Style B
22 fret plectrum
Serial # 1032-D
Gibson rim # 9047-5
With Original "Red line" Hardshell case
For the entire Trujo Story, visit Ed Cuneo's website at
http://www.banjoexpress.com/trujo.html
Here are some excerpts from Ed's site, written by the late Russ Presting
The Trujo banjo was manufactured by the Gibson Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan to the design and specifications of Truett-George Co. From 1927 to about the early to mid 30's. The depression caused this company, like many others, to go out of business. The Gibson tube style is used but not the flange. There are thoughts that Bacon and Day manufactured the Trujo because of the similarity in their flange styling, but it's definitely not so! There isn't a truss rod in a Trujo neck but there are two lag bolts extending from the heel through the shell. The top lag bolt just has a nut securing the neck to the shell. The lower lag bolt is attached to a coordinating rod allowing string action adjustment like Gibson and Epiphone. Trujo tone rings are a large spun brass, one piece assembly that has been referred to as an upside down church collection plate, and a turn of the century bar room cuspidor. Really, "a thing of beauty and a joy forever!" The Trujo banjo is an exceptionally deep instrument in that it measures 5-1/8 inches from the inside of the resonator to the head and uses 3 to 31/2 inch bracket hooks. The Trujo was available in 19 fret tenor and 22 fret plectrum. Although the majority of the banjos manufactured were plectrums. There were not any 5-string models manufactured. Originally there were three models, Style A, B, and C. Towards the end of the company's existence came the Trujo special, which I have always compared to the Bacon and Day Montana and Sultana lines.
The style B wood selection and construction are generally the same as the style A. The metal parts are delicately engraved and then gold plated. The gold plating is mostly of the Florentine appearance (satin, dull) with bright shiny gold inside engraved designs. The fingerboard inlay design is that os the 'Hearts and Flower" pattern. The tuning pegs have large M.O.P. buttons. The resonator has a floral design inlaid in M.O.P. And another name "Trujo" is also inlaid in M.O.P. id the resonator's top just below the heel. The model is finished in ebony black as are many of the style A's. Both the style A and style B have the same tone ring.
The retail price of the style B in 1928 was $300.00, including case.
Disassembly
Send to plater
Ill need to add in an engraved armrest and tailpiece to this project
Wood will need stripping, staining and recoating
Original Gibson Stamping
Tube only, no plate, this uses an external flange like a BD.
Probably a consideration since Velma did play a BD first.
Assembly pics
all plating and pieces return, both old and new
Neck refinished, and peghead details redone,
and new frets and inlays installed.
No pics, (time compressed!)
Waiting on Gold lower rod, B/O by FQMS, so I used this one for setup
Remo 1100 H3 head, I want to see in, but not a clear view.
Ready to string up and see how everything lines up
Everything lines up well, and the action is close with a little
push on the lower rod so I will work with it, there is some buzzing on
the top 4 frets, mainly due to action I think.
Its on a full 5/8 bridge so I will start tweaking the setup to et
where I need to be but its close, and that's great!
I will stop here and get back on the backplate.
Final Pics
Resonator backplate complete and reattached to flange.
Not many banjos will sit comfortably on its own, at this angle!
Chalked in Ser# as it once was
An example,.
Against Rob's Accutone( Gibson Mastertone dimensions), to show the
deeper total depth of the Trujo design
