1926 Bacon & Day Silver Bell No. 1 "Plectrum" 4-String Banjo

A B&D (Bacon & Day) Silver Bell No. 1 plectrum banjo is a highly sought-after, 4-string, 22-fret jazz-era classic produced in Groton, Connecticut, in the 1920s. Known for its exceptional volume, cutting power, and elaborate build quality, it features a laminated maple construction, an intricate Silver Bell tone ring, 26" scale length, and a bound ebony fingerboard. Produced by Fred Bacon and David Day, B&D Silver Bell banjos are universally recognised as some of the finest pre-war acoustic banjos ever built. While tenor banjos were more common, the long-neck plectrum was prized by chord-melody, traditional jazz, and ragtime players. FEATURES INCLUDES Original B&D knee mute system, vintage maintenance tools and hard case (not pictured) Model & Scale: B&D "Silver Bell" Style No. 1, 4-string, 22-fret Plectrum model Scale Length: ~26-inch (660 mm) scale, perfect for traditional jazz, ragtime, and melody playing Construction: Laminated/shaded maple neck, rim, and resonator with high-end binding along the fretboard and resonator edges Fingerboard: Bound ebony with fancy mother-of-pearl (MOP) inlay position markers Tone Ring: The famous Silver Bell bell-brass tone ring, which gives the instrument its trademark resonant tone and carrying power Hardware & Mute: Features the prized Oettinger 4-string fine-tuning tailpiece and Grover geared tuners with ivoroid/pearl buttons Nut Width: 23mm Please note: while most of the instrument has been preserved in "original" condition, two strap pins have been added at some stage.