Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Help identify this banjo

#1

My uncle found this old banjo and brought it over for me to check out but I couldn’t tell him much about it. I figured it was an 80-ish model import. There’s no label or brand name anywhere on it. You can tell there were a couple of stickers on the back of the headstock at one time. Small ones like you see on imports that have a seriel # and read “made in Korea, China”, or where ever. Any of you guys have an idea?

http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/jmart63/media/phpNUPd0yAM_zps354b80a5.jpg.htmlhttp://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/jmart63/phpNUPd0yAM_zps354b80a5.jpg
http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/jmart63/media/php85UUYoAM_zps6a6a77a7.jpg.htmlhttp://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/jmart63/php85UUYoAM_zps6a6a77a7.jpg

#2

I did a google image search for “banjo with eagle” and came up with a few similar. Apparently, Harmony made some (H409) that look quite similar, but there was the brand on the head stock and many of the details were different on the examples I saw. Also the headstock was a slightly different shape.

#3

I would almost bet it is a Harmony banjo they had a double eagle brand and it had the eagle on the outside and inside . Harmony instruments if they are old and I mean old will bring some cash for sure. Harmony used to be sold at the Sears & Roebuck stores of yesteryear . This one looks like it has been made rather recently so I would not get excited about finding a treasure . but check it out you may have the holy grail of Harmony banjos. Does it play well and sound good if so just play it and have fun. :smiley: