1974 Alvarez Silver Princess with Tubaphone Tonering, Very Good, Hard Case

Description

1974 Alvarez Silver Princess with Tubaphone Tonering, Very Good, Hard Case.
The early and mid 1970's were a time of enlightenment as far as stringed musical instruments were concerned. Most of the new products ranged from "not quite right" to total junk.
With most roots musicians gravitating towards older vintage instruments, some manufacturers noticed and started their own lines of vintage copies. Saint Louis Music, the parent company of Alvarez, came up with having a Japanese manufacturer produce a copy of the famed Vega Tubaphone.
Though this banjo has a lot of the features, like a Tubaphone copy tonering, two point shoes, ball end hex nuts, there wasnt enough about the instrument that just didn't catch on as well as marketing predicted.
SLM even had resonators made to be retro fitted to the Silver Princess banjos that were languishing in the warehouse, making it sort of a budget Vega Earl Scruggs model instrument.
The neck is mahogany with a 27" scale rosewood fretboard with large slotted diamond mother-of-pearl position markers. The 11" maple rim has chrome plated hardware with the Tubaphone tonering and shoes attached to a bracket band.
I believe all the parts are original, with the exception of the No-Knot tailpiece. The spa treatment this instrument received was a refret on the slightly radiused fretboard, cleaning, and fitting the neck correctly to the rim.
It plays great and has a remarkable clear, precise Tubaphone sound that you can use for old time, or bluegrass.
I will accept returns if item is not as described in the listing, otherwise this is a AS-IS auction
I recently purchased over 30 Vintage stringed instruments at Auction, I am planning to list more Gibson and other brands, I have Banjos, Mandolins, Violins and my Favorite "The Ukulele". Stay tuned and thanks for looking.