphons' Grandeur" (the alternate spelling of "griffin" is deliberate) can be viewed at: http://neondreamscapes.wordpress.com/tag/creature-from-the-black-lagoon/ . Kevin built this instrument to my specifications with a lot of leeway to exercise his artistic judgment and creativity. The features of the instrument are a combination of elements inspired by classic instruments, elements of Kevin's own invention, elements I specifically requested, and several elements that we arrived at together. I give this banjo a "10" for appearance only because the BHO software does not allow a higher rating.
This masterpiece clearly demonstrates the value of having one's entire instrument designed and finished in the same shop under the same master luthier's direction, resulting in a consistent artistic theme from tailpiece to peghead. It is a tour de force of the banjo makers' craft, harmonizing the best of traditional 19th century aesthetics with modern acoustic design and hardware for maximum playability, and executed with consummate skill and attention to detail. The peghead and fretboard inlays, bound in white, black and red ivoroid, are based on an 1896 A. C. Fairbanks presentation model with "double griffin" peghead and columned fretboard (Figure 4-3 in Gura - Bollman). Kevin and his gifted assistant and collaborator, Pete Ross, spent some time with the original instrument, owned by distinguished banjo collector and banjo historian, Mr. James Bollman, and then improved on that inlay design. (Kevin's inlays have more fine detail than the Fairbanks instrument that inspired it!) The backstrap features Kevin's trademark warthog griffin; the heelcap is a design (I call it the "happy lion") that Kevin modeled after a pattern in a book on gun engravings contemporary with the Fairbanks banjo; and the elegantly chamfered ebony armrest repeats the column motif from the fretboard with two counterposed Fairbanks style dragon heads in the center.
The single-piece neck is mahogany with a graphite core for exceptional stability. There is carving on the heel, on the side of the peghead, and around the fifth string tuner. The heel carving is Kevin's own interpretation of the "Green Man" theme. Even the nut is gracefully sculpted.
The pot is maple with mahogany veneer to match the neck. There is elegant purfling and white striping on the bottom, and delightful fleur de lis inlay accents in between the twenty eight shoe bolts on the side of the pot. Like the neck, the dowel stick is mahogany with a graphite core and mother of pearl insets, and is attached to the pot with a metal ferrule.
All the hardware, including the Gotoh planetary tuners, the Kershner style tailpiece, the tension hoop and shoebolts, and the dowel stick ferrule, are gold plated. The engraved tailpiece repeats the lion's head motif from the inlaid heelcap; the dowel stick ferrule is engraved with a Fairbanks style screaming chicken; and the tension hoop is engraved with an intricate repeating leaf pattern. Finally the tuner buttons, courtesy of James Bollman, banjo collector nonpariel, are hand carved old ivory in a cloverleaf motif also modeled after those on a Fairbanks banjo with a columned fretboard. |
Reliability
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The finish and hardware are all first rate, as one would expect with such a special instrument. Based on the reputation of Kevin's products, and the known stability of his necks, I anticipate this instrument to be highly reliable for many years to come. |
Components
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The standout acoustic feature of the instrument is the deep twelve inch pot with ebony tone ring, which in my opinion, is ideal for Old Time clawhammer picking. The standout aesthetic attributes of the "Gryphons' Grandeur" include the quality of the inlay work, the wood carving and the metal engraving - in other words, everything! |
Overall Comments
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Kevin agrees that this instrument is his high watermark as a banjo luthier, and it is likely to remain so for a long time to come. Firsts on this project for Kevin include: his first ebony tone ring; his first double griffin peghead and columned fretboard; his first carved peghead; his first inlaid ebony armrest; his first inlaid pot; his first banjo with elaborately engraved hardware; as well as unique heelcap and armrest inlays and a sculpted nut.
The "Gryphons' Grandeur" brightens my day every time I chance to look upon it, which is often. |
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