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Overview

Barnes & Mullins Empress banjos are beautiful instruments named in memory of the 'RMS Empress of Ireland' steam ship which sank on Canada's St Lawrence River in May 1914 with the loss of over 1000 lives. Mr Albert Mullins, who was on the return leg of a 2 year worldwide sales voyage, was one of the lost souls that day.

Featuring a wonderfully figured burl walnut resonator with its spellbinding marbled grain pattern, combined with a walnut rim and neck, the Empress banjo is a real head turner!

Tonally, you can expect superb depth to the overall sound, paired with a bright and articulate response that rewards exploration and encourages performance of a wide range of playing styles.

Complete with chrome hardware and fittings, ovangkol fingerboard with patterned fret inlays, and traditional planetary machineheads.

Why should I buy a 4-string banjo?

This 4-String Irish/Gaelic banjo features 17 frets and is commonly tuned in ‘Irish tuning’ G,D,A,E (4th to 1st). Its shorter scale length makes playing typically fast Irish fiddle styles and songs easier, therefore making its use more common among these types of music and musicians.

It makes for an excellent introductory instrument if you’re new to the world of banjos given its use of fewer strings than 5-string banjos, its shorter scale length, and its versatile playing styles.

Common Irish/Gaelic 4-string banjo tunings

G, D, A, E – Irish Tenor Tuning
C, G, D, A – Standard Tenor Tuning

BODY & CONSTRUCTION

STYLE: 4-String Irish/Gaelic Resonator
RESONATOR: Figured Burl Walnut
HEAD: Remo Weatherking®
FLANGE: Chrome
TONE RING: Rolled Brass
BRACKET QTY: 24
RIM: Walnut
BRIDGE: Maple with Ovangkol Tip
HARDWARE: Chrome
TAILPIECE: Chrome
ARMREST: Chrome

NECK

NECK: Walnut
FINGERBOARD: Ovangkol 
FRETS: 17
INLAYS: Mother of Pearl Patterned

HEADSTOCK

MACHINEHEADS: Planetary
TRUSSROD COVER: 'Empress' Script
NUT WIDTH: 31mm

DIMENSIONS

SCALE LENGTH: 502mm
WEIGHT: 5kg

Specification

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Packaged Weight & Dimensions

Height (CM)	105
Width (CM)	68
Depth (CM)	27
Weight (Kg)	5