Work Page 12-22
Paramount F "Special" Tenor Banjo

Rare example, Artist grade instrument
Extensive usage of Gold Lipped MOP
White MOP engraved inlays inserted into the gold MOP
Circa 1920's, made by the Wm.Lange company
Non typical marquetry for the model.
Bas Relief carved rosewood back
Repair as needed to play
Heavy Patina on hardware
Will clean, no re-plating
Re-fret-refinish with Nitro
Well played instrument, needs some help.
Some missing and loose MOP on peghead
Some damage to the side of the resonator
Mainly binding and some marquetry
Rim assembly also has non standard marquetry for an F
All hardware orig., with quite a bit of patina
Page tuners intact and functioning
That one piece of MOP is CRITCIAL to this work.
Back carving is nice, detailed, heavy marquetry
REPAIRS
Sorting thru MOP looking for gold lip.
Someone added wood to the bass side in the past.
Working on the border and adding MOP
2 pieces of gold lip to go
Also changing out this white MOP block
The original must have fallen out in the past.
All smoothed, and ready to re-fret
Will be using Stew Mac #147 wire
Ready to do rim assembly, and re-install dowel
Only pat# and ser# on this rim assembly
No Celluloid Wm Lane log plate, and it never had one.
Assembly of rim after refinish
Medium crown, 1102, tailpiece and armrest wooled
Ready to tint sidewall,Analine dye and lacquer
Re-installed the angel, one sliver missing
I will fill that area as I go
Smoothing up the transitions ,adding finish to border
Will cut from this piece of gold lip
Thanks to Dale Small, for the MOP I have used over all of these years
After re-fret. ready to crown/level/polish
Adding clear to the headstock MOP as I go
I will strip the finish and apply 3 coats nitro
Time to clean the filthy hardware up a bit
Alot of sweat and drool on this particular unit.
All stanchions in place, a very tight rim skirt
Ready to start on resonator, inside first
Cleaning tape and wire from MOP buttons
Ready to strip finish before repair
Only a few places on sidewall need addressing
Removed a replaced fret block from prior repair
They used what they had, but it was too green
Repairing the wood block at the run-off
That was all that was Rosewood on the board.
Dowel will be re-set using fish glue
A little fine wool and then some wax is all it will get
Someone else can pay to have it re-plated if they so desire.
Ready for a new head, REMO, cloudy
Finish removed, sidewall will get re-tinted reddish brown
Dowel cured, neck installed and ready for setup
I will do that after I complete resonator.
Last strip on the carving and then brush clean.
Wood is re-sealed, now to repair binding
Adding in the missing sections with white
Back to profile, taking on clear
I will fineline paint the areas where it was joined.
Setup / Final pics
(Resonator still taking on clear coats)