Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Art Studios. 1908 into 1916: Elevated pickguards of plastic tortoise shell clamped to the body with a removable clamp and pinned to the bridge. The sunburst finish was generally $30 less than natural finish. 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! Information gathered from many sources but there are a few that need to be acknowledged: Dan Beimborns original Mandolin Pages web site and later contributions to the Mandolin Archive. 1973 $895 L-5S a few instruments shipped and cherry sunburst is the only available finish. If you count the plies in the rim it is about 12 or 13 which is what I have seen in a lot of Asian banjos. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee Ebony Fretboards were generally thicker than other builders. The L-series is very difficult to properly identify and date as they were inconsistent in their appointments and the catalog descriptions do not always agree with the actual instruments produced. 1-6 digits stamped into the top edge of the headstock-often difficult to read. banjos, not surprising since they bought out the Buckbee factory in 1898. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. Angled (Tilted-Back) Headstock. 1921 onward: Metal 90-degree pickguard support screwed into the body and additional screw to the neck. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well. Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. The individual artist's touch on the . side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. For example: Gretsch stopped production of Bacon and B&D banjos. Why not post a little tune with it. They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. These instruments live a bit outside that critique. Silkscreen logos - Low end models. Gibson Banjo Serial Number Factory Order Number Information; Pre-war banjos, Flathead, Mastertone. The 1975 price was $879. Huber Banjos offers our new owners the option of either customizing one of our stock models, or "designing your own dream banjo" from among the various wood and metal configurations, and the many . Like everything else, we have seen exceptions to the listed dimensions; especially the nut widths. ss stewart presentation banjo - Google Search. S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. The 5th string is a crucial distinguishing characteristic of the five-string banjo, both in the instrument's appearance and in the sound of the music. Edited by - rfvelk on 12/26/2013 17:31:36, Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 22:24:21. Example: U8034853 U = Unsung, 8 = 1998, 03 = March, 4853 = manufacturing number. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher Banjo serial numbers: During the 1920s, Gibson instruments were made in lots of 40s (for the most part, this procedure continues today). 615-264-4959. The early instruments built in Nashville suffered from inexperienced workers and climate-control problems in the humid South. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. 30, 1909. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, This is a "fit-all" banjo case. Martin Flat Top Guitar Body Sizes and Designations: The body size designation is stamped on the neck block starting in October 1930. There is a Kay company logo on the headstock but absolutely no other identifying marks. 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. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. Acoustic Guitars. Gretsch was contracted to make banjos for them. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. The tuners were individual. Your banjo is Asian made, likely Korea, but maybe Japan. Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. FLC, Flamenco guitar with Canadian cypress back and sides, friction pegs (machine heads on some examples). In some cases, teachers would If the fretboard was bound, they generally added a stripe of black under the side binding. Gibson developed the truss rod in 1921. Example of custom shape is well represented below with the "Tennessee 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 more economical Student Grade instruments were often ladder braced. Size 3 Gurian, either acoustic or amplified. 2. 585 Grand Concert: rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments and a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. Only about a dozen were made. See LG-0 for materials and dimensions. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. David L. Day was in his 70s. $ 5,719.00 $ 5,149.00. For example, one head might sound right for one player on a five string banjo, but be disappointing on another players tenor banjo. A head on a long neck open back banjo might sound completely different on a 12-string banjo. Every banjo has a story. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a. heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. The standard "Huber' shape, the popular "Double Cut" shape or the "Fiddle Cut" shape. 1970 onward: 1 piece maple. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. 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. 541 Concert: rosewood back & sides with colored wood appointments. The labels with an image of Orville Gibson are generally found on instruments with serial numbers below 10,000. F/FF = Factory code (No factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models) Y/YY = Year of manufacture (Single digit for some 1997 and earlier models) MM = Month of manufacture. Jul 15, 2021 - A study of banjo head peg heads. The following are a rough guide. Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". A-series Factory location: New York City from start to 1971. The name variations included Bacon and Day and B&D for all the instruments co-developed by Fred Bacon and David Day. Gibson style one piece flange, probably zinc, also Gibson style flange brackets, 4 resonator screws. banjo headstock identificationleap year program in python using for loop. There are also examples of A-2Zs without the Z on the lable but still sporting the black perfling line. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. Another useful The Jumbo 55 (J-55) was introduce in late 1939 and discontinued in 1942. Jun 24, 2020 - The Art of Banjo Headstocks. In 1987, after the Gretsch family had re-acquired their name, re-introduced the B&D Silver Bell but the market didnt seem to care. Mid to late 1944, the neck block revert back to mahogany, though poplar is occasionally used. Gold script Gibson logo, Pickguard: Tiger-striped & teardrop shape, Finish: brown sunburst top finish, dark brown mahogany back and sides and neck, Body Binding: 7-ply top binding and single ply back binding, Tuners: Kluson Mfg Chicago and Pat. stamped into the plate in a circle around the attachment screws, plastic button usually white but sometimes black), Tortoise-shell teardrop pickguard replaced the tiger stripe material, Single bound top and back, multi-bound rosette, Mahogany neck but a few Maple necks with a single walnut stripe down the center (3 piece neck), Three layer w/b/w tops and single layer back binding, Mahogany neck block with beveled sides, changed to a mahogany neck block with square sides, Tuners were 3-on-a-plate Klusons with exposed gears and Kluson Mfg Chicago and Pat. stamped into the plate in a circle around the attachment screws, plastic buttons (usually white but sometimes black) and 1/4 diameter posts. Electric guitars having the serial number on the back of the headstock. Even the group of inexperienced entreprenuers could see and understand the value of the Gibson name. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. Naming the parts of a banjo. For more detailed information, get the following book: The Larsons Creations Guitars & Mandolins by Robert Carl Hartman. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, ukulele. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. A2-Zs were theoretically made during the Loar period of 1921-25, but only between 1923 and 1924. You can buy the book here on Amazon and I would highly recommend it. According to the Gibson catalog, natural finish was the only option in 1939 but we are told that at least 2 examples exist of a cherry sunburst from the same period. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us. Sha-Sw. T-V. W-Y. JR3H, like JR, but with 3-piece back, herringbone binding & gold tuners. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. Sunburst was the only finish available for the J-45 until much later as the sunburst finish can hide flaws in the wood; this was a significant advantage during WW2 when clear wood was being used for the war effort. The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. MK-72 models were rosewood back & sides, 3 piece ebony/rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. The model started production in 1938 as Gibsons top-of-the-line flat top guitar. A Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. It was Gibsons most prestigious solid body (and therefore expensive, with a couple of exceptions). DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device. Saga. Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. There were some 1 3/4 nuts available. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. The back braces were tall and thin and Gibson scalloped the top braces. After October 1930 the body and style designations and the serial number appears stamped on the neck blocks: Since the Larson brothers built guitars for many brand names, identification can be difficult, but there are a number of stylistic and structural building techniques that help narrow the exercise. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. The following site helps identify the labels with the date and location of production: All Gurian Guitars have serial numbers stamped on the neck block in characters visible through the soundhole. Several cost-cutting measures existed between the Advanced Jumbo and the J-35 including scalloped braces on the advanced Jumbo and not on the J-35. 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. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. White from 1928 to 1943/44. Some rectangular examples, black bridge pins (2 pearl dots on rectangle bridge), Headstock appointments: gold decal: Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Australian zither . Brown or black finish, some binding only on the top and in the soundhole with one ring around the soundhole. It appears that many mandolin owners of earlier models chose to upgrade their bridges to the fancy new adjustable models after 1921. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. 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. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. Wyatt Fawley's banjo, model for the "Retrotone" banjo design : 1949 : 3399-86 -100 : 1-piece: Dots : I/N Auction 2/2007 with flathead ring from 1963 RB180 and 1959 RB100 neck : 1949 : 3399-90: RB-150: . The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models (like the ES-125, ES-140, J-160E, etc.) The narrower guitar sizes allowed for available materials. At least then you will know the model name. their better banjos is also distinctive, with a small additional bump on either Many have no identification at all. Neck: mahogany single piece. 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. So, take a look and . purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. 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. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. I have never seen one like this in person or even a picture of one. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. Banjo Headstock Designs. The passage of time confuses matters even further: They made some non-SilverBell models that had been developed in the 1930s that bore the B&D label like the Seniorita, and some later Gretsch SilverBells that carried only the Bacon label. Late 1974 gold covered recording pickups are replaced with humbuckers. Several other forces were at work for change: Introduced 1963, these were designed as dual-purpose instruments. The 1975 price was $439. Pickguards between 1909 and 1921 +/- show a stamped patent date of Mar. Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. Nice playability, great tone, strong low end and good sustain all the way up the neck. Gretsch started a new serial number system. No binding, no inlay and no decoration. bands even in the early 1890s. Gibson Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. The promotional material in the Gibson catalog of 1934 said: This greater body size produces a heavy, booming tone so popular with many players who do vocal and small combination accompaniment for both personal and radio appearances. It was during the years of 1977 through 1986 that most of the high-end lines at Gibson were discontinued: The ES-350T, L-5S and the Mark Series among them. Design your own Huber Banjo. Similar to an A2 except for the top color: an orange top in the teens, and a white top (refrigerator-top) in the late teens and early twenties. The Larson bridge, if not otherwise specified by another company, is a rectangular flattened pyramid ebony style similar to those used by Lyon and Healy. CUSTOMER SERVICE. 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. It was intended to be more affordable and more readily available than its main competition: the Martin D-18. Labels say: A. 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/27/2013 17:30:00, Charles in SC - Posted-12/27/2013: 20:38:42. Larger 2.25 wide by .140 laminated maple bridge plates replace 1 7/16 x .125 solid maple bridge plates, Change the body shape to square shoulder dreadnaughts, Injection molded .075 thick styrene pickguard replaces the older .025 thick celluloid pickguard, Plastic bolt-on bridge replaces the rosewood bridge, White pickguard with Gibson logo screwed down to the top. Towards the end, the line actually continued to increase in sales. It was bound on the top, back, sides and around the fretboard. The exceptions were in 1979/1980 when the very fine Flying VII and active Les Paul Artist models were available; both were between $50 and $100 more, and were deleted almost as quickly as they dbuted. 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . Some rectangular examples, Headstock appointments: Decal Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. 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. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to, http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/276603, 'Pisgah Banjo Co. raffle for Arnold Shultz Fund extended to March 10, 2023', 'Pisgah Banjo Company banjo raffle extended to March 10', 'Flinthill FHB-300 - Killer bluegrass banjo for the money!
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