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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.
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