A.C. Fairbanks

A.C. Fairbanks and William E Cole established the Fairbanks & Cole musical instrument workshop in Beach Street, Boston in 1880 to make guitars, banjos and mandolins. William's brother Frank Cole also joined as production manager. In 1890 they patented a banjo tone ring design which evetually became the famous Whyte Laydie model in 1903. Fairbanks himself left the company in 1892 to concentrate on making wooden bicycle rims. The Cole brothers also left to form another banjo company. Fairbanks & Cole was bought by Dodge & Cummings who changed the name to AC Fairbanks & Co Inc. and put David L Day (later of Bacon Banjo Co.) in charge of production at new premises at 786 Washington Street.