Gibson PB-Granada Mastertone #9526-11
Gibson's 1930 catalog called the Granada
plectrum "a gold banjo of proven success."
The majority of 1930s Granadas were
tenors and came with forty-hole archtop tone rings; circa 1929,
however, Gibson started equipping some Mastertone banjos, typically plectrums
and five-strings, with the new flathead tone ring which, according to Gibson
catalogs of the period, provided greater "twang and sweetness" for plectrum and
five-string scale length and tuning.
#9526-11, formerly in the collection of
Akira Tsumura, is one such banjo and has
an original high-profile twenty-hole flathead tone ring with an uncut Mastertone
label. All hardware is in excellent condition including the flange, which
often shows disintegration on
Granadas of the period due to interaction between the pot metal and gold
plating.
The two-piece armrest is engraved with the pattern used on style 5 banjos of the 1920s and is likely original to the banjo. The resonator bears the factory order number 9470-13; lot #9470 consisted of TB-Granadas, and it is not known whether #9526-11 left the Gibson factory with this resonator or whether the resonator was changed at a later date. This banjo is currently set up with a five-string neck by Frank Neat; the original plectrum neck is inlaid with the flying eagle pattern and the tuners are two-band Grovers with large amber buttons.
Photos courtesy of
Geoff Hohwald.
