| 
 | 	 
 
Photos of My 1925 Granada DeLuxe BanjoA Conversion Instrument With Sullivan Ball Bearing to Flathead Tone Ring 
Front View of Converted Instrument 
 
  
Back of Converted Instrument 
 
  
Back of Resonator 
 
  
Side of Banjo Body 
 
  
Front of Banjo Body 
 
  
Original Headpiece -- Front and Back View 
  
  
Conversion Headpiece -- Front and Back View 
  
  
Original Tenor Neck 
 
  
Closeup of Neck Purfling 
 
  
Inside of Body 
 
  
Closeup of body purfling  
 
  
Tailpiece Engraving Original and Conversion 
  
 
 
 Information About This Banjo 
I purchased this banjo as a tenor from Mike Longworth in September of 2001. I took it to the International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Louisville KY, in October and left it with First Quality Musical Supplies
  
Randy Broyles matched the neck woods quite well. Randy made the neck under the close watch of Bill Sullivan. The fingerboard is Brazilian Rosewood. Normally, a Granada DeLuxe will have fancy purfling along the sides of the neck and the fan and oval headpiece shown above in the back of the headpiece. However, because it was impossible to find the original style of purfling and the fan and oval were, to our knowledge, never inlaid on a headpiece without the fancy purfling on the neck, we opted to use a plain Granada binding instead, and no rear peghead inlays. 
  The original neck had strange characteristics. First, it was a 16 fret neck -- quite short. Second, there is no truss rod.
  
The new tone ring is a drop-in conversion called the “Sullivan Conversion --  Ball Bearing to Flathead” tone ring. The gold plated version is number 3G in their catalog.
  
The tailpiece is a Price Straight Line tailpiece, which has been custom engraved for this instrument.
  
All of the original parts are still usable, and the banjo can be restored to its original configuration anytime I wish.
  
I am extremely pleased with the look, feel and sound of this instrument. I plan to keep it a long time.
  
And I plan to do a lot of business with First Quality Musical Supplies in the future!
  
Randy Broyles, who did the neck work on this instrument,  has now set up shop in New Albany, Indiana, right across the Ohio River from Louisville. His company is called Mid-America Instrument Repair.
  
Go back to Banjo Setup. 
Go back to Ball Bearing Conversion Banjos. 
Go back to My Music 
 
 ©2006 Bill Palmer. All rights reserved. For permission to republish contact Bill Palmer. The opinions expressed on this page are strictly Bill Palmer's. Mastertone, Stelling and the other brand and model names are the property of the manufacturers and other people who own them. |   |