autoharpist
New member
For sale $125,
Bee JayTivolette Banjo Ukulele. The Tripletone Instrument. according to the label on the headstock. The neck is metal and at the top it says music steps pat app'd for.
On the back, I tried to photo it, on the wood there, another decal that says Bee-Jay Products Co, Inc. Long Island City, NJ Patents pending. made in USA.
According to an article in popular mechanics from 1928 this is what they said about this instruments:
Three-in-one Banjo, played like a ukulele
An advertisement appeared in Popular Mechanics of February 1928 (page 230) for an aluminium ‘thing’:
Features of a tenor banjo, a banjo mandolin and the ukulele banjo are combined in a recently introduced instrument which has a metal keyboard [fretboard?] to simplify playing, an aluminum bridge in place of the ordinary wooden one and several other distinctive details. It is strung like a ukulele and is constructed like a banjo. A metal resonator and an adjustable metal tone chamber and head tightener are special features. The calf-skin head is adjusted with a nut. The instrument is said to be very easy to play and produces a wide variety of pleasing tones.
Marginal notes in the magazine indicate that the ‘thing’ was called a Tivolette, and it was distributed by Bee-Jay Products Co at a price of $9.50.
Paypal accepted, I have a verified business account. (I do autoharp repair).
Neck is one piece into the body, skinis attached with lugs that go through to the back and can be adjusted. There is a hole in it but the edges seemed to be burnt and will not rip. I've had this 20 years and the head has stayed firm and tight. I may have a tailpiece for it and be able to string it up if it doesn't sell before I get to do that.
Bee Jay is a Buegeleisen & Jacobson brand. I could have been made by Oscar Schmidt who made many instruments for other companies. (when they were in New Jersey).
I'm selling this because I'm in college and need book money. I have a couple of other odd ball banjo ukes and one gretsch mahogany uke I'll be selling too. Watch for those adds soon.
My dad had a music store and these are in the inventory after we closed in 2000. He died suddenly in 1992, I took over for a while, but decided to close and have a life. I went back to college after my husband died and am now a senior, window, single mom just trying to pay bills.
For $30 extra I do have some skin material I purchsed for a full sized banjo if you want to replace the head but I don't think you will need to.
Ginny
717-585-2396
Mechancisburg, Pa
reidsmusic@earthlink.net
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