Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. The exceptions are those guitars sold by Selmer in the UK which will (probably) have a number stamped into the back of the headstock and guitars sold by Van Wouw in the Netherlands. PDF Gibson Banjo Construction Evolution An entire bin was a "lot" and would contain Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. These appear to have a unique serial number scheme. Martin introduced their versions of acoustic-electrics: the D-18E in 1958 and D-28E in 1959. There are a few examples of A-2Zs with black tops, though this was probably used to cover some imperfection in the selected tops. Inlays and bindings are remarkably consistent through the years. There were many name variations for The Bacon Banjo Company, Inc. but it remained in Fred Bacons name from 1920 until the company closed in 1938. It marked the beginning of a new era for Gibson. A New Leaf from Steven Moore. The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. 3 hrs, 'Pisgah 12 Builders Choice Custom Walnut Dobson 5+1 String Banjo' 3 hrs, 'Custom 12inch Billybilt Banjo w Figured Maple neck and Curly maple RIckard Pot and Balch head' 4 hrs, '11inch Billybilt Banjo with Antique Spunover SS Stewart Pot and Curly Maple neck' 4 hrs, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<, We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By the records, between 200 and 300 were built. The individual artist's touch on the . Gibson discontinued the A-3 around 1922. 428 Geared pegs, reinforced neck & high nut, MYNNN or MYNNNN Month = 1-9 with 3 or 4-digit production number, MMYNNN or MMYNNNN Month =10,11,12 with 3 or 4-digit production number, # 41122 would have been made April 1971, #122, #121131 could be made in either December 1971, #131 or January 1972, #1131, #221 could have been made around 1907 or in the early 1940s, #2121 could have been made around 1913 or 1914, the late 1940s or February 1971, #21, #31121 could have been made in the early 1931 or 1932, 1960 or March 1971, #121. New Location: Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". banjo headstock identification Serial Search - Gibson Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. English mandolin banjo, by cuckoo, circa 1900s, of typical form, 'Cuckoo' imprinted on the headstock, 55 cm long American Orpheum mandolin banjo , by Rettberg & Lange, no. If you want to use any of this information: Also, the first batch of J-45s had more binding both on the body and soundhole. The sunburst finish was generally $30 less than natural finish. In general, higher model numbers meant more binding and ornament. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Example of custom shape is well represented below with the "Tennessee Banjo". B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. It is not clear how Gibson decided to set their nut widths and neck thicknesses. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. Back & Sides: Mahogany but some released as Brazilian rosewood. The concept behind the J-45 was a high quality, affordable, big-sounding acoustic flat-top guitar. In some cases, teachers would purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other cases they carry no identifying name at all. It was bound on the top, back, sides and around the fretboard. I'll have to record it and post a tune. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. I am the third owner, the previous owner researched it and, based on the serial number, headstock design and inlays declares it to be a 1976 Gibson RB 250 MASTERTONE model with the 20 hole metal tone ring. It had binding on front, back, soundhole and the fretboard; The Gibson inlaid into the headstock and a better grade of spruce top. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. The Mark Series guitars had 16 3/16 lower bouts with very narrow waists, and a headstock like no other in Gibson tradition. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. There was some amber color. I have an open back banjo with a number 44 stamped in the ring, and May 2, 1899 carved in the support on the backside. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, Sometimes (rarely) the labels are easy to read: the model and serial numbers hand-printed in ink and sometimes the information was written in pencil and is now barely legible. The back and sides were still mahogany but the Southerner Jumbo had a dark wooden stripe separating the 2 back pieces. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. Silkscreen logos - Low end models. Mid to late 1944, the neck block revert back to mahogany, though poplar is occasionally used. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. You can buy the book here on Amazon and I would highly recommend it. On 12 fret to the body guitars, in a break with tradition, the Larson brothers frequently inlayed the 10th fret instead of the ninth. bands even in the early 1890s. Towards the end, the line actually continued to increase in sales. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. The back and sides were Brazilian rosewood and the tops Adirondack red spruce. Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. This was available in brown, black or blonde finish. ARIA 921C. The headstock had a black wood face veneer. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. New guitars were supplied with user applied pick guards, and extra saddles of different heights that could be easily inserted to adjust the string action to accommodate the swelling of the instrument with seasonal humidity changes. By 1936, with the depression still gripping the nation, Gibson moved to stay competitive and offer a more affordable option: The Advanced Jumbo (Advanced meaning that the size advanced: got bigger) with rosewood and fancier appointments that would compete with the Martin D-28 at $80 and the Jumbo 35 at $35 to compete with the Martin D-18. Binding a Banjo Headstock - AcousticBox.com The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything. Martins 1st steel string: 1922, 18 Mahogany body after 1917, no volute on headstock, 40 Rosewood body, MOP top & soundhole but not neck base, 41 Rosewood body, MOP top & soundhole but not neck base, 1969+ D-only, 42 Rosewood body, MOP top, soundhole & neck base but not sides, 45 Rosewood body, MOP top, soundhole, neck base & sides, S (1967 on) 12 fret neck, slotted headstock, Dyer (1906 1923?) The 1934 was single bound, front and back with dot markers on the rosewood fretboard and a horizontal script logo inlay on the headstock. banjo headstock identificationleap year program in python using for loop. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. Build Your Own Huber Banjo | HuberBanjos.com Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. So, take a look and . The one delivered first to Ray Whitley was not the model now seen as the beginning of the Super Jumbos, but a simpler 12 fret version. The neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). 1980 $1249 By late 1980, the Gibson deluxe tuners with Crank button, and Posi-Lok strap button were added. Pearl dots on fretboard. Because there are few of these instruments around, little has been written about them, though some did find their way into the hands of influential artists of the day. The fingerboard typically has inlays made of silver or steel. S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. Gibson. Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Buy in monthly payments with Affirm on orders over $50. Example: U8034853 U = Unsung, 8 = 1998, 03 = March, 4853 = manufacturing number. Welcome to the Vintage Banjo Maker, please do sign up for email updates to keep in the loop about new additions to our research coming soon! The guitar designs, however, were not the problem. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well. I doubt you'll find this in a catalog. The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. Some early necks were cherry before 1912. You'll find Epiphone serial numbers in the standard places. The bridge was a small rectangular block type with a through saddle. Steel Guitar. There is a utility market though. 519,409 In 1894, he patented this wild banjo with a neck that folds in on itself at the 10th fret in order to facilitate transportation. Late 1974 gold covered recording pickups are replaced with humbuckers. MB -- mandolin banjo. Since that day in 1989, Deering has breathed new life into the Vega name, blending over a century of tradition with Deering's banjo building expertise, to create a range of heritage rich open back and longneck banjos that are as integral to the modern folk . The neck was basically the neck stocks from the L-5 archtop: 3 ply maple with single wide bound scalloped fretboard ends and headstocks and the early models had the L-5 flowerpot inlay on the headstock. Go back. peghead shape. Number on headstock, Open Back, Pink OHC liner, Klusons with white plastic buttons, bound f/b: I/N Auction 8/2007 : 1962 : 88909: RB-180 . 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. Most information about Larson Brothers instruments comes from their catalog published around 1930. Here's the photo gallery that I put together:velkdesign.com/assets/banjo/. Serial numbers are addressed elsewhere on the web site but can be found also on Gibsons website and George Gruhn & Walter Carters book: Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth The tuners were individual. The 1975 price was $1,999. ', 'Pisgah 12 Builders Choice Custom Walnut Dobson 5+1 String Banjo', 'Custom 12inch Billybilt Banjo w Figured Maple neck and Curly maple RIckard Pot and Balch head', '11inch Billybilt Banjo with Antique Spunover SS Stewart Pot and Curly Maple neck'. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. Presentation banjos often turned up at NAMMand other shows. S. S. Stewart Guitars Born of a Banjeau Maker teachers who sold them to students, some of which are tagged with the name of Information compiled by Leonard Wyeth 2008, L Wyeth, Century General Introduced 1933 for the Century of Progress Exhibition @ $55. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. and What's it sound like? 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. 1940: #1 or #001 to 1965: approximately #84xxx. This peghead is found on low end, turn of the century, Lyon & Healy banjos, often with the L&H or Mystic brand stamped into the strut. I just have a few questions. Q: What is the first step in determining the age of my banjo? The soundhole size coincided with the overall size of the instrument. http://www.mugwumps.com. The Maurer Company records have been lost. Banjo Identification No Name Models - Mugwumps On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . banjo headstock identification - voxu.group 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/27/2013 17:30:00, Charles in SC - Posted-12/27/2013: 20:38:42. To accommodate the pickup, the standard production neck was pushed up to a neck-body joint at the 15th fret. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of Its difficult to positively 1908 into 1916: Elevated pickguards of plastic tortoise shell clamped to the body with a removable clamp and pinned to the bridge. themselves through common hardware and design characteristics. There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. Yes, paging Scott to the Collector's Corner, please. 2. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. Gibson RB-250 MASTERTONE 5-string RB250 - All Original with - Reverb.com Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. Banjo Headstock Designs. Ohio banjo player Steven Moore has his first solo project, Just a Little Talk with Myself, just recently released. MK-81 models were rosewood back & sides, ebony fingerboard with figured abalone block inlays & gold plated hardware. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. Factory Order Numbers (FON) include the 2100s to 2500s, The adjustable truss rod reappeared in 1944, Tuners cogs got slightly thicker and with beveled edges. Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. The narrower guitar sizes allowed for available materials. See also: Gibson J-160E for more historical context. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names, Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. Banjo Headstocks - Pinterest First published as a folk music magazine in 1971 by Michael I. Holmes before going online in 1997, Mugwumps is a no-frills, highly informative site that's packed with well-written articles, detailed photographs, and historical ads of old instruments and parts. Gibson style one piece flange, probably zinc, also Gibson style flange brackets, 4 resonator screws. For a period of time, this was the top of the line. 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. Serial Numbers - Acoustic Music The public seems to have favored this shape over time as it fetches better prices now. 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. Post war logo, 1947/8 to '60s found on various guitar like Melody Maker, Les Paul Jr, Special, Lg0, Lg2, Sg Jr, Special, ecc, ecc.Note the dot link to G. '70 Gold logo - Decal instead silkscreening. It appears that many mandolin owners of earlier models chose to upgrade their bridges to the fancy new adjustable models after 1921. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. Notable endorsers of this model include Leon Redbone. The original Factory Order Numbers (FON) appear to show the first De Luxe Jumbos were delivered bewteen March and June of 1938 to Joe Wolverton, Ray Whitley and Gene Autry. The top and back are lightly arched, producing the deepest measurement in the center of the guitars body. Other singing cowboys who later owned Super Jumbos include Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models (like the ES-125, ES-140, J-160E, etc.) LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. 615-264-4959. Some SJNs with plastic Special Bridges. Between 1975 and 1979, Gibson worked with Dr. Michael Kashas acoustic theories for guitar and Luthier Richard Schneiders design applications to create a unique instrument for the Gibson acoustic lineup. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. Like the SJ-100 of the same year, the J-55 had a stair-step headstock that persisted for only 2 years. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. Rated 5.00 out of 5. The electronics cover on the back was matching solid figured maple. Please read the section on J-35s and J-55s as the J-45s and Southerner Jumbos replaced the earlier models it was a natural evolution. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. The name variations included Bacon and Day and B&D for all the instruments co-developed by Fred Bacon and David Day. Gibson The Gibson Super Jumbo first appeared in 1937. Google Play. The neck is the long piece of wood that attaches to the banjo body that guides the strings along the instrument's fretting surface (called the fingerboard ). A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. LG-0 | Introduced 1958 | Discontinued 1973, LG-1 | Introduced 1947 | Discontinued 1968, LG-2 | Introduced 1942 | Discontinued 1962, LG-2- | Introduced 1949 | Discontinued 1962, LG-3 | Introduced 1946 | Discontinued 1963, B-25 | Introduced 1962 | Discontinued 1976, FJ-N | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, F-25 | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, B-15 | Introduced 1967 | Discontinued 1970, Brazilian rosewood rectangular through bridges, 2 screws in the bridge with MOP dot covers, Basically the same as LG-1 with a mahogany top, Single plastic tortoise shell binding top and back, Narrow neck design with 14 degree headstock angle, Same basic guitar as LG-2 with average wood, Wood imperfections covered by a dark sunburst, Tall scalloped braces change to low-profile rough cut, Enlarged rectangular bridge with closed slot, Fire striped plastic pickguard teardrop shape, Last use of the Banner decal on headstocks, Basically the same as an LG-2 with better materials, Bottom belly rosewood bridges with adjustable saddles, Back, sides and neck finished in walnut stain, Body shape: 16 wide, round shoulder dreadnought shape, Top: Select spruce, 2-piece bookmatched with scalloped X-bracing, Neck: mahogany, single piece, unbound, 19 fret, dot markers, Bridges: Rosewood belly-down.