2015 Bourgeois Banjo Killer Slope D – Aged Tone Adirondack / Figured Mahogany

2015 Bourgeois Banjo Killer Slope D, serial #7053, built April 28, 2015. A particularly nice spec featuring a Figured Aged Tone (torrefied) Adirondack spruce top, figured mahogany back and sides, hide-glue construction and Bourgeois Aged Tone finish.

The Banjo Killer is Bourgeois' powerful take on the slope-shoulder dreadnought. This one has a strong, full low end, good note separation and plenty of headroom. The treble is clear but not overly forward. It has a noticeably different voice from a typical mahogany slope-shoulder. Condition is listed as Very Good only due to a couple of minor cosmetic, light finish scratches at bottom of headstock (pictured and probably from a wall hanger) and a hardly noticeable finish scratch on the back.

From the factory specification sheet:

• Bearclaw Figured Aged Tone (torrefied) Adirondack spruce top
• Figured mahogany back and sides
• Adirondack spruce bracing
• Hide-glue construction
• Aged Tone finish
• Ziricote fingerboard, belly bridge and headstock veneer
• 1 23/32" nut width
• 2.2" bridge string spacing
• Ivoroid body and fingerboard binding
• Multicolor herringbone backstrip
• DB Snowflake fingerboard inlays
• Tor-Tis pickguard
• Nickel Waverly tuners with ivoroid buttons
• Ebony bridge pins with pearl dots
• Dana Bourgeois signature label

An L.R. Baggs active pickup system has been added since the guitar left the factory. It appears to be an Element VTC, with soundhole volume and tone controls and an internal battery pouch. The factory build sheet shows the guitar originally had no pickup. Good natural acoustic sound.

The combination of the torrefied bearclaw Adirondack top, figured mahogany, hide glue and Aged Tone finish makes this an interesting example of an earlier Bourgeois Aged Tone Banjo Killer.

Original Bourgeois factory specification sheet included.