1920s Iucci Sinfonico No 3 Resonator Tenor Banjo

I was duly impressed by the last Iucci that we were fortunate enough to have in the shop, but this gold-plated, pearl-bedecked, red-tinged beastie ratchets up the competitive spirit a few notches and even comes with a mute that swings out over the head on an arm.

Work on this one included a level/dress of the frets and some setup-side stuff, but suffice to say it's playing perfectly, now. It has an archtop tonering, too, and one-piece metal rim and flange, which gives it a birght, poppy, snappy sound that cuts like crazy.

I'm a fan of the Lange-ish headstock inlay and I have been a huge sucker for "antique gold plating" on '20s tenor banjos for a while, now, so the look of this guy is like dessert for me. The neck and handling is also vaguely Lange-like, and as a fan of Paramounts and Orpheums, it feels like home to me.