W. A. Cole Eclipse #3000 Model Banjo, c. 1896, made in Boston, Mass., black varnish finish, laminated maple half-spun rim, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard.
A nice playing example of the Cole's Eclipse #3000 banjo with the famous man-in-the-moon headstock inlay, one of the iconic banjos of the classic 5-string era. These are generally considered to be one of the finest 5-string open back banjos ever made, rivaling Cole's ex-partner Fairbanks' instruments in beauty and craftsmanship, if not always in sound.
These banjos have many distinctive design and construction features. The elegantly shaped "Boat Heel" neck is a Cole trademark, as are the screw-threaded neck adjustor, the uniquely stylish oval shoes, and the simple but effective Eclipse tone ring. The dowel is marked "Cole's Eclipse", "W.A.Cole Maker Boston Mass", and "Patented Jan-30-1894". The trademark beautifully-engraved shaped pearl fingerboard and headstock inlays are extremely crisp.
Overall length is 36 3/4 in. (93.3 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 27 1/2 in. (698 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
A very good old-time player set up with a skin head and nylon strings; this banjo has original metal friction pegs with grained ivoroid buttons and would also be suitable for light steel strings. There is moderate wear overall, with a very well-repaired grain split through one tuner hole. There is some wear to the dowel around the Cole logo where it appears a mute or tone ring support was added at some point, but no holes drilled through the stick. All hardware and fittings appear original except the fifth string peg and the tailpiece, which is a repro No-Knot. Very Good + Condition.
