S.S. Stewart Open-back banjo. Probably 1898. Great condition. Serial # 54193

Price: $900.00 USD

PRICE DROP FROM $1200. This banjo is in very good condition for its age (120+ years). All hardware seems to be original except I had tuners replaced from friction to geared to make it easier to tune. $1200 or best offer.

Samuel Swaim Stewart (1855-1896) also known as S.S. Stewart, was a musician, composer, publisher, and manufacturer of banjos. He owned the S. S. Stewart banjo company which was one of the largest banjo manufacturers in the 1890s. He is know today for his efforts to remake the banjo into an instrument of cultural sophistication and for his high quality banjos.

This banjo has a 10 1/2” head, the neck is 189” (nut to rim) with 20 frets. This probably makes it a “Specialty Banjo”, slightly smaller than standard and suited one be tuned one step up from regular C tuning to D. Works fine in C too, though. I play it in G. Serial number 54193 (matching on rim and neck-rod). 

The neck is cherry; ebony fingerboard with pearl position markers. Ebony nut. Pegged is ebony with elaborate mother of pearl inlays. Birdseye made rim spun with “german silver” Beautiful carving on the heel of the neck. The head is either goat or calf and in perfect shape.

Low action. Non-original hard case. 

Setup by luthier Donnie Little.

These old instruments were originally built for gut strings and the tension of steel strings can be too much for them. So the sound can be very different from a bluegrass instrument. Deeper and more mellow, for that clawhammer sound. I am not sure what kind of strings are on it.

More information about Stewart banjos at
mugwumps.com/sss_date.html

Will be shipped with (non-original) hard case.
Shipping $80 to lower 48 states.

Shipping: 80

Posted By: ilovebluegrass
United States, Cleveland, NC, 27013

Condition of Banjo: Used - Very Good Condition

Type: 5-String Openback, Brand: Stewart

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