c.1893 S.S. Stewart Universal Favorite Stock# 24295 - Serial # 13897 A nice 1890s S. S. Stewart banjo that doesn\'t need too much work, especially if you\'re after that gut-string banjo sound (OK, you\'ll probably use nylon strings, but you know what we mean). Here\'s the specs and the good, and not-so-good, news:
Original finish on the cherry neck and dowel stick, original inlays. There are some repaired cracks around the lower \"bumps\" on the headstock, where the 1st and 4th string tuners are mounted, so check photos #25-#28 carefully. There\'s also a slight wrinkle in the ebony headstock veneer, just below the downward facing half-moon inlay, and that inlay has a couple of cracks. We\'re assuming this all happened at the same time, like maybe when the banjo landed hard on those two tuners? The tuners on the headstock are new, as is the repro \"No Knot\" tailpiece, but all other hardware is apparently original (fifth peg button is newer as is the bridge, however). All the original hooks and nuts and shoes are there and they all match. Another plus is the Jos. Rogers Jr. skin head. Head diameter is just over 11 inches, serial number (just under 14,000) on the shell matches the number on the dowel stick.
Be warned that the neck is not straight, and is currently at too shallow an angle to the rim. If the new owner wishes to use nylon strings to simulate the gut-string sound this banjo produced when new, the neck could probably be shimmed to lower the action. However, for the player who intends to use steel strings the dowel stick will need to be reset. Regardless of which strings are used, the neck will need to be straightened as it has a distinct forward curve even when the strings are slack. Of course the reputation of Gryphon\'s Repair Department always prompts the \"why don\'t YOU fix it?\" question, but there\'s a simple answer: we\'ve had this cool old banjo for almost a decade, without ever finding the time to address what it needs, simply because repairs for customers are always more urgent. But this is a great-looking S. S. Stewart banjo, with a nice thick ebony fingerboard, and it deserves another run at being a musical instrument. Please review all of the photos carefully, as they are a vital part of the description. Although Gryphon has the reputation of being a full-service repair shop, all sales on are strictly \"as-is\" and no after-sale service is implied or should be expected.
Fretboard:ebonyNeck Material:cherryHead Diameter:11\"+Case:no
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All pictures are of the actual instrument for sale.
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