Help identifying banjolele

bigphil

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I'm trying to find information about this banjolele for a friend. They would like to sell it but have no idea what it is or it's worth. It looks old, from the banjolele hey day '30's or '40's maybe. Seems to be in fairly good condition, appears to have a recent head. One of the tuning peg buttons is split so it will not hold tune but otherwise pretty nice. Has a copper or at least copper clad banjo rim and resonator. The resonator back is brass. I don't see any manufacturer marking except maybe the word "Concert" near the tailpiece. Can anyone tell me anything about it???

Thanks!
 
Pretty thing - the headstock makes me think Slingerland. The flange and resonator could have been added. Is there anything inside and underneath the resonator? I am guessing that the nut width is one and a quarter inch - that would have been normal then.
 
I would inspect the interior by removing the resonator. Manufacturers usually stamped/burned their mark on the neck extension.
 
I am going to try to get it for a while to inspect more carefully, I couldn't get the resonator off without tools when I first saw it...
 
http://database.ukulelecorner.co.uk/site/ukulelemakers/b/bruno Gives the following details:

Some notes on the Maxitone brand name.
This started out in 1924 as a name used for heavy gauge aluminum Banjo resonators to be fitted as aftermarket add-ons for any open back banjo (they came in 3 sizes for 10, 11 and 12 in drums). This was made by the Musical Instrument Specialties Co., of Elkhart Indiana. They must have been popular as fairly soon after Lyon & Healy started using them as metal resonators for their instruments and Bruno came to market with a new model of Tenor Banjo, the Magic Wonder, specially for them. By 1926 the Maxitone name had become so popular that Bruno decided to use it on a number of ranges of instrument including wooden Ukuleles and the two kinds of multi-coloured Banjolele. Here is a quote from a 1926 article announcing the launch
C. Bruno & Son, Inc., wholesalers of musical merchandise, 353 Fourth avenue, New York, are calling attention to their new Maxitone line of banjo-ukuleles made up in the popular new color finishes. The Maxitone line has the closed back and wood rim with sound holes in the rim and the line offers a selection of eight colors. They are orange, pink, lavender, blue, black, red, green and white. The same line of instruments is also made up with an extension wood resonator back, finished in the same colors.
Bruno also announces the Maxitone line of all-metal banjo-ukuleles, with and without extension metal resonators. These instruments are also colored and are made up in nickel, copper and color finishes.
 
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http://database.ukulelecorner.co.uk/site/ukulelemakers/b/bruno Gives the following details:

Some notes on the Maxitone brand name.
This started out in 1924 as a name used for heavy gauge aluminum Banjo resonators to be fitted as aftermarket add-ons for any open back banjo (they came in 3 sizes for 10, 11 and 12 in drums). This was made by the Musical Instrument Specialties Co., of Elkhart Indiana. They must have been popular as fairly soon after Lyon & Healy started using them as metal resonators for their instruments and Bruno came to market with a new model of Tenor Banjo, the Magic Wonder, specially for them. By 1926 the Maxitone name had become so popular that Bruno decided to use it on a number of ranges of instrument including wooden Ukuleles and the two kinds of multi-coloured Banjolele. Here is a quote from a 1926 article announcing the launch
C. Bruno & Son, Inc., wholesalers of musical merchandise, 353 Fourth avenue, New York, are calling attention to their new Maxitone line of banjo-ukuleles made up in the popular new color finishes. The Maxitone line has the closed back and wood rim with sound holes in the rim and the line offers a selection of eight colors. They are orange, pink, lavender, blue, black, red, green and white. The same line of instruments is also made up with an extension wood resonator back, finished in the same colors.
Bruno also announces the Maxitone line of all-metal banjo-ukuleles, with and without extension metal resonators. These instruments are also colored and are made up in nickel, copper and color finishes.

Thank you, that is most helpful!
 
I LOVE this forum, you folks are the best. Seriously.

Hey Big Phil, that's quite the collection you have there.:drool:
 
I LOVE this forum, you folks are the best. Seriously.

Hey Big Phil, that's quite the collection you have there.:drool:

You are correct about this forum, just post a question and the information comes spilling out. :)
And, thank you, I feel that I do have some nice instruments, however, this banjo I am inquiring about is not mine. It belongs to a friend and I am trying to help them out by finding out a little about it. It will quite likely be for sale if anyone happens to be interested.
 
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