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. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. The Gibson Company was formed in late 1902 and the early mandolins evolved from the original Orville Gibson designs. Due to the plain marks on the bracing, it is believed that every top was tuned by the same Gibson employee. Most information about Larson Brothers instruments comes from their catalog published around 1930. The name evolved from De Luxe Jumbo to Super Jumbo in 1939, and then to the Super Jumbo 200 (reflecting the price at the time, the case would be $28 extra). in the third row of pictures below: Lyon & Healy (1864-1940) made many grades of banjos in many styles, 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. I have owned a beautiful Kay company banjo for over 30 years. 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! 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. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. In 1926 Gibson introduced the L-series guitars with the L-0 at $35 and the L-1 at $50 (1928 prices). Its difficult to positively They were now able to get better materials. Some banjo . thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. 1-6 digits stamped into the top edge of the headstock-often difficult to read. They had dot markers on the fretboard and a moustache bridge with individual adjusters on each string. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. In some cases, teachers would Edited by - rfvelk on 12/26/2013 17:31:36, Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 22:24:21. Starting in 1923, models included: the Silver Bell, the Super Banjo and the Blue Bell. Prairie State instruments have the patented rod and/or tube reinforcing, occasionally found on other Larson built guitars. 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. Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. There is a steel tone ring on the maple rim, and the rim has a maple cap. This was quickly reduced to avoid model confusion between the J-45s and the more expensive Southerner Jumbos. See also: Gibson J-160E for more historical context. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. The examples weve seen vary from the Gibson catalogs quite a bit. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. To confuse matters, they also manufactured Bacon banjos that had been developed by Fred Bacon: the Professional, the Orchestra and the Blue Ribbon. 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 aluminum shell was chrome plated with 24 chrome-plated brackets. Customers can choose from these shapes or provide an alternate. made unmarked banjos for others to sell as well. It was basically a slope shoulder dreadnaught like a J-45 or Southerner Jumbo and designed for the country and western market. As for how I came to own the instrument, my grandmother's cousin was an instrument collector. The Aria 921C was a good quality 5-string banjo made in the early 1970s. The more economical Student Grade instruments were often ladder braced. Notable endorsers of this model include Leon Redbone. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. Heads have different effects on different kinds of banjos. 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. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. Design your own Huber Banjo. Thinner cog gears with no bevel on the edge of the cogs. Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was slowly being shifted from Kalamazoo MI to Nashville TN. Instruction * ConcertsJams * More Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. LoPrinzi Rosemont, New Jersey built by Augustino LoPrinzi (and apprentices) with Augustino on the headstocks. 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. JR, jumbo size guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. This moved the X away from the soundhole a bit. It worked. They had owner applied pick guards and multi-bound backs and tops (including red line highlights). The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. Gibson believed that these choices would allow them to focus on their more profitable lines. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). Though there appear to be exceptions, necks between 1912 and 1923 are 3-piece mahogany. Banjo not included or available. Towards the end, the line actually continued to increase in sales. 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. The focus of the site is antique and vintage banjos and mandolins, but there are . 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 decade following saw a change in finish from varnish to shinier lacquer. It had chrome plated standard friction pegs, rosewood finished neck and headstock with matchin resonator. The following versions evolved quickly to 14 frets clear of the body. See the notes below. target no need to return item. The 1975 price was $549. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. Prices were typically 30-40% more than other Gibson solid bodies; the Les Paul Recording, LP Custom and SG Custom. The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. As a consequence, the details were grand in scale and the bindings high in contrast to look good in black and white on the silver screen. string peg perch is typically carved out from the side of the neck as shown JR3H, like JR, but with 3-piece back, herringbone binding & gold tuners. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. The back braces were tall and thin and Gibson scalloped the top braces. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. The rosettes were simple white-black-white. In 1923 it appears that Gibson began to assemble A-2s with left-over blonde tops from A-3s. Larrivee Serial Numbers (approximate). Why not post a little tune with it. First factory order number (FON) on neck block of J45s in 1942 was 907 and 923. Buckbee (1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. Tuners, hardware and tailpieces were probably purchased from Lyon and Healy who had a factory just down the street from the Larson shop. B. Schall (1878-1907) manufactured many unmarked banjos for Wiley Morris of the Morris Brothers Hillbilly Band and Charlie Monroe (Bill Monroes brother) took to the instrument for its potential in the roots of Bluegrass music. He was also a guitar enthusiast with a passion for physical and psycho-acoustics. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of It appears to be all original except for the bridge, which appears to be a banjo bridge crudely slotted for 8 strings, and the head, which is probably plastic. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models (like the ES-125, ES-140, J-160E, etc.) They generally had birch or walnut back and sides sometimes flat and later (1904+/-) carved. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. The banner only a Gibson is good enough logo is replaced with the old style Gibson script gold logo, The blond J-50 is introduced (limited until 1954), Bracing system changed: non-scalloped, low cut braces, Larger pickguard with point at upper bout, Headstock appointments: pearl logo inlay and crown added, Adjustable bridge saddle offered as an option called J-45ADJ. Sometimes a higher model number means a bigger and fancier instrument but there does not appear to be a thoughtful of consistent method for ascribing model numbers. 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 Gibson had helped in the war effort and seen many employees enlist. S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). 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. Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. 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. The 1934 was single bound, front and back with dot markers on the rosewood fretboard and a horizontal script logo inlay on the headstock. and What's it sound like? I have to say that it is most interesting. It was available in red, black or two-tone sunburst finish, fleur-de-lis under The Gibson; Handel inlaid tuner buttons prior to 1916 (WWI) with a dotted + in each button. Maybell was a Slingerland brand name. There was a line of black inlay (or ebony layer) along the centerline of the back of the neck. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin. S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. If the serial number is legible the instrument can be relatively easy to date. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. Serial Numbers. 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: . This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. In 1941 the fretboard became Brazilian rosewood. 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 Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. I removed the resonator today and there is a hand written number 8 and that's it. S3R, Size 3 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. Gretsch started a new serial number system. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. The second type of headstock, as you can tell by its name, is the angled or tilted-back headstock. Cherry Sunburst is still available. The original price in 1942 was $45. During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. The 31 year old part time musician has mostly been found on the contest stages in recent years, taking first in the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship twice, and in the RockyGrass, RenoFest . You may, . The grade of top wood was tighter grained. The soundhole size coincided with the overall size of the instrument. I would sure like to hear what it sounds like. Other Banjo-Related Topics It is most common after 1923 when most Gibson model As had this shape. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a. heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. 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. They did not imprint the instruments with any particular brand. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. They were too late Gibson owned the market and the Martins were dropped 6 years later having only sold about 540 combined. The 1975 price was $879. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2600s to 2700s. The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. Gibson introduced their first adjustable belly bridge 2 screws to raise and lower the bridge. The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. Its price tag was $55 as compared to the Martin D-18 at $65 and D-28 at $100. tailpieces (see fourth row of pictures below) on many of their unmarked banjos, and their Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) Another useful Jun 24, 2020 - The Art of Banjo Headstocks. Ohio banjo player Steven Moore has his first solo project, Just a Little Talk with Myself, just recently released. Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. The first versions of the Super Jumbo guitar had a neck joint with 12 frets clear of the body placing the moustache bridge geometrically in the center of the distinctly round 16 7/8 lower bout. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. 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. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. ARCHIVED TOPIC: VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION. Check out our banjo decal selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our bumper stickers shops. There were 2 tone bars and a treble side X brace with a 102 degree angle about 1 below the 4 soundhole. Dr. Michael Kasha was a chemical physicist and the director of the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. Serial number records exist for instruments built before 1975 and after 1980. For sale for $50 cash, firm. Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher. When he passed, my grandmother bought it for me from his brother who was attempting to liquify his collection. . The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . Where possible, these numbers are in agreement with existing sales receipts. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top.
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