Circa 1925 Bacon Professional #3 Banjo

1925 was early days at the Groton, CT factory for Bacon. Just a few years prior their line was made by Lange for the brand. This is an actual Bacon, though, and features the "Professional" rim design -- an outer, multi-ply rim with tonering and an inner, "reflection" rim designed to give the instrument its own secondary soundbox.

Does it work? Well, yes! We think what this does for the instrument is create an effect a bit like having a resonator on the back but without the resonator's bulk and with a "side-spread" to the sound that's resonator-like but not nearly as directional. So, in effect, it sounds louder than a similarly-equipped openback but it doesn't have the zippy, laser-focus snap that you'd expect a resonator instrument to have.

This has a "hoop-in-sleeve" tonering design similar to a Vega Little Wonder tonering, though said ring on this guy is larger in diameter and so a bit more massive. As a result, it sounds sort-of like a Little Wonder instrument but with more volume, sparkle, and pop. It's almost Gibson-sounding, in a way -- you know, that upper-mids, woody "pop" sound? It's a good sound.

Lasty, I'd just like to point out that the "professional" in the name applies to the instrument's build quality, too. It's high-spec, has nice hardware, pretty inlay, binding and "strapping" all over the place, and a great look.

This instrument is in great shape for being almost 100 years old, and is all original. Original case included.