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Hello and Thank you for visiting to my page! For people that want to discuss banjos without having to belong to a group. Without you, there would be no me! Vinnie

I am Vinnie Mondello, www.4stringbanjos.com

I had the honor of being inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame in 2025! My name is Vincent ("Vinnie")Mondello
I am 64 yrs old , hail from Pflugerille, TX. Stromberg 4 string tenor banjos are my passion. My Grandfather Frank,Great Uncle Victor and my Father James" Buster" Mondello were prominent banjo players from E.Boston Mass. and played with many bands and orchestras throughout their lives. My Dad grew up playing instruments in Chas and Elmer Stromberg's shop at 40 Hanover St. , E.Boston. My Grandfather met Chas.A.Stromberg at the Thompson-Odell factory in t he early 1900s and worked also with him at the Stromberg shop ,as well as the Fairbanks-Vega Co., building and testing instruments. My Dad passed away 1-27-2011 and I am doing what I can to keep the family history involved in 4 string banjo. Thank you all for your support over the years.

11/04/2026

Finished up the S.S. Stewart, it acted as it should, ready to head home.
Thanks for looking and sharing,
VM

10/31/2026

I am doing a cleanup on an S.S. Stewart "Universal Favorite" 5 string.
Nice example, will be strung up with Nyl-Gut's.
Thanks for looking and sharing.
There is a work page on my website: "Banjohaven"
If one wants to view it there.
Facebook no longer allows me to show a link.

Thanks for looking and sharing. VM

10/28/2026

Back to its original glory, it ain't a tool unless you can use it! :)

🔥 Found this incredible piece of machinery sitting in an old workshop! This is a vintage Wilson ball-mount vise (often called a bowler's vise or multi-angle vise), sitting heavily rusted but full of character on its original swiveling base. Tools like this were engineered for ultimate flexibility, allowing craftsmen to adjust work to any angle. Total industrial history. 🛠️ Should I restore it or leave the patina?

10/27/2026

Another example of a high performance drum from the 1920s that used some technology from their banjo dept.
Slingerland had some fancy tone rings in the high end of the banjo line that I always felt rivaled or exceeded the Silver Bell design. This perloid color was used on the Slingerland Recording Songster line that even had a neck that had the perloid vac-u-formed onto it. I never saw one with an issue, well done. They came in Green, Gold, and Black perloid. I love all of the "Drum Co." banjos, many are top notch.
Thanks for looking and sharing, VM

10/27/2026

I wonder, was her name Harmony Kay Benson ??

10/27/2026

Holding my breath on these as well, if you have 2 or 3 of each example. "No hump Grover" just doesn't sound right :P

10/27/2026

Still looking for one of these when one of you get ready to sell.
I'll keep holding my breath.
Thanks for looking and sharing,VM

10/27/2026

Gallery photos from and older restoration.
Truett-George tenor.
Predecessor of the Trujo.
Made in very low numbers under contract, by Gibson.
Double cut style peghead.
I love the unique tone ring system. it weighs out around 2.2 lbs.
Velma Truett was an artist with the Bacon Bani Co. first, and I always the Bacon skin head may have been a part of the old tie4s. Who knows.
Thanks for looking and sharing,
VM

10/27/2026

Gallery Photo - Not for sale. Long Gone.
Paramount Melody Banjo
Thanks for looking and sharing.

10/25/2026

Work page completion on the Windsor, final pics up.

I will use this method to show work on Facebook from now on, using a text block to explain a sequence instead of making you go to my "4stringbanjos" webpage which I can no longer give an active link for you to see it.
It is a Dot Com, if you want to view it.
So no more text description on each pic, sorry. Thanks Zuck.

This sequence shows me cleaning the rest of the hardware, oiling the pegs, and then the assembly of the rim.
I am using a stanchion from a Barnes & Mullins just for the cosmetic effect. it is made differently so I glued it into place instead to keep the eye from drifting to the empty spot.
Then I strung it to pitch and used a rosewood bridge.
The strings are Aquila "Nyl-Gut" medium tension.
The action is acceptable now for this style banjo.
The string spacings on the bridge are constrained by the tailpiece design so this is as wide as it wants to be.
Not as wide as bluegrass spacings for sure.
It has a nice bright and perky tone from the small diameter skin head.
Then some final pics as I let things settle in, tweak things.
I will take that shiny gloss down with some hand polishing so it has more of a satin look again.
Thanks for looking and sharing
VM
(Banjohaven on the web)

Address

Pflugerville, TX

Website

http://www.4stringbanjos.com/

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