1970’s IIDA 5 String Model 240 Arch Top Banjo w/ Gold Hardware and Hard Shell Case

1970’s IIDA 5 String Model 240 Arch Top Banjo w/ Gold Hardware and Hard Shell Case

I have always been partial toward older instruments. I am not a collector but when I start shopping, I typically look old. During all my quests I have probably only had maybe a half dozen older instruments that I would consider top quality. This banjo is at the top of the list.

The banjo is apparently from 1971 but appears to have been played very little and kept in pristine conditions. There is very minor fret wear and some small dings but there is nothing that would indicate this banjo is 48 years old. It plays easy with clear tone on up the fretboard. The gold finish shows very little fading. There is also a bit of yellowing on the resonator binding. It has a raised head (archtop) bell-brass tone ring, 14-ply maple rim, and tube and plate flange.

I read in some article that the number system for Iida banjos is based on the letter indicated first. Letter M is the 13th letter. Iida was founded in 1958 thus the 1971 date. This is all very speculative. I also found a 1976 catalog that pictures and describes the 240 exactly like this model.  

From 1976 Iida Catalog:

The 240 is the finest banjo made by Iida. Every detail speaks of meticulous workmanship and superior materials. The Iida 240 is hand crafted under the personal supervision or Teruo Iida. It is an instrument that rivals the great pre-war banjos in tone and beauty.

Instrument making should not be a hurried process. A close look at the detail work on an Iida banjo shows that the Iida craftsmen have chosen the finest woods and carefully fashioned them into instruments of superior tone and beauty. The best Iida banjos feature solid maple resonators, delicately shaded and inlaid with a simple concentric design.

A lasting instrument must be constructed of quality, durable materials. The professional quality Iida banjos feature multiple-ply, hardwood rims for strength.

Intricate inlay work has always been the hallmark of the best banjo makers. For his own banjos, Terudo Iida has chosen the most popular traditional patterns and executed them with care and discretion.

Throughout the history of the banjo, certain designs have proven to be superior. Iida has drawn upon and improved these designs to offer you a complete line of banjos with full-bodied tone and smooth playability. The 239, 237 and 240 models feature a solid bell brass tone ring together with two-piece tube and plate flange construction. The tube and plate flange design is also featured on several of the more moderately priced Iida banjos. Every Iida banjo has 24 brackets for strength.

Subtlety and attention to detail set the finest instruments apart from the rest. An Iida banjo is soundly designed for lasting performance; it’s finish work makes it an object of lasting beauty. A hand-engraved armrest graces the better models, and every Iida banjo features either gold or chrome-plated metal parts. The traditional trap-door tailpiece gives several Iida models the look and feel of the great pre-war banjos.

For superior design, durability, beauty and excellence of tone, Iida banjos are unrivaled in their price range. Play an Iida – you’ll find that the great banjos of the 20’s and 30’s have been reborn.

Iida Model 240-M039551

• Traditional genuine pearl inlays
• Bell brass raised tone ring
• Fiddle-shaped peghead
• 14-ply laminated hardwood rim
• 24 brackets
• 5:1 gear ratio 5th string tuning peg
• 4:1 planetary tuning pegs, mother of pearl buttons
• Maple neck, adjustable tension rod
• Two-piece tube and plate flange design
• Trap door tailpiece
• Engraved armrest
• Shaded finish maple resonator
• Gold plated metal parts
• Deluxe wood marquetry