1931 B&D Senorita 19-Fret Tenor Banjo - Planetary Tuners & Hard Case

Up for sale is a player-ready 1930 Bacon & Day (B&D) Senorita 19-fret tenor banjo (Serial #30099). Built in Groton, Connecticut, during the golden era of banjo manufacturing, this instrument offers the punchy, loud, and gutsy vintage tone B&D is famous for. Unlike most 90-year-old instruments that require hundreds of dollars in restoration, this banjo has been professionally optimized for modern performance and needs absolutely no work.

Upgrades & Features:

• 23" Scale Length: Allows for rich chord voicings and comfortable fretting across all 19 frets.
• Premium Gotoh Planetary Tuners: The unreliable, original 1930s friction tuners have been replaced with high-end, planetary gears in a nickel finish. These offer a vintage look with modern, rock-solid 4:1 tuning stability.
• Aesthetics: Iconic pre-war pearloid veneer on the headstock and fretboard, featuring the signature B&D etched motifs. 24-bracket construction.
• Case: Includes a sturdy hard case for secure storage and transport.

Luthier Setup & Technical Specs:

• Head Tension: Professionally dialed in and dialed to exactly 90 lbs per square inch for maximum projection and crisp response for its 11" diameter pot.
• Perfect Intonation: The bridge was perfectly placed by a luthier. The banjo is optimized for accurate pitch, a crystal-clear tone, and flawless intonation across the entire 19-fret fretboard.
• 1930s Era Setup: Currently strung and set up for Chicago Tuning (D-G-B-E). This is the exact style and string configuration popularized in the 1930s by guitarists crossing over to banjo to cut through acoustic big band rhythm sections, 1930s swing style, traditional jazz, and hot club rhythms.It delivers the fast, percussive acoustic bark that defined the big band era.
• Guitarist Friendly: Because it perfectly matches the first four strings of a standard guitar, any guitar player can pick this up and instantly play jazz chords and swing rhythms without learning new fingerings.

Condition:
The pearloid binding is in great shape for its age, with minor cosmetic wear.

Shipping is available via Reverb Safe Shipping, fully insured and packed with extreme care. Please reach out with any questions!