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 bracing for the new larger models was X braced: there were 3 transverse tone bars between the braces 1 more than the Martin as Gibson experimented with bracing design heavy enough to support the large tops and light enough to be resonant and responsive. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. Though you were told there was only12 of this model made, it will not be any more valuable than if there 10,000 made. Design your own Huber Banjo. The space between the headstock center and the top of the lathe bed is the radius of the lathe swing. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). JR, jumbo size guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a. heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. They did provide paper labels for the instrument that they represented but did not provide labels for custom instruments or other shops or manufacturers. It was bound on the top, back, sides and around the fretboard. Manchester University, Instruction * ConcertsJams * More It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. I like it. peghead shape. Format: 2 (Identifier) YY (Year) XXXX (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number . The choice to discontinue the Mark Series had to do with the general turmoil of the Gibson company in the last years of ownership by Norlin. MIDWEST BANJO CAMPJune 1-4, 2023New Manchester, IN 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 . This is a "fit-all" banjo case. 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. It will be interesting of one of the BHO members has a vintage Kay catalog with that particular banjo. Semi-hollow guitar serial numbers are found inside the 'top' F-hole on a label. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. ', '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'. Also, the first batch of J-45s had more binding both on the body and soundhole. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel . The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of The Maurer Company records have been lost. There were 1229 made. The birch sides and back were stained red. They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . This was expanded in 1935 to about 1/3 of the top area. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, Body shape changed to square shoulder dreadnought. The standard "Huber' shape, the popular "Double Cut" shape or the "Fiddle Cut" shape. Mark Johnson; Regular Hours Mon-Fri: 10:00am-4:00pm Extended Hours January-April 8:30am-5:00pm; 239 West 400 North, Lindon UT; 801-785-3161 The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. It might be a Fairbanks or Stewart, but there is no name anywhere on the instrument. They had dot markers on the fretboard and a moustache bridge with individual adjusters on each string. No serial numbers etc. Every banjo has a story. The pickguard was longer than earlier models and it had a moustache bridge (though slightly smaller and less ornate than that used on the SJ-200). These instruments live a bit outside that critique. During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. CLB, Classic guitar of Brazilian rosewood, gold tuners. The public seems to have favored this shape over time as it fetches better prices now. 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 1975 price was $659. The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. 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 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. MB -- mandolin banjo. I removed the resonator today and there is a hand written number 8 and that's it. The first group in late 1936 had larger soundholes and long scales: 25 1/2. They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. In 1947 a natural finish J-45 was finally offered and given the designation: J-50. department to department had 40 cubbyholes. It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. 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. MK-72 models were rosewood back & sides, 3 piece ebony/rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. 1952: The headstock gold decal logo was replaced by an inlayed pearl script and crown. It was Gibsons most prestigious solid body (and therefore expensive, with a couple of exceptions). 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. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. 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. 1940: #1 or #001 to 1965: approximately #84xxx. Introduced is the year of introduction. The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. That way I'll be sure to hear it, since I will get a heads up when you post. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. Some laminated maple necks with two walnut stripes down the center (5 piece neck), most with no truss rod (war time meallocations), Neck shape large and round (Baseball Bat) due to lack of truss rod, Poplar neck blocks. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. The back and sides were Brazilian rosewood and the tops Adirondack red spruce. The bridge were early simple rectangular with through-saddles. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. In 1941 the fretboard became Brazilian rosewood. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. The J-160E was Gibsons second design for an electric flat-top guitar following the CF-100. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. Gibson USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. The original price in 1942 was $45. gibson one-of-a-kind Christmas banjos! The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. 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. A maple, prewar style bluegrass banjo made like the classic banjos of the 1930's with the same materials and the same weight, design and features, the Golden Era is one of our most popular banjos for traditional bluegrass bands. The soundhole size coincided with the overall size of the instrument. Download Old Banjo stock photos. Ironically the first blond J-45s were actually built in July of 1942 (Called the J-45N for Natural) and the actual number of these shipped is not known for sure. Features: Carved curly maple body, with ornate multilayer binding, laminated maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone block inlays, gold-plated hardware throughout, two gold plated pickups with separate volume and tone, three-way selector switch. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. How did you come to own it? One of the advantages of choosing a banjo made in a small shop environment is the easy availability of customization. Pearl dots on fretboard. J-L. M. N-P. Q-Sch. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. The financial strain became too much and the company sold in 1940 to Gretsch. See the notes below. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. I doubt you'll find this in a catalog. MK-35 models were mahogany back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us. This is a high-quality instrument. Though it was discontinued in 1942, the last Advanced Jumbo left the Kalamazoo plant in 1940. The USA distributors in the 60s and 70s used their own serial number systems and we do . The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. Mythology has it that the Southerner Jumbo was specifically targeted at the Southern market honoring rising Country music trends. Thanks for any assistance you can provide. The saddles were wider than usual. Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Q: What is the first step in determining the age of my banjo? Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. The 1970s are viewed by many collectors and players as the low point of Gibson manufacturing. 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. There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. The appointments of the Southerner Jumbo included more top binding and an additional set of rosette rings. ARIA 921C. The tuners were individual. The necks and heels were rounder. The 5th string is not only shorter than the other four banjo strings, but this string is also the highest in sound (or pitch ). The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. Google Play. The Jumbos had a slight V shaped neck with the Gibson truss rod and a pointed French heal somewhat unusual for Gibson. The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. New Location: My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. They did not imprint the instruments with any particular brand. In general, the Larsons used fancier hardware on the more expensive instruments so the date of the hardware should coincide with similar instruments of the period. Late 1930's Thicker Gibson Logo. First factory order number (FON) on neck block of J45s in 1942 was 907 and 923. 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 ). Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). 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. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. It appears that they experimented right up to the point of discontinuing the line. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. The neck heal had a white plastic cap. For example: Gretsch stopped production of Bacon and B&D banjos. It had a double ring of purfling around the soundhole, pearl dots on the fretboard, dark stained birch back and sides and The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover.