Work Page 3-24
1920's Ludwig Kingston
Repair to play
This is an older example of Kingston, with the Brass "arrowhead" flange, but has the cast metal tension hoop.
It came with a letter from Ludwig in response to an inquiry about it's worth.
The letter states that the entire assembly was brass, but this is only an error due to the year of this banjo vs the later Kingston's that had a brass hoop.
Cast metal over time, may or may not degrade, it depends on the blend of metals used in the pour.
Some never degrades, some fall to pieces, as this one shows.
I will cannibalize a "Castle" plectrum for a brass hoop and do a re-fret, clean -up, setup and in the process show some differences in other models with parts I have in stock.
Such as flanges, head bearing bevels/edges.
.
This is an older example of Kingston, with the Brass "arrowhead" flange, but has the cast metal tension hoop.
It came with a letter from Ludwig in response to an inquiry about it's worth.
The letter states that the entire assembly was brass, but this is only an error due to the year of this banjo vs the later Kingston's that had a brass hoop.
Cast metal over time, may or may not degrade, it depends on the blend of metals used in the pour.
Some never degrades, some fall to pieces, as this one shows.
I will cannibalize a "Castle" plectrum for a brass hoop and do a re-fret, clean -up, setup and in the process show some differences in other models with parts I have in stock.
Such as flanges, head bearing bevels/edges.
.
If you look closely you can see breakage
This is the organ donor plectrum
This Kingston has a very sharp beasring edge, only good on skin heads
But first, a look at the letter
It has already ate up a tailpiece, operator error
Planet tuners
Thats the biggest piece
Tailpiece off
You can see the rounded edge
Hold -downs will be repaired as needed
That is all there is to one.
Pictured with all of the other Ludwig flanges
An early Ambassador, 2 piece, sharp bearing edge. And a Columbia, no tone ring.
Markers are celluloid, same as the drum shell covering Ludwig used
Frets going in
More like a drum bearing edge
Heel cap missing, Ludwig trademark!
Armrest removal
Pieces and crumbles...onward
All polished up
All the hardware on a Ludwig Kingston
A later Kingston with a round bearing edge.
Time for frets, I will use a 2.7mm nickel chrome
Ready for side markers
Even the brass one has a split, but this will not affect tensioning.
Ok Lets get it apart
All walnut banjos, love them.
As bolts come out, the pieces fly...
The wider bearing edge on this version
one piece flange and tone ring
Neck attaching hardware
Rim assembly with new REMO bottom frosted head
Picking an armrest with the least brassing
Ludwig ACE, a beveled edge
First comes the binding
Binding on and profiled, finish removed
Now for leveling/crowning/polishing frets
Setup GDAE on smooth head
Thanks for looking and sharing
VM
VM