Back to the main page Back to category Banjos
musical instrument details
1924 Epiphone Professional 2 Tenor Banjo w/OHSC Vintage!
Estimated price for orientation: 900 $
Category: Banjos
Class:
Description Brand: Epiphone Exact Year: 1924 Banjo Type: Tenor Banjo Model: Professional 2 Number of Strings: 4 Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Here is a very rare vintage 1924 Epiphone Professional 2 tenor banjo, complete with original hardshell! This is the only surviving example of this model I have ever seen. When Epiphone launched their first banjo line in 1923 with the 'New Superb Banjo' flyer, the Professional was the most expensive model listed at $132 (equal to over $1,800 in 2016 dollars!). The Epiphone section of the 1924 Illinois Musical Supply Co. catalog is the only one I know that lists the Professional 2 model, and it has the price at $150. Interestingly, the illustration they used was the same one as the original Professional model of the 1923 flyer: the picture shows dot inlays on the fingerboard, but the descriptive text says, "Neck of maple, fingerboard inlaid with fancy position marks." The 1924 IMSC catalog also introduces the Epiphone Recording series of banjos, beginning with the Artist (Recording A) model, priced at $180. As you can see in the pictures, this instrument is still in excellent condition! It is fully functional, and it plays and sounds well. The only bad parts I would report are that over the 90+ years of existence, the resonator seems to have shrunk slightly, and the flange doesn't quite settle all the way near the tailpiece. Also, there is a small flaw in the back corner edge of the resonator, again near the tailpiece. Both of these flaws are visible in the pictures. A person might argue that price I am asking is more in line with an Epiphone Recording A banjo, which was one model higher in the Epiphone line, but consider: I have seen literally dozens of surviving Epiphone Recording A banjo (I even owned a couple!), but I have never seen another Professional 2! The Professional 2 isn't even listed in either the 1925 or 1928 Epiphone catalogs, or the Epiphone section of the 1930-31 Continental Music Company catalog!
Description
| Brand: | Epiphone | Exact Year: | 1924 |
| Banjo Type: | Tenor Banjo | Model: | Professional 2 |
| Number of Strings: | 4 | Country/Region of Manufacture: | United States |
Here is a very rare vintage 1924 Epiphone Professional 2 tenor banjo, complete with original hardshell! This is the only surviving example of this model I have ever seen. When Epiphone launched their first banjo line in 1923 with the 'New Superb Banjo' flyer, the Professional was the most expensive model listed at $132 (equal to over $1,800 in 2016 dollars!). The Epiphone section of the 1924 Illinois Musical Supply Co. catalog is the only one I know that lists the Professional 2 model, and it has the price at $150. Interestingly, the illustration they used was the same one as the original Professional model of the 1923 flyer: the picture shows dot inlays on the fingerboard, but the descriptive text says, "Neck of maple, fingerboard inlaid with fancy position marks." The 1924 IMSC catalog also introduces the Epiphone Recording series of banjos, beginning with the Artist (Recording A) model, priced at $180. As you can see in the pictures, this instrument is still in excellent condition! It is fully functional, and it plays and sounds well. The only bad parts I would report are that over the 90+ years of existence, the resonator seems to have shrunk slightly, and the flange doesn't quite settle all the way near the tailpiece. Also, there is a small flaw in the back corner edge of the resonator, again near the tailpiece. Both of these flaws are visible in the pictures. A person might argue that price I am asking is more in line with an Epiphone Recording A banjo, which was one model higher in the Epiphone line, but consider: I have seen literally dozens of surviving Epiphone Recording A banjo (I even owned a couple!), but I have never seen another Professional 2! The Professional 2 isn't even listed in either the 1925 or 1928 Epiphone catalogs, or the Epiphone section of the 1930-31 Continental Music Company catalog!