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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/406866
banjonz - Posted - 01/13/2026: 10:43:48
This banjo came up on one of our NZ banjo FB posts asking for ID on it.
It seems vaguely familiar. One response suggested it is Japanese and I kind of agree.
Any thoughts?
Alvin Conder - Posted - 01/13/2026: 11:06:40
Pot and flange looks as if it is off of a Maybelle banjo, which I believe was a brand made by Slingerland in Chicago in the late 1930’s.
Set up right, they can sound pretty good.
Banner Blue - Posted - 01/13/2026: 15:19:26
The finish on the resonator and the back of the neck match. The pot/flange is 1930s Slingerland/May-bell. example
Looks like the synthetic overlay on the headstock has fallen off and been lost. The overlay would have had a May-bell decal on it.
These pots make good 5-string conversions.
DSmoke - Posted - 01/13/2026: 15:20:51
Definitely a May Bell rim and resonator, not sure about the neck. The peghead and guitar tuners don't look Slingerland to me.
OldFrets - Posted - 01/13/2026: 15:28:34
The tuners are Japanese from the '60s or later - much younger than the rest of the banjo.
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