George P Matthews 6 String banjo

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George P. Matthew research group

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Photographs, serial numbers and production information for George P. Matthew, banjo maker c.1880-1920

33 Members, Created 9/30/2023 -

Administrators: Pomeroy (owner)

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From Keithstephen on 3/7/2024 3:19:37 PM

Just got this lovely George P Matthews banjo in for a quick set up etc from a shop who are selling it for a customer. Just wondering if anyone here could shed any light on the banjos potential value and any other info. Thanks

It has an 11" rim. Scale length is a short 24" approx. It has 38 hooks! Looks like original celluloid tuners. Set up as a 5 string but needs some attention. Replacement nut, needs replacing again with better spacing. The action is just over 1/4 inch at 12th fret position. Feels very high to me! The neck angle is less than 0% i.e going the wrong way. The rim where the perch pole is has had a notch cut out and refilled with some wood. The vellum is new but badly fitted and the tension hoop is proud of the end of the fingerboard. Will probably need replacing. Was going to fit a plastic Remo head if that is not sacrilegious.

Any comments very welcome!

11 Comments
	Stephen John Prior says: 3/8/2024 12:16:15 AM Very nice and quite a rare Matthew Keith. I personally would be very sympathetic. 1/4 inch at the 12th is fine. A Remo head would be completely out of keeping on this very cool little banjo. I'd guess around £300 without the plastic maybe more.
	Stephen John Prior says: 3/8/2024 12:17:42 AM and without that dreadful bridge. All maple would be better.
Keithstephen says: 3/8/2024 12:23:00 AM Thanks, Stephen. I was thinking along the same lines. Thought the plastic would be wrong. And the bridge is definitely going. I will be making a 2 foot maple one. The vellum is new but very poorly fitted and of poor quality (very rough) so I'll probably get a new one. Forgot to mention it has a serial number on the rim and the blind side of the perch pole. Number 366, so must be quite an early one.
	Stephen John Prior says: 3/8/2024 1:02:13 AM I'm always amazed how many have survived and in such original condition Keith. The earlier models tend to be higher quality builds. Maybe GPM had more of a hand in the construction at that time.
Keithstephen says: 3/8/2024 11:27:27 AM Hi Stephen, this one is in amazing condition for it's age. Looks almost new! Looks like the only bits that aren't original are the vellum, bridge and nut. I'll post some more pics soon when I've had a proper look at it
	Stephen John Prior says: 3/20/2024 2:28:22 AM Very nice Keith thanks for posting the photos.
Keithstephen says: 3/20/2024 2:40:50 AM Thanks Stephen, I've finished restoring it. Made a new maple bridge, put a new vellum on so the tension is seated correctly and I made a new nut with better spacing for 5 string playing. Adjusted the neck angle slightly so it's at a zero angle. The action is just under a 1/4 inch at the 12th. Plays very nicely. I noticed when I had it apart that there were 2 numbers on the blind side of the perch pole. 363 which matches the rim and there was also 181. The 363 looked like it had been stamped over another number, probably 181. So I would surmise that it is an earlier neck factory refitted to a later rim?
Keithstephen says: 3/20/2024 2:42:27 AM Sorry the serial number is 336
	Stephen John Prior says: 3/20/2024 3:07:28 AM Quite possibly Keith. Could be something to do with an order for a 6 string ?
Keithstephen says: 3/20/2024 3:16:12 AM Thanks Stephen, I've finished restoring it. Made a new maple bridge, put a new vellum on so the tension is seated correctly and I made a new nut with better spacing for 5 string playing. Adjusted the neck angle slightly so it's at a zero angle. The action is just under a 1/4 inch at the 12th. Plays very nicely. I noticed when I had it apart that there were 2 numbers on the blind side of the perch pole. 363 which matches the rim and there was also 181. The 363 looked like it had been stamped over another number, probably 181. So I would surmise that it is an earlier neck factory refitted to a later rim?
Keithstephen says: 3/20/2024 3:18:36 AM Sorry don't know why that same comment posted again. I'm finding this forum a bit tricky and clunky to use. Probably just me. That would make sense Stephen, and it is a particularly short scale length.
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