Can't find any info about a Royalist banjo. Thinking it's a budget instrument maybe 50 or so years old. Anyone got any ideas? Thks!
Pictures are needed to be sure. Unknown names are often very small runs from the cheap banjo factory, typically the Asian banjo factory, with the name of your choice. I'm not sure if cheap USA makers did this. Alternatively it's a unbranded banjo which someone added a name to the peghead. This could be from the cheap banjo factory. Or it could be a kit banjo. Or a homemade banjo or homemade neck. Or it's from the 1770's owned by someone on the losing side.
Or from the 1640 with a big plume feather in its hat ("romantic but wrong " {Sellar and Yeatman})
quote:
Originally posted by me262Can't find any info about a Royalist banjo. Thinking it's a budget instrument maybe 50 or so years old. Anyone got any ideas? Thks!
Could it be that you've misheard the name?
For I am aware of a 'Royal Artist' model banjo... Here's the description.
In 2007 I'd been searching for a pre war Presto tailpiece and I found this one:
It now lives a happy life on my RB-1, original 5 string. The extra hole was CNC-ed in a workshop that normally produces model aircraft engines.
About the meaning the text has to me:
My country, the Netherlands, has been a kingdom since 1815, so that box was ticked. My name is Bruno, box 2. And when questions about the meaning of N.Y. arise, I always explain that it stands for Not Yours ;-) , box 3.
Your Royalist may have been made by the United Guitar Co. of Jersey City, N.J. I cannot upload my Royalist photos for some reason so give is a photo of the front of the peghead and we'll go from there.
Nope. I'm looking at Royalist on the tuning head
Attached is a photo of a Royalist tenor banjo peghead (tuning head) with the "Royalist" brand design. Is this your banjo?
quote:
Originally posted by me262Nope. I'm looking at Royalist on the tuning head
OK, that's a different brand then, my bad.
me262 you will get no useful information without clear, well let, and in focus photographs.
Take the instrument out of the case when photographing.
We are usually willing to share our decades of tireless research and study at no cost, but you will have to put in a little effort in photos.
Full front, back, sides, peghead, tailpiece, side of rim, inside of rim, any markings, hardware, and anything else of interest.
Until you upload those clear photos, you will just get useless speculation.
quote:
Originally posted by beezaboyAttached is a photo of a Royalist tenor banjo peghead (tuning head) with the "Royalist" brand design. Is this your banjo?
Very close. Will post photos
quote:
Originally posted by RB-1quote:
Originally posted by me262Can't find any info about a Royalist banjo. Thinking it's a budget instrument maybe 50 or so years old. Anyone got any ideas? Thks!
Could it be that you've misheard the name?
For I am aware of a 'Royal Artist' model banjo... Here's the description.
In 2007 I'd been searching for a pre war Presto tailpiece and I found this one:
It now lives a happy life on my RB-1, original 5 string. The extra hole was CNC-ed in a workshop that normally produces model aircraft engines.
About the meaning the text has to me:
My country, the Netherlands, has been a kingdom since 1815, so that box was ticked. My name is Bruno, box 2. And when questions about the meaning of N.Y. arise, I always explain that it stands for Not Yours ;-) , box 3.
I was a bit upset when I saw this and was reading your post. Yeah, I'm a tenor guy and those tailpieces are rare. I'm glad I read the whole post, and love that you have that meaningful tailpiece on your banjo!
quote:
Originally posted by DSmokequote:
Originally posted by RB-1quote:
Originally posted by me262Can't find any info about a Royalist banjo. Thinking it's a budget instrument maybe 50 or so years old. Anyone got any ideas? Thks!
Could it be that you've misheard the name?
For I am aware of a 'Royal Artist' model banjo... Here's the description.
In 2007 I'd been searching for a pre war Presto tailpiece and I found this one:
It now lives a happy life on my RB-1, original 5 string. The extra hole was CNC-ed in a workshop that normally produces model aircraft engines.
About the meaning the text has to me:
My country, the Netherlands, has been a kingdom since 1815, so that box was ticked. My name is Bruno, box 2. And when questions about the meaning of N.Y. arise, I always explain that it stands for Not Yours ;-) , box 3.
I was a bit upset when I saw this and was reading your post. Yeah, I'm a tenor guy and those tailpieces are rare. I'm glad I read the whole post, and love that you have that meaningful tailpiece on your banjo!
A new life instead of the scrap heap, it's all well that ends well...
On my turn, I'm glad that your information seems about to surface now.
Photos
Edited by - me262 on 08/08/2024 01:59:58
Your Royalist 5-string banjo bears the "Royalist" brand that was a house brand name for RCA-Victor. "Royalist" branded instruments could be purchased at RCA Victor stores and some RCA record stores in the 1950's and are reported to have been available into the 1960's. This RCA-Victor label like yours can be found on amps and guitars, etc. I don't think your "Royalist" banjo was made by the United Guitar Co. It appears that RCA jobbed the manufacture of your banjo to some other maker. I don't know who. Maybe a BHO member will recognize the manufacturer.
I'll repost this unless it was missed:
Full front, back, sides, peghead, tailpiece, side of rim, inside of rim, any markings, hardware, and anything else of interest.
Take the instrument out into the sunlight and use the focus feature on your phone.
Interesting that the Royalist foil sticker is applied so that it would read upside down when held for playing. Are there other examples or are most placed like beezaboy 's banjo?
The Royalist tenor banjo peghead I attached above was made by The United Guitar Co. for RCA-Victor in the early 1950's. United was primarily a guitar manufacturer and apparently RCA turned to United to make some banjos and maybe some guitars as well. I'm guessing but I think the foil "Royalist" sticker came later and was applied to your peghead so it would fit. That same sticker was applied to amps and guitars.
The OP's peghead is vaguely reminiscent of some beginner level Harmony banjos.
Thanks for the replies! I knew nda figured it is a student model. Nothing fancy. I'm not a player. Tried guitar for years and still sucked at it! I'm assuming value is pretty low for this instrument. Any interest out there?
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