Back in town and back on the market...I'm selling my Kyle Creed Banjo...if the price is right. I will take a little time to consider all offers. I might consider a partial trade of a $1000 value (or thereabouts) for a fretless banjo of my liking, but cash is king.
The banjo has an 11" (or is it 10 3/4?) pot, 1/2" thick x 2" deep. The pot is stamped "Hand Made 1979 by Kyle Creed Galax, VA. There is a mysterious "3" stamped into the rim, see picture. Oh, the intrigue! The fingerboard is ebony with Kyle's snowflake inlays. I am not certain what the neck wood is, but it is a fine neck of native wood as you would expect. The workmanship is excellent, as is the playability. The action is about 3/16 at the 12th thread, and it comes with a Moon bridge and a hardshell case.
This banjo may have been one of Kyle's resonator banjos at one time. It also might have been a mix and match job of pot to neck, which he was well known to do. Nevertheless it has always been an openback Creed banjo since I obtained it many years ago. It has a plain bronze tone ring. The skin head was signed by Doc Watson (with David Holt) Sept 28, 2006 after their Reif Center performance in Grand Rapids MN. One minor flaw worth mentioning is the cracked ebony heel cap, likely from dehydration at some point, but it is still firmly attached and not in any danger. The peghead has a thin overlay of dark wood that looks like it may also have been stained.
Built by the legendary Kyle Creed, signed by the legendary Doc Watson, this banjo oozes oldtime mojo!
In-person cash sales only. I'm in northern Minnesota.
