c.1920 Gretsch Archtop Tenor Banjo

Well you don't see one of these every day. This is a nice 21" scale tenor banjo (perfect for "Celtic" tuning -- GDAE an octave below mandolin, which it's setup for right now) from the early to mid 1920s, possibly a hair earlier. Judging by the headstock shape and general build it's very much a Gretsch-made instrument, possibly sold under their Clarophone brand. It's very similar to another Gretsch tenor I worked on about a year and a half ago, which I held onto for a while because it was so incredibly awesome sounding (and playing). This one's the same, but it's a step up in the right direction.

This fella boasts a 5-piece maple neck with maple/rosewood/maple/rosewood/maple lamination, dyed-pearwood? dyed-maple? fretboard with nice attractive MOP inlays, double-spunover (top and bottom) maple pot, and a "Guckert Duplex Tone Rim" which effectively turns a simple double-spun banjo into an archtop banjo with a lot of pep and zing.

It's all-original save a new bone nut, half or more of the rim's hooks & nuts (which are, fortunately, quite period), and the tailpiece, which is probably a slightly later Grover Presto (1930s?).

Nice inlay.

Here you can see that archtop profile -- oh -- and did I mention I popped on a great new Remo Renaissance head? Can't beat 'em.

...and a new Grover maple/ebony two-foot bridge.

The rim and hardware needed a lot of cleaning. I've removed a heck of a lot of tarnish from this banjo.

Back.

Cool all-metal friction pegs work nicely. Check out that beautiful maple neck. The finish is in good shape, too, and glows with a warm sunny yellow tint.

Rosewood heel cap.

Here you can see the 'double rim' design.

This little bolt actually adjusts the neck angle. Very cool and very handy. I've never understood why something like this wasn't used more often on period banjos. You see it now and then and it makes a world of difference when you're setting up for different tonal characteristics.

...and the patent for the Guckert archtop tonering (or "tone rim" as they say).

And these little thingies adjust the "tone rim" up or down to apply more or less tension to the head. I like it fairly high up.

Old Presto tailpiece.

...and here it is open.

And here's the neck brace. I'm using half a Canadian dime as a shield from the neck brace's bolt head against the pot, as the rim itself was starting to wear from tightening.