Recording King has introduced the latest model in their line of budget-priced, tone ring banjos. Known as the Deco King, this banjo features a luminous pearloid resonator and peghead overlay, a popular banjo appointment in the 1930s and early ’40s.
The neck is finished in a gloss black, again drawing on the Art Deco theme that inspired this new model, though the banjo is otherwise built to the standards of modern 5 strings. The pot is composed of a 3-ply maple ring with a Mastertone-style flange and tone ring and a one-piece resonator.
Recording King was a “catalog brand” for Gibson back before World War II, produced to satisfy a lower end market in popular mail order catalogs. The brand was resurrected a few years ago by The Music Link, and the new banjos and guitars are built in China under the design supervision of former Gibson production manager Greg Rich.
The Deco King banjo is shipped with a hard shell case and a lifetime warranty for a list price of $1599.99. Detailed specs can be found on the RK web site.
