I've owned a few Whyte Laydies over the years, and this one here is the best of the lot. It's a 1920, which places it right toward the end of David L. Day's tenure at Vega. Though more basic in appearance than some earlier offerings, I often argue that the banjos made between 1919 and Day's departure in 1922 are possibly the best sounding and most solidly constructed instruments ever to leave the Vega factory.
This here is a particularly fine example of one such banjo. It is a "Professional" model, having a 10 15/16'' head and 27'' scale length. The twenty-two original frets are in excellent condition, and the neck also retains the original tuners, original nut, and original pip. The dyed maple peghead overlay and heel cap are in fine condition with no cracks (the dyed hardwoods on Vegas from this era hold up better than those of the 1900s-1910s). The original French polish finish is in incredible condition, and the neck is as straight as you'll find on one of these old banjos (quite straight, but not perfectly straight to those who have OCD).
The rim is fitted with the original Cook's Sure Grip tailpiece (in modern parlance, a "cammed no-knot"). The hardware is exceptionally clean for its age. The only notable wear is at the location where the player's right arm contacts the tension hoop and near the neck heel, where a Hartnett Tone Bar was almost certainly once fastened. The rim shows typical minor delamination in three spots. One can merely be filled with glue if desired. The other two will require clamping to close them up, though it is my recommendation with these old banjos to leave well enough alone. The rim is stable, it's been like this for a long time, and the tone is in no way affected.
Speaking of tone, this is the loudest, most full-bodied Whyte Laydie I have ever owned. It has the remarkable clarity that all good Whyte Laydies have, but I find that I can pull more tone out of it than usual. It also has great dynamic range and excellent responsiveness (the notes just fly right off the head with minimal effort). If you were at either of the last two ABF Rallies, you heard this banjo and know what a powerhouse it is.
The action with a period 1/2'' bridge is exactly where it should be, and I find it comfortable for multiple styles of playing. It is currently fitted with a Hooks "Gibbs" model, but I can supply a different bridge should a buyer desire something modern or with a wider spacing. The banjo ships in a period (but not original to this banjo) Vega case that could use some TLC but will get the job done.
Per usual, I'm selling to fund the purchase of another banjo. Feel free to ask any questions that you might have, and thanks for looking.
