Recording King used the occasion of the 2012 Summer NAMM show to debut a pair of new instruments for bluegrass pickers.
One is a new entry into their affordably-priced, solid wood guitar series, and the other their first stab at the high end, custom banjo market.
For six-stringers, Recording King has introduced the RD-310 model, a mahogany body guitar with an Adirondack spruce top. It has a dreadnought body, with a thin, C-profile mahogany neck, and a standard 1 11/16” nut width. With a bone nut and saddle, and Grover tuners, it carries a price under $500.
At the other end of the spectrum is the new Avalon banjo, a limited edition, top-tension model created for serious collectors. It is the first in what is expected to be a new series of fine custom banjos, each with one-of-a-kind engraving done by Greg Rich, head of the company’s USA Custom Shop. Rich has been involved with Recording King since they launched, having previously held that position with Gibson. In fact, he is credited with helping to re-establish the credibility of Gibson banjos during his tenure there in the 1980s.
The Avalon will be a gold-plated instrument, with curly maple neck and resonator, radiused ebony fingerboard, and a detailed, hand-inlaid peghead veneer. In true top tension style, it has a solid, hand-carved resonator.
No more than five of these banjos are expected to be made each year, with a price in the $10,000 range.
Travis Atz with Recording King spent some time with our crew at Summer NAMM last week, and talked about the Avalon, and a few other new instruments being unveiled at the show.
