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About Jim Garber
Expertise

I can answer most questions on fretted instruments, my main area of expertise is in vintage mandolins, guitars and ukuleles. I also know some things about old banjos as well.

Many questioners ask about the market value of their instrument without much information. Please give me as much information as possible including the condition of the instrument. It also truly helps if you can includes a clear photo of your instrument. I think the site will only allow for one photo, but you can email me additional ones to jimg@paperclipdesign.com. I will try to evaluate but sometimes it is very difficult without the instrument in hand

PLEASE NOTE: I will not be able to answer any questions about antique keyboards, accordions, concertinas, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Experience
I have been buying, selling, collecting and playing old and antique instruments for over 30 years. My recent specialty has been in European mandolins and classical and Italian mandolin music.

Organizations
Classical Mandolin Society of America, active participant on the Mandolin Cafe

Publications
Guild of American Luthiers, Sing Out Magazine,

Education/Credentials
BA, Brandeis University

You are here: Experts > Music/Performing Arts > Musical Instruments > Antique Musical Instruments > Epiphone Banjo

Antique Musical Instruments - Epiphone Banjo

Expert: Jim Garber - 10/3/2008

Question
Hello!
I have an Epihone Mayfair Banjo that I inherited from an uncle about 5 years ago. It's a 4 string and I believe it to be a tenor. It has 19 frets. It's in decent shape, other then looking old, it's still playable with only cosmetic damage. It also has a picture of a flower arrangement on the back sitting in a vase. It has the number 8054 on the metal ring thing, and I believe it has had a new (don't know what it's called) round flat section put on it.

Anyway, I'm seeking information, because I mainly want to sell it. It's just been collecting dust and I'm not finding any information on the thing. If wanted I can send pictures.

Thanks!
Dave

Answer
Hi Dave:
Epiphone made fine quality banjos starting in the 1920s. The Mayfair was the bottom-of-the-line student model selling for $50 in 1927. That still was a fair amount of money in those days.

I have not seen one in person but Epiphones are respected instruments among jazz banjo players. Here are photos of back and sides of one:

http://www.jazzbanjo.com/gallery/images/Bernunzio/EpiphoneMayfair1920.jpg
http://www.jazzbanjo.com/gallery/images/Bernunzio/EpiphoneMayfair1920B.jpg

I scanned a circa 1930 Epi catalog page but it looks like someone has the same catalog scanned on their site:
http://banjo.nager.se/Banjos/Epiphone/Epi_catalog/index.htm

Here is the Mayfair page:
http://banjo.nager.se/Banjos/Epiphone/Epi_catalog/pages/19b_mayfair_jpg.htm

As for selling price, I can find nothing in my books, but I did find a music store that has a plectrum currently on their list:
http://sylvanmusic.com/inventory.php?function=view&id=1138&search=banjo

Here is another one listed from almost a year ago in Ireland:
http://irishmusicalinstruments.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=250&osCsid=...

You can base your price around theirs, but if you want to move it quickly you probably want to set it for less. Also, I am not sure what you mean by cosmetic damage. If a few scratches it prob wont' make that much of a difference in price. If missing or replaced parts or cracks in wood, worn fretboard, etc. that might lower the value of it.

Good luck,
Jim

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