What's the history? Orpheum Banjo Mandoin

[Daisypicker]

I have an Orphem No1 banjo mandolin that belinged to my uncle. #Can anyone give me some information about the insturment and/or the history of Orphem Instruments.

Thanks for your help.

[MandolinBobDawg]

Hi, I don't know the history but I just bought one from vintage frets in New Hampshire. It will be shipped this week. Bob in Spokane http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Michael Lewis]

Orpheum was a mid quality brand made by Retburg & Lang who also made Paramount. The number is the "style" or level of trim. No. 1 is the low end and the numbers for standard models goes up to 4, which is very fancy. It should be a pretty good instrument if set up properly.

[JGWoods]

Yes indeed - a fine instrument, made in NYC by Retteburg and Lange, noted for their archtop tone rings and strong treble presence. I have a #1 five string banjo as my main player and prefer it to the more famous Vega and Fairbanks banjos of the the same era made in Boston. Even the #1s have fine headstock inlays and pretty nice ones on the fingerboard too.

Somewhere along the way , probably before WWII they stopped production. The name has been resurrected more than once on low priced offshore guitars, mandolins, and banjos.

It seems Tacoma owns the name now, and they sell an inexpensive banjo with the Orpheum name, but not the distinctive tone ring, or sound.

gw