| CHARLES Z FISH'S PRE-WAR GIBSON BANJOS |
| BELLA VOCE |
| Gibson introduced the Bella Voce, meaning "beautiful voice" in Italian, along with the Florentine, in August, 1927. These instruments were the top of the line. The Bella Voce sold for $400.00. Like the Florentine, it was generally custom made from a variety of woods, including burl walnut and curly maple. This banjo is white-painted maple, which Gibson referred to as "white holly." A replica 5-string neck is being crafted by Monte Hendricks. |
| The serial number (8685-9) dates the banjo circa 1927. |
| The fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood with a mother of pearl inlay that is unique to the Bella Voce. |
| It has an ebony-veneered fiddle-shaped peghead with elaborate mother of pearl inlays, which in 1928 Gibson replaced on most Bella Voces with a celluloid-veneered peghead with rhinestone inlays identical to that of the Florentine. |
| The back of the peghead is elaborately carved and painted. |
| The neck features "Christmas binding," in this case with a multi-colored swirl, identical to that of the Florentine on these pages. The fingerboard is not cellluloid, or "pearloid," as in the case of the Florentine. |
| The neck heel is also carved and painted. |
| The resonator is carved and painted on the sides and the back, which features a lyre, a horn and a banjo entwined in vines. |
| The banjo has a two-piece flange and a 40-hole archtop tone ring. |
| All the hardware, including the armrest, is gold-plated and heavily engraved. |
| The tailpiece is engraved with the name, "Bella Voce," and has a "two-hump" design. |
| The Bella Voce remained in the Gibson line for only three years. |