RLM - Posted - 11/13/2021:  20:29:55

Have Orpheum #2, 1920, tenor neck. Did Orpheum ever make a 5-string neck

rcc56 - Posted - 11/13/2021:  22:38:39

Yes, they made quite a few of them. There's usually a couple of them floating around if you know where to look.

Intermountain Guitar and Banjo is listing a #1 and a #3 Special. They are winding down their business after many decades and sometimes they forget to update their listings when an item is sold.
There's a #3 Special in the classifieds that appears to be authentic. It's also listed on Reverb.
There's another #3 Special at Sylvan Music in Santa Cruz, but like some of their other stuff, it's significantly overpriced.

I don't recall seeing three #3 Specials simultaneously on the market before.
It's been awhile since I've seen a #2.
Some of the Orpheums suffer from dyed fingerboards that are decaying. Andy Fitzgibbon at Smakula Fretted Instruments is very good at fixing them.

They also made an extra large model called the "Brass Band." We see those less often.

Pete Seeger played an Orpheum in his early days. John Hartford owned at least one over the years.

Edited by - rcc56 on 11/13/2021 22:47:27

Bob Smakula - Posted - 11/14/2021:  04:24:35

Orpheum banjos are quirky. The dowelstick neck joints are often loose and the ebonized hardwood fretboards tend to be decomposing from the acid dyes used to blacken the wood to look like ebony. There are some good ones out there, but most need significant restoration to get them up to modern structural standards.

Bob Smakula

Paul R - Posted - 11/14/2021:  07:31:20

Yup. I had an Orpheum #1 (ironically, the lowest model), an early one, probably pre-1915. It took a lot of fiddling around to get it to sound "right". I had it from about '77 to '19, finally traded it for my '78 Jake Neufeld. They made lots of 5-strings up until the tenor craze took hold.

BeeEnvironment - Posted - 11/14/2021:  07:45:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by rcc56

Yes, they made quite a few of them. There's usually a couple of them floating around if you know where to look.



Intermountain Guitar and Banjo is listing a #1 and a #3 Special. They are winding down their business after many decades and sometimes they forget to update their listings when an item is sold.

There's a #3 Special in the classifieds that appears to be authentic. It's also listed on Reverb.

There's another #3 Special at Sylvan Music in Santa Cruz, but like some of their other stuff, it's significantly overpriced.



I don't recall seeing three #3 Specials simultaneously on the market before.

It's been awhile since I've seen a #2.

Some of the Orpheums suffer from dyed fingerboards that are decaying. Andy Fitzgibbon at Smakula Fretted Instruments is very good at fixing them.



They also made an extra large model called the "Brass Band." We see those less often.



Pete Seeger played an Orpheum in his early days. John Hartford owned at least one over the years.

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Yeah, Pete Seeger did play one. I wonder what happened to his??? Was that the one that was stolen from him in his car 80 some years ago?

rcc56 - Posted - 11/14/2021:  08:18:18

I look for the simplest explanations first.
My first thought would be that he liked the Tubaphone better. Once he started playing Tubaphones, he stuck with them for the rest of his life.

BeeEnvironment - Posted - 11/14/2021:  13:31:36

quote:

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Originally posted by rcc56

I look for the simplest explanations first.

My first thought would be that he liked the Tubaphone better. Once he started playing Tubaphones, he stuck with them for the rest of his life.

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Yeah, that makes sense, rcc56. I have been trying to build my own long-neck recently, because I was unable to afford most ones, but I am seriously considering getting Gold Tone's OT-800 LN, which is a tubaphone longneck with a beautiful rim and tone ring. I wish they were under 1000 dollars or 800, so I might be able to scrap up my savings, but still is a bit too high. Seems like good quality, however.

rcc56 - Posted - 11/14/2021:  15:46:10

Well Russ, before you spend $1500 on a Gold Tone long neck, you might want to think about finding a pre-war Vega Tubaphone tenor and have someone like Zach Hoyt make a neck for you. Or make the neck yourself. Your 2nd one will probably come out better than your first one.  If you mess one up, get another piece of wood and try again. Hints: 1] Use seasoned maple, and make a 3 piece laminated neck, with or without a truss rod. A good laminated neck will be stronger than a one piece neck. 2] Once you have the neck finished, purchase a pre-slotted fingerboard. If you're patient, you can find a Vega style M for $800 or so. If you're more patient you can find a pot without a neck for $500 +/-.



It's leaf raking time. Good time for a young person to make some extra money.

Edited by - rcc56 on 11/14/2021 15:51:44

chip arnold - Posted - 11/15/2021:  05:25:41

Walt Koken plays an Orpheum ...



youtube.com/watch?v=xj5hjlxzF6Y



 

Edited by - chip arnold on 11/15/2021 05:28:04

chip arnold - Posted - 11/15/2021:  05:28:30

And another from Walt ...

youtube.com/watch?v=4I8fpSoff-I