1929 Gretsch Orchestrella Resonator Tenor Banjo

This Gretsch Orchestrella was clearly meant to go toe-to-toe with Lange's Paramount and Orpheum lines and Bacon's full-on resonator models. It's built to a high spec, has fancy trim, and heavy-duty, well-thought-out hardware throughout its build. It has an archtop tonering construction that theoretically should give it more of a Bacon or Gibson archtop banjo tone, but in reality sounds most like an old Paramount. It has a sweetness, roundness, and sustain that's often lacking on the more-biting Bacon-style instruments.

Its surfaces are all sort-of rounded-off, too, which makes it a comfortable instrument to hold despite the deeper rim/resonator design. It feels professional.

Post-minor-repairs, it plays spot-on and is good to go.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, cleaning, bridge compensation, and setup.

Rim wood: ply mahogany

Tonering: archtop/hoop style

Bridge: maple/ebony Grover (newer)

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast)
String gauges: 32w, 20w, 13, 9 for CGDA tuning

Neck shape: medium C/V

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: narrow/smaller

Scale length: 23"

Nut width: 1 1/16"

Head diameter: 11”

Resonator diameter: 12 3/4"

Depth overall at rim: 4"

Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz

Condition notes: it's complete and all-original save for a replacement head and bridge. There's plenty of plating-wear to the hardware and average usewear/playwear throughout the body in the form of small scratches, nicks, and dings. Still, it looks great for its age.

It comes with: an original hard case in worn but decent order.