I played in a Gospelfestival in Varmeland Sweden. After a gig a lady approached the stage. She told me she had an old banjo at homeand asked if it could be something. She told me it was a Levin banjo that her deceased father has had. He died when she was elev years and she newer heard him play it. It has been in her home in its case for nearly 50 years. I got interested because I once had a Levin Superior that I sold 25 years ago to get money to down payment to our first house. And I have been looking for a Levin since 15 years. The lady lived in the neighborhood and we went to her place. The case was a ruin and the locks were rusty. I managed to open it and nearly stumled. It was a Levin Superior. Dirty and one string missing. The lady said she wanted a good banjoplayer to play it and I was apparantly approved. So I bought it with the promise to fix it up and play it. Both her an I were equally happy. And later that night I played for her after replacing the string and the bridge. The lady nearly cried and said that this was big moment in her life. When the banjo came alive also the memories of her father came alive. A 55 year old dream became true.
Here is her father in 1937 with the banjo. He is 25 years old. And with him his sister on accordeon.
The case
Case was a ruin and locks rusty. It has been there for 50 years.
Serial number tells you itīs built 1932.
Original calfskin head has decayed.
Before
But inside there was a pearl. Dirty, but a pearl.
The tension rod years ahead of Gibson.
The peg is cleaned. Beuatiful inlays.
And the warranty labels gives you ten years guarantee.
Banjo now
And the banjo now after polishing.cleaning and new head and strings and bridge.
