Naples Florida. An Armstrong brand tenor banjo made by Bacon Banjo Co.
Armstrong probably similar to B&D Seville. Probably Bacon's idea of amateur grade. Still, you cant beat Bacon quality or the asking price ($129) for this banjo and case. That's why this heads-up in case someone is interested and close by.
https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/col/msg/d/naples-banjo-string/7226028028.html
Do you know if this was a private label banjo for Thomas Armstrong?
I hope someone nearby is smart enough to grab this. It's a real bargain.
I only know of Armstrong banjo brand name as a house brand for The Progressive Musical Instrument Corp (P'MICO) - attached. Do not know if Progressive named its banjo brand for the Crescendo columnist, Thomas J.
Maybe not then.
Tho. Armstrong was a Philadelphia teacher and hooked up with S. S. Stewart very early on (about 1884). He was there for the start of the "banjo fad". He first advertised teaching banjo and xylophone. He came out of the gate with his first banjo piece "The Drum Major's Quickstep" (#114 in the Stewart music catalog) in 1884.
drive.google.com/file/d/1XbqIz...p=sharing
B & D made a number of banjos for jobbers during the Great Depression, all very similar to their own "Senorita" model. Iworked on a B & D made "Lyric" a few years ago. The serial number and owner's teatimony pointed to a 1934 production date.
I've seen photos of others with other names, but don't recall their names. They were all about the same, with just small variation in details and appointments.
If this "Armstrong" is in any way like the "Lyric," it's easily worth more than twice the Craigslist asking price. It was a very nice banjo.
quote:
Originally posted by G Edward PorgieB & D made a number of banjos for jobbers during the Great Depression, all very similar to their own "Senorita" model. Iworked on a B & D made "Lyric" a few years ago. The serial number and owner's teatimony pointed to a 1934 production date.
I've seen photos of others with other names, but don't recall their names. They were all about the same, with just small variation in details and appointments.
If this "Armstrong" is in any way like the "Lyric," it's easily worth more than twice the Craigslist asking price. It was a very nice banjo.
The ARMSTRONG model as made for The Progressive Musical Instrument Corp. is as the vast majority of the private-labeled Bacon made examples based on the B&D Senorita model - however it does differ somewhat from the others - it does e.g. have a maple neck (opposite walnut) - it has an ebony fretboard (opposite Ivoroid) - and it does have a two-tone walnut resonator back - the latter somehow like the B&D Special model.
Edited by - Polle Flaunoe on 11/12/2020 03:20:21
quote:
Originally posted by Polle Flaunoequote:
Originally posted by G Edward PorgieB & D made a number of banjos for jobbers during the Great Depression, all very similar to their own "Senorita" model. Iworked on a B & D made "Lyric" a few years ago. The serial number and owner's teatimony pointed to a 1934 production date.
I've seen photos of others with other names, but don't recall their names. They were all about the same, with just small variation in details and appointments.
If this "Armstrong" is in any way like the "Lyric," it's easily worth more than twice the Craigslist asking price. It was a very nice banjo.
The ARMSTRONG model as made for The Progressive Musical Instrument Corp. is as the vast majority of the private-labeled Bacon made examples based on the B&D Senorita model - however it does differ somewhat from the others - it does e.g. have a maple neck (opposite walnut) - it has an ebony fretboard (opposite Ivoroid) - and it does have a two-tone walnut resonator back - the latter somehow like the B&D Special model.
That "Lyric" I worked on also had an ebony fretboard. I don't recall the other woods used. By "anything like," I was referring to the build quality and overall sound and playability rather than other features.
