After almost 30 years of supplying the finest banjo parts available for builders, manufacturers and home craftsmen worldwide, the decision was made to attempt to create a banjo which would be unsurpassed in quality, beauty, and have the much sought after sound found in many of the early banjos. Clarity and power with a strong booming bass was the goal. Real value in a quality instrument was also a prime consideration.

Every part used in the construction of a Sullivan banjo is selected for perfection. Each step of the manufacturing operation is carefully monitored to insure the instrument you will play and enjoy for many years will still be worthy when you decide to pass it down to a deserving grandchild.

Skilled hands perform delicate tasks, which a machine could never duplicate. There is a degree of love built into each instrument. Care and perfection is the watchword.

Each instrument is built as a personal testament to the skilled craftsmen who passed this legacy down.

"I bought the Sullivan Greenbrier 
  model and absolutely love it!"

                      R. Kevin Rigdon,  KY

Model Specifications :

NECK WOOD:

The wood used in the Sullivan Greenbrier banjo neck is hand selected, curly maple, harvested in  Virginia and cut into billets in our shop. The neck wood is sticked and racked for up to two years. Moisture content is checked periodically and at just the right time, the neck wood is laid out for cutting into the basic banjo neck. The neck is band sawn to rough shape and racked for another six months or more, again, moisture is checked and if the neck stock is ready it is hand graded for beauty of curl, grain orientation and any possible defects. If the selected wood passes these rigorous inspections it is set aside to become a Sullivan Greenbrier banjo neck.

The Radcliff walnut neck must meet the same criteria as the Greenbrier and is treated similarly. American black walnut is used. A high burl veneer is used as an overlay on the back of the headstock. This ties in nicely with the high burl walnut resonator.

The Bardstown mahogany neck must also meet the high standards established for a Sullivan banjo neck. Our mahogany stock is imported and is the highest pattern grade, Honduras mahogany available. The Bardstown neck also gets a highly figured mahogany overlay on the back of the headstock, which perfectly matches the figured mahogany resonator.

RESONATORS:

Jimmy Cox, at his shop in Maine, assembles the un-bound resonators. Mr. Cox is regarded as the very best resonator builder in the country. We hand select the very best of the best to become Sullivan banjo resonators.

The Greenbrier has the close high curl figure in select maple, the Radcliff's figured walnut is burl rarely seen, except on the dashboard of very expensive luxury cars. The Bardstown has very rare quilted mahogany; no other banjo being produced today has this rare and desirable figured mahogany.

WOOD RIMS:

The wood rim is steam bent and assembled by Jimmy Cox. The maple used in these 3-ply rims is the slow growth, cold climate, rock maple, harvested on the Canadian border. We hand select each rim for perfection before precision lathe fitting to the tone ring and flange. We like the depth and clarity produced by these fine maple rims.

METAL HARDWARE:

All metal hardware is nickel or gold plated. Brass is used with two exceptions; the flange is die cast like the old original Mastertone and the hooks are made of steel, as were the old originals. Prucha hardware is standard.

TONERING:

The tonering used is a custom bell metal 20 hole flathead especially designed for the Sullivan banjo. The Sullivan logo is tastefully engraved on the skirt and this tonering is cryogenically treated to 300 degrees below zero for 12 hours to artificially age the metal. No need to have to wait 50 years to get the best sound your banjo can produce. An archtop tonering is available as a special order item.

TAILPIECE:

The Sullivan banjo now comes standard with the old original style, double hump adjustable clamshell tailpiece found on some of the most desirable banjos ever built.

TUNERS:

Old style, Grover type, Pavel 4:1 ratio pancake tuners fitted with ivory buttons are standard. These are a smooth and very accurate tuner.

HEAD:

The Sullivan banjo head is produced by the Ludwig Company and sports the Sullivan logo. Frosted top is standard, smooth white and clear are available.

BRIDGE:

Snuffy Smith SS-1 5/8" tall is standard.

INLAYS:

The Sullivan peghead is tastefully inlaid with a custom torch with the Sullivan name positioned in a graceful arch over the torch. The peghead is bound in real mother of Pearl and a mother of pearl truss rod cover rounds out the peghead package. The fingerboard is black ebony with a stylish, 10-inlay pattern and a name block at the 21st fret.

NECK SHAPING:

The neck is patterned from examples of old original Mastertone necks we have in our shop. Width at the nut is slightly under 1-1/4" and about 1-15/16" at the heel including binding. The neck at the first five frets has the pre-war Gibson slight "V" feel, which the professional players like. The frets are medium banjo, 18% hard nickel silver. The frets extend over the binding to give a bit of extra playing width without the neck being any wider. The Sullivan neck has the basic size of a modern Mastertone with minor refinements.

FINISH:

Each Sullivan banjo has a depth of finish and richness of color rarely seen in a banjo at any price. Each piece is carefully sanded to perfection, stained and finished with high gloss lacquer. Again hand sanded and final polished to a brilliance, which will last for years. Even the wood rim is finished with the same care.

CASE:

A custom, TKL American Vintage series, hard-shell case is included. Features include    5-ply wooden frame construction with arched top and reinforced structural seams.

    

Get your hands on a Sullivan banjo; you'll never let go.