Description
Bacon & Day – Ne Plus Ultra Troubadour 1934 The Bacon Banjo Co. of Groton, Connecticut was compelled by popular demand to enter the guitar market in the early 30?s. Whether any of Bacon?s guitars were ever completely built in Groton is somewhat of a mystery. There clearly are later examples of guitars with Regal Chicago built bodies that were finished and decorated at Groton. Some claim that Bacon did not have guitar building facilities. But there do exist Bacon guitars from the early to mid 1930?s that have unique and distinctly different build styles from any known Regal guitar. Body shapes and sizes, bracing configuration and even the marks of the builders themselves seem to point to the idea that these guitars were designed to be different. Most of what might have been known today was swept away by the 1938 Hurricane and whatever pieces were left, including the name, were picked up by Gretsch.This Ne Plus Ultra Troubadour Style 2M is slightly larger than 16? and has an exceptionally deep body at 5? measured at the apex of the arches. Both top and back are arched. This model has mahogany back and sides and was the second fanciest archtop in the Bacon catalog. The similar top of the line rosewood model 3R had gold plated hardware and engraved fretboard position markers. The extravagantly adorned headstock overlay is surely a carryover from the style of Bacon?s fancy and sought after banjos. Another unique and flashy Bacon archtop.Courtesy of D. Buettner
