Weymann and Sons Banjo Mandolin..info needed

[icecoach22]

First time on Mandolin Cafe. I was wondering if anyone can give me a approximate date on this Weymann and Sons Banjo mandolin and what it's worth. Pictures attached.

[Jim Garber]

What si the measurement of the drumhead? I would guess about 8 inches. Weymann also made a 7 inch one of which I have. IMHO if you have to have a mandolin-banjo these are the ones that sound pretty good, esp with a skin head. I bought mine over 30 years ago but I would say that it is prob worth a few hundred dollars.

[icecoach22]

Thanks Jim! I will measure tonight, but I believe it's 8". It does have a nice sound but the action is not that good. I picked this up at a hole in the wall music shop going out of business 25 years ago. Any idea on how I can find out the age?

[Jim Garber]

This is from Joe Bethancourt's encyclopedic banjo site:

WEYMANN BANJOS

Weymann made banjos under the "Keystone" name beginning in early 1900. These were 5-stringed, and are quite interesting. Beginning in late 1924, they began to make the tenor and plectrum models for which they are famous. Weymanns tend to be quite rare.

Starting Serial Number ................ Year

35000...........................1924
37000...........................1925
39000...........................1926
41000...........................1927
43000...........................1928
45000...........................1929
45500...........................1930
46000...........................1931
46800...........................1932
47500...........................1933
48200...........................1934

Here is a ukulele-banjo that is very similar to my mandolin-banjo. That metal brace on the back is a patented Weymann feature.

Some more info here.

Below is a 7 inch Weymann mandolin banjo very similar to mine. This is from the mugwumps.com site. Yours looks proportionately bigger which is why I guessed 8 inch head.

[usqebach]

Not much I can add, other than I've got one of these, and mine looks like the 7". I do love it, and think the sound is much sweeter than the instrument typically gets credit for. But it is loud (!), and I find that a rag stuffed in the pot is appreciated in most jam settings.

I am forever tearing up my wrist/forearm on the tailpiece cover and various metal thingys on it. Does anyone know where I could get or have someone make a forearm guard (like on bigger banjos) for it?

Thanks!

jim

[Jim Garber]

I doubt that there would be any arm guard for these. I have only seen this small head on Weymanns and the guard would have to be made for it. You could put the cut sleeve of a sweatshirt over your arm when playing it. Otherwise, contact a banjo guy like Bob Smakula. Maybe he would have a suggestion.

[bgjunkie]

I have a 7 inch Weymann, it even came in the purple felt lined case like Jim pictured. Mine has metal tuners though.

[MikeEdgerton]

I had a Weymann tenor that had what appeared to be a factory armrest on it. It was more like heavy wire. It also had a pickguard that was suspended over the head and appeared to be original. I was always amazed by it because part of the suspension mechanism was made with a bicycle spoke.