jmmcdona - Posted - 09/19/2011:  11:26:50

Today I tried to go to banjos.com and was shocked to see that Richelieu Banjos are no longer in business?  Is this true or did somebody hack their site?  Anybody know the story behind this?

John

jims38134 - Posted - 09/19/2011:  11:35:39

I know the business was sold; but, I don't know if it will remain open under new management/ownership or open under a different name.  jim

jmmcdona - Posted - 09/19/2011:  21:07:00

The website simply says "Banjos By Richelieu is no longer in business."

PD Kirby - Posted - 09/19/2011:  21:10:04

Another victim of this wonderful economy, That message has been up for over a month. I hope when things get better they can get it going again.

wwatson - Posted - 09/19/2011:  21:51:14

His former apprentice, Monty Hendricks and Monty's brother Allen will always carry- on the good work fostered by Richelieu.

steve davis - Posted - 09/20/2011:  06:11:39

Maybe he closed because he's getting too old.

MrNatch3L - Posted - 09/20/2011:  07:36:54

He should be able to get a good price for that domain name I would think.

mikehalloran - Posted - 09/20/2011:  10:32:34

quote:

---

Originally posted by PD Kirby

Another victim of this wonderful economy, That message has been up for over a month. I hope when things get better they can get it going again.

---

You don't allow the possibility that he retired?

BanjoLink - Posted - 09/20/2011:  12:45:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve davis

Maybe he closed because he's getting too old.

---

 Heck  -  he was old when I bought a banjo from him in 1975!  I guess he is "getting old"!

jmmcdona - Posted - 09/20/2011:  12:54:17

Different guy in 1975 than recently.  You probably bought from Richelieu himself.

NYCJazz - Posted - 09/20/2011:  12:56:01

C C sold the company to his shop manager, Rick Tipple, several years ago.

steve davis - Posted - 09/20/2011:  13:34:17

quote:

---

Originally posted by BanjoLink

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve davis

Maybe he closed because he's getting too old.

---

 Heck  -  he was old when I bought a banjo from him in 1975!  I guess he is "getting old"!

---

 Yeah,that would be some kind of record.

BanjoLink - Posted - 09/20/2011:  15:31:19

Whew - glad to know that people are not having to work until they are into their 100's! However, I did meet a "greeter" at Sears Reataurant in San Francisco that was still working at age 105!

dmiller - Posted - 09/21/2011:  16:39:21

Unless I'm mistaken, C. C. Richelieu died in 2003,

not long after being inducted into the 4 String Banjo Hall of Fame.

Dogface - Posted - 10/22/2011:  17:08:44

Wow....I'm surprised and sad to hear this. I'm also glad I still have my tenor Ne Plus and bet the value just went up...not that I wanna sell.

TerryKins - Posted - 12/06/2011:  03:44:17

CC. Richelieu was a wonderful person, sold me a banjo way back, still have it, probably the only one I'll ever play. Rick did a great job taking over for him, he made a few more 5-strings than Richelieu ( he never liked them)... I wonder where his stock of banjos are being sold?

Bangyro - Posted - 01/01/2012:  11:45:40

I called the number for Richelieu Banjos and talked to Rick Tipple. He said the business was for sale.  There have not been enough orders for banjos for him to keep the business going. That's a shame.  I have a  5 string Granada made by them that has a flathead tonering and tube and plate flange that sounds great for Bluegrass. He should have tried harder for the 5 string market.

TB-4 Guy - Posted - 01/03/2012:  08:12:21

Sorry to hear this. My new to me B&D Medalist is fitted with a nice maple and ebony bridge marked "Richelieu".  It also has bone or ivory inserts where the string notches are located. I guess it's the same company. 

Seansvoice - Posted - 03/23/2012:  11:48:07

I just had an interesting thing happened: I tried to log into hendricksbanjos.com and our company's Barracuda firewall decided that the site is pornography.  They make some good-looking instruments...but porn?