It might be a Fairbanks or Stewart, but there is no name anywhere on the instrument. They are essentially an Advanced Jumbo with minor compromises: they filled a gap between the J-35 and the J-55. Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was slowly being shifted from Kalamazoo MI to Nashville TN. Mid 1921 through late 1930s: larger base with 2 feet, 3/8 adjustment wheels and wooden compensated bridge top. A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). 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 . They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. Free or royalty-free photos and images. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. Jul 15, 2021 - A study of banjo head peg heads. Saga Bella Voce 70/80. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. The numbers are preceded by letters: A, B, C, or D which indicate the series. 1921 early: 3/8 adjustment wheels, short base and aluminum compensated bridge top. Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). Banjo not included or available. During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. their better banjos is also distinctive, with a small additional bump on either The early instruments built in Nashville suffered from inexperienced workers and climate-control problems in the humid South. The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. the teacher or distributor. (Folk Jumbo Natural and Folk-25). These instruments live a bit outside that critique. 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. I'm leaning more in that direction. The above Peghead Shapes are existing patterns. ARCHIVED TOPIC: VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION. Brown or black finish, some binding only on the top and in the soundhole with one ring around the soundhole. banjo headstock identificationleap year program in python using for loop. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. Its price tag was $55 as compared to the Martin D-18 at $65 and D-28 at $100. MIDWEST BANJO CAMPJune 1-4, 2023New Manchester, IN Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more. MK-35-12 models were only made in 1977. Labels say: A. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. Dr. Michael Kasha was a chemical physicist and the director of the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University. Even the group of inexperienced entreprenuers could see and understand the value of the Gibson name. Only about a dozen were made. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. He was also a guitar enthusiast with a passion for physical and psycho-acoustics. 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. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. CLB, Classic guitar of Brazilian rosewood, gold tuners. 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. 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. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. Pearl dots on fretboard. There were 431 made. 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. Hand Engraving. Generally harp guitars, L.H. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. 14" resonator on the banjo examined is probably non original (Korean). It became the working mans choice and one of the most enduring instrument designs in history. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth 1-6 digits stamped into the top edge of the headstock-often difficult to read. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. The hardshell case had a green or red silk lining. Naming the parts of a banjo. I own the book and have found it to be an invaluable resource in identifying these old guitars. set of identifying characteristics can be found at Like everything else, we have seen exceptions to the listed dimensions; especially the nut widths. There are also examples of A-2Zs without the Z on the lable but still sporting the black perfling line. 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. Sunburst finish changes slightly: a cremona brown fading from the center amber to a reddish brown perimeter. The bass of this model will amaze you, and of course the clear brilliant treble is in perfect balance. For once, the hyperbole may have been closer to the truth. The 1975 price was $549. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. ARCHIVED TOPIC: Vintage Kay Company Banjo - Need Help Identifying Model, Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify Some SJNs with plastic Special Bridges. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. This is a headstock that tapers from narrow at the top to slightly wider at the base (the reverse of the traditional Gibson headstock shape). The top and back are lightly arched, producing the deepest measurement in the center of the guitars body. The last 4 digits are a neck number. Late 1940's "i" touches the "G" on "Modern" non cursive/script Gibson Logo. Ironically, after almost 40 years of making some of the worlds finest banjos, the Bacon and Day banjos were the first to carry David L. Days name. 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. They were well suited for orchestral arrangements as well as individual play and accompaniment. There was some amber color. Silkscreen logos - Low end models. Angled (Tilted-Back) Headstock. It appears that they experimented right up to the point of discontinuing the line. 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 2600s to 2700s. The first group in late 1936 had larger soundholes and long scales: 25 1/2. The soundboard was so large and the body so deep that the sound was immense. Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. The further down the headstock the peg is, the shorter it will be. David L. Day was in his 70s. The narrower guitar sizes allowed for available materials. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. The braces were generally thin and numerous compared with other manufacturers. It became apparent early that the new design concept was good: they were, in fact, louder and more cutting in tone. expressed on the sides and back of the 1934 versions. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . Some rectangular examples, Headstock appointments: Decal Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. However there were and are many different types, most of which can be found on this page. Like all other companies, there are exceptions. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. Grupo Musical. 541 Concert: rosewood back & sides with colored wood appointments. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. The electric version included a P-90 pickup at the end of the soundboard like the later versions of the J-160E. There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. Google Play. In 1941 the fretboard became Brazilian rosewood. The 1975 price was $439. Bottom belly ebony bridge with pyramids on the wings, Silk-screened script @ 15 degrees +/-: The Gibson, 3 on a plate open gear tuners white or black buttons, Top and body becomes all mahogany amber finish, Extra bridge pin centered below 6 in a line, L-0 Flattened lower bout increased to 14, Reintroduced as the least expensive Gibson flat-top @ $25, Body depth 3 ? at the neck and 4 3/8 at the heel, Pearl dot makers and double dots on the 12th fret, Old script silk-screened diagonal logo: The Gibson or just Gibson, Some striped tortoise plastic pickguards after 1933, Some bright white plastic pickguards after 1933, L-00 introduced as Gibsons lowest price flat-top @ $37.50, Small round amber area of sunburst just below the soundhole, Striped tortoise plastic pickguards added, Dot position markers on the fretboard edge, A few with banner logos decals on the headstocks, Light amber top Sheraton brown back & sides, Old script silk-screened diagonal logo: The Gibson, Flattened lower bout increased to 14 (possibly, Soundhole, bridge and bracing moved to compensate, Similar to the L-00 but with heavier braces, Pearl dot fretboard markers double on 12, Gold sparkle inlayed around top & soundhole, Tailpiece adjustable bridge option discontinued, Speckled celluloid pickguard added as an option, Some had 2 top braces under the fingerboard extension vs. one, Rosewood fretboard rectangle inlays at 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 & 15, Pearl diamond inlays in the rosewood rectangles, Gibson pearl diagonal headstock inlay in rosewood, in Pearloid, Pearloid headstock veneer replace with rosewood, Bound headstock, pearl Gibson, pearl truss rod cover and notched diamond inlay, No headstock binding, black truss rod cover and elongated diamond inlay, Body depth 4 at the neck and 4 5/8 at the heel, Brazilian rosewood pyramid bottom belly bridge, The Gibson pearl angled logo inlayed on headstock, Nick Lucas Special white label with picture of Nick Lucas, 14 fret neck to body joints (phased in by this time), Trapeze tailpiece with adjustable bridge option. Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. 1955: Gibson stopped scalloping the bracing it was faster to produce but not as strong. 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. New Location: Banjo Headstock Designs. Pearl twin parallelogram inlays, Bridges: Rosewood belly-down. Plectrum. The standard "Huber' shape, the popular "Double Cut" shape or the "Fiddle Cut" shape. J-L. M. N-P. Q-Sch. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover. If you want to use any of this information: 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. The labels with an image of Orville Gibson are generally found on instruments with serial numbers below 10,000. 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. Any dealer would want to find this as part of an estate sale and put it out to see what the market would bear - but none would have high hopes for its value. 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. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. Gibson developed the truss rod in 1921. See Martin Serial Numbers for a dating information. 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. On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . Like the SJ-100 of the same year, the J-55 had a stair-step headstock that persisted for only 2 years. Tstyle of tuner lasts into early 1943 (FON 2221 last documented series with this tuner style), Late 1942 poplar neck blocks (Late 1942 FON 2119 with FON 2143 being the last documented series with mahogany neck block.). The Kalamazoo plant kept going for a few years as a custom-instrument shop, including the Mark Series instruments, and was ultimately closed in 1984. 2. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. The original price in 1942 was $45. >I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<. Gretsch used a new serial format showing: Month/Year/Production Number (3-4 digits), stamped as follows: Its not clear whether the 3-4 digit production number is the total production for the month or for the year. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. CUSTOMER SERVICE. 1975 $899 The first catalog appearance of the L-5S was in the 1975 Gibson Solid Body catalog. Example of custom shape is well represented below with the "Tennessee Banjo". 1970 onward: 1 piece maple. The appointments roughly followed the Southerner Jumbo but the design was primarily electric: it had a 3-ply top with ladder bracing to reduce the low-end response for the single coil pickup placed at the base of the fretboard. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. The first Gibson J45 guitars were only slightly different from the discontinued J-35. 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 . The tuners were individual Kluson with amber buttons. Steel Guitar. Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. 30, 1909. Gibson Banjos 1925 and Later: . The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. In some cases there are no pickguards. Following many prototypes, shapes and bracing patterns, the Mark Series was launched in 1975. Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made Ohio banjo player Steven Moore has his first solo project, Just a Little Talk with Myself, just recently released. Rated 5.00 out of 5. Serial Numbers. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. C-series Factory location: Hinsdale, New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979, D-series Factory location: West Sansei, New Hampshire from 1980 to 1981, The designation S refers to the body size: 2 & 3 (increasing with number value). It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . MK-53 models were maple back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. It marked the beginning of a new era for Gibson. By 1939 the 3 tone bar system was reduced to 2 tone bars and the angle of the X braces change to approximately 95 degrees. Ss. I just have a few questions. 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. 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 Mark Series guitars had 16 3/16 lower bouts with very narrow waists, and a headstock like no other in Gibson tradition. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. 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. CONTACT US; Headstock Shape. Body designation Style designation, Serial number. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. Manchester University, All Forums It is the only typical American (USA) instrument, starting off as an instrument of the African slaves, then via the Minstrel Shows becoming part of typical American music styles like Jazz, Dixieland, Bluegrass, etc. 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. I would sure like to hear what it sounds like. banjos, not surprising since they bought out the Buckbee factory in 1898. A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. Similar to A, but with double purfling on the soundhole. 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. MK-35 models were mahogany back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. 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 . 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: . Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Gibson Banjo Serial Number Factory Order Number Information; Pre-war banjos, Flathead, Mastertone.

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