AV & Co < Back AV & Co AV Ebblewhite established a wholesale and retail musical merchandise establishment and between the years 1901 and 1918 they sold (as wholesalers and retailers) a great number of zither banjos bearing the name of AV & Co as maker but these were made by Arthur Windsor, (Birmingham, a personal friend of Ebblewhite), Wilmshurst (of London) and Matthew (of Birmingham). October 2012: It is clear that Ebblewhite exported a lot of Windsor Banjos under the brand name of "Challenge" bearing all the characteristics of Windsor made banjos including; the standard Windsor Popular plain "paddle" peg head, the inlay pattern (see Barnes & Mullins as well) but most typical of all, the chromed steel friction pegs which worked reliably and well. These banjos were made to a price and often had very thin ebony veneer for fretboards while Barnes & Mullins and other customers of Windsor specified 5/32nd" or thicker for their better banjos. Pictures courtesy of Intermountain Guitar and Banjo Previous Next

Item List Chas F Alberts Read More

Chas F Alberts < Back Chas F Alberts The American Magasine "The Minstrel Tempo" for January 1901 cvarries an advertisment for "Sonoro" guitars, mandolins,and banjos made by Chas F Alberts 205 S 9th Street, Philadelphia. Pa. Apart from a later reference to Alberts beinmg "Phila's Old Reliable Violin House" we know no more. Previous Next

Item List E L Bailey Read More

Ball, Beavon & Co < Back Ball, Beavon & Co .. established a wholesale musical instrument business at 31 Aldermanbury, London, EC in the 1880's and subsequently in Pinder Street, Bishopsgate, London. Although they marketed banjos bearing their name as maker they were made by Matthew and Houghton of Birmingham. They also sold SS Stewart banjos during the 1890's which were stamped on the dowel stick Ball, Beavon & Co London, under the neck clamp, alongside the Stewart label. In the days of the 7-string banjo, they sold an unfretted instrument with 40 brackets on the hoop and fitted with push in pegs. The firm went out of business during the First World War, probably due to the cessation of supplies and of cheap musical instruments and merchandise from the Continent. Images courtesy of Jim Leith Previous Next

Riley - Baker < Back Riley - Baker ... see Joseph Riley Pictures courtesy of Skip Sail Previous Next

Item List Baldwin Read More

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Thomas William Bacon < Back Thomas William Bacon 1841 to 1918 ... was born in Bethnal Green where he married a local girl. By 1871 he was living at 15 Saville Place, Lambeth, Surrey and was recorded as a musician with three children. Ten years laster he had moved to Endell Street where he was clearly had a good business, making good quality well finished instruments, as he had seven children and employed a servant. During most of his life he preferred to be known by his middle name William. Earlier banjos have the address as 26 ENDELL St LONDON W.C. and later banjos omit the W.C. Early models included a gut strung 6 string fretless with five friction pegs in the head and a 5th string peg. Later models included a slotted peg head with tunnelled 5th string and with the end of the perchpole fed through the pot where the tailpiece was attached to it. Hi later models can be rocognised by his signature mother or pearl inlay which was a large dot surrounded by 4 small dots .. see peghead and 14th fret marker Previous Next

Item List Barnes & Mullins 1872-1932 and 1873-1954 Read More

E L Bailey < Back E L Bailey In January 1924 E L BAiley of 455 Fifth Ave, Brooklyn, New York, advertised a new tenor banjo with:"a tone chamber that gives the resonant tone of the 5 string banjo". From photographs it would appear that the hoop of the instrument was built on the same principles as the early Dobson "bell echo" hoop. Ed L Bailey Internal Resonator 5 String . Seems this guy was making high quality banjos but I’ve personally never seen two the same. I have seen banjo mandolins and tenors but all vary in construction, tone rings etc. Build quality is very good and up there with the likes of Bacon and Vega. Lovely headstock, extended fingerboard. This one has a bacon style round rod ring. Very fine player, lovely tone, I prefer it to my Bacon FF . Pictures and description courtesy of Steve Prior Previous Next

Item List James C Bertolle 1875 -1951 Read More