Sale!

1976 Tennessee Walnut Top Tension “Butch Robbins” BTD model Banjo – SOLD

$2,950.00

Excellent Walnut top tension banjo with solid resonator and upgraded rare Tom Boyd tone ring.

Out of stock

Description

Exc (-) condition.
Model: BTD. Serial number 76161.
Width at nut: 1 3/16″. Scale length: 26 3/8″.
Style: top tension. Wood: Walnut

Beautiful straight-grain Mahogany neck with slim pre-War profile. Solid book-matched Walnut resonator, carved, similar to pre-War Gibson top tension models. Double-cut peghead. Ebony peghead veneer has elaborate and beautiful mixed pearl and abalone inlay in center with Tennessee logo in banner at top. Ivoroid truss rod cover. Ebony flat fingerboard has interesting pattern starting with wreath at third fret. Railroad spikes at A, B, and C positions. Ebony heelcap. Multi-laminate rim is intact and has good resonance. Original tone ring was exchanged with rare 1960’s Tom Boyd tone ring that’s one of perhaps 18 he produced, greatly improving performance. Greg Boyd did the work here at our store and the sound of the banjo is greatly improved with the upgraded handmade tone ring and setup. Some mixed chrome and nickel parts. Tailpiece is highly engraved Kerschner. Faithful top tension arm rest is engraved with Tennessee logo.

Recent fret milling and fingerboard scrubbing leaves the banjo looking like a brand new fingerboard has been installed. The banjo is rated Exc (-) because there is some sign of wear from a side-mounted capo that had previously been installed, and some finish wear on the back of the solid Walnut resonator.

Quote from Greg Boyd: “For years, I’ve known about these banjos but never had one in my hands until this one. It’s very impressive, especially for the time period. I thought about replacing the multi-laminate rim with a good 3-ply rim, but after dismantling the banjo and changing the tone ring, the sound was great I decided to keep the original rim. The resonance is great. The neck has immediate vibration transferred to the end of the neck when you touch a string. The resonator is vibrating against your chest as you play the banjo. *I’ve been saving this Tom Boyd tone ring for a special project for almost ten years now because it’s one of those tone rings that has made every banjo it’s ever been in sound wonderful. This statement is from me, the guy who insists a rim is the main tone controller of a banjo’s sound… so obviously, this rim is doing a great job of adding to the great tone and resonance.

Comes with original hard case.