The focus of the site is antique and vintage banjos and mandolins, but there are . They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. The appointments of the Southerner Jumbo included more top binding and an additional set of rosette rings. New Location:
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. 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. The individual artist's touch on the . The final production versions had a double-braced red spruce top and rosewood back and sides with a sunburst finish. 1970 onward: 1 piece maple. You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. Other singing cowboys who later owned Super Jumbos include Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.
Identifying How Old Your Banjo Is (The Easy Way!) - Pro Music Vault banjo headstock identification side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). Gibson. What's the history on the this jo, are you the original owner? B-series Factory location: Grand Street, New York City from 1972 to 1973. Numerous articles in Vintage Guitar Magazine over the years. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. Some SJNs with plastic Special Bridges. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". LoPrinzi Guitars Plainsboro, New Jersey AMF years (serial numbers: high 3,000 4,000s) Tom LoPrinzi was still with the company. S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2600s to 2700s. The LG-Series is 2 narrower than the J-Series. 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.
Gibson Headstock Logos thru the years in Pictures The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. In 1947 a natural finish J-45 was finally offered and given the designation: J-50. I'm leaning more in that direction. Have a vintage Harmony guitar? A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. The Gibson CF-100 was introduced in 1950 (the CF-100E was introduced 1951) and discontinued in 1960. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models (like the ES-125, ES-140, J-160E, etc.) 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. Approximate Chronology (there are always exceptions): There were a few natural finished J-45N models made during 1942. The binding on the top is b/w. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. 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. During the period of 1909 through 1920 Gibson produced large numbers of mandolins. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us. The 1934 version had a classic Gibson sunburst: the small amber center around the bridge about 1/4 of the top area.
The saddles were wider than usual. There are also examples of A-2Zs without the Z on the lable but still sporting the black perfling line. It worked.
Identify Wood Lathe Parts Illustrated - Turn A Wood Bowl Gibson If you want to use any of this information:
585 Grand Concert: rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments and a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. I'm kind of with Bob on the Korea origin - almost screams Sam Ickfrom the 1980s to me - except that it's a little understated and the finish isn't as thick as you normally see on a Samickpresentation banjo. 1908 into 1916: Elevated pickguards of plastic tortoise shell clamped to the body with a removable clamp and pinned to the bridge. Your banjo is Asian made, likely Korea, but maybe Japan. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. Gibson developed the truss rod in 1921. gibson one-of-a-kind Christmas banjos! Introduced is the year of introduction. 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 1st year of the J-45 actually had similar appointments but they were reduced and simplified for model clarity in 1943).
Aria Banjo Identification - mainefasr GIBSON GARAGE FIND A DEALER GIBSON APP. Prices were typically 30-40% more than other Gibson solid bodies; the Les Paul Recording, LP Custom and SG Custom. FLC, Flamenco guitar with Canadian cypress back and sides, friction pegs (machine heads on some examples). Some early necks were cherry before 1912. 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. 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 teacher or distributor. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. Acoustic Guitars. Naming the parts of a banjo. It became the working mans choice and one of the most enduring instrument designs in history. The bracing was revised to accommodate the moustache bridge and generally heavier than earlier models. If the fretboard was bound, they generally added a stripe of black under the side binding. Gibson had helped in the war effort and seen many employees enlist. White from 1928 to 1943/44. Occasionally the labels have fallen out or been removed during repairs making it a bit trickier to date the instruments. The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything.
Banjo Identification No Name Models - Mugwumps The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. the bins that were used to move instruments from . A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. 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. The original partners were Fred and Cassie Bacon and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Winship. >I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<. Most have the patented L&H tailpiece shown in the inset. 1973 $895 L-5S a few instruments shipped and cherry sunburst is the only available finish.
Gator GL-BANJO-XL Banjo Light Weight Case - $50 (Lynnwood) It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. I have never seen one like this in person or even a picture of one. Western movies were tremendously popular and the singing cowboy heroes needed instruments as big and bold as untamed West. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. Timing is everything In 1969 the Gibson parent company: Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) was acquired by the South American brewing conglomerate: E.C.L. 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. LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. It might be a Fairbanks or Stewart, but there is no name anywhere on the instrument. 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. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. in the third row of pictures below: Lyon & Healy (1864-1940) made many grades of banjos in many styles,
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. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. It is important to note that there are exceptions to every rule and the following is only a general guide for identifying Gibson "A" Style mandolins. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. Each model of the Mark Series was available in natural or sunburst finish. The sunburst finish was generally $30 less than natural finish. Starting in 1977, Gibson adopted the current date-based serial system which codes for the year and day of production. Some banjo . Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. The 2nd delivery to Ray Whitley was the more refined 14 fret SJ that is so well photo-dicumented. Yuletide. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! In 1893, he patented a banjo neck fitted with a channel for the 5th string to pass through so it could be tuned at the headstock instead of its usual location. 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. So, take a look and . It would surprise me if there were 12 of those made as K banjos, however. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. In fact, he was part of a team of scientists paid as consultants by Gibson for their input on a project to create the finest sounding guitar based upon sound scientific logic, theory and research. The headstock shape is very similar and it has the hexnut . It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . These digits should match the 4 digits found on the back of the peghead of your 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. The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. I like it. 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 sides and back were tinted mahogany with a sunburst red spruce top. themselves through common hardware and design characteristics. Late 1930's Thicker Gibson Logo. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Manchester University, All Forums
For example: In general: Bacon serial numbers begin in 1906 (1 and 2 digit) and run consecutively until the sale of the company to Gretsch in 1940 (5 digit). and many were left unmarked.
ARIA BANJOS (1970s) banjos - guitar-list Though there appear to be exceptions, necks between 1912 and 1923 are 3-piece mahogany. 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. Inlays and bindings are remarkably consistent through the years. The instruments had modified fan bracing and asymmetrical bridges.
Identifying and Dating Kay Guitars - S. Nathaniel Adams thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) If the serial number is legible the instrument can be relatively easy to date. Mismanagement was so severe during the final Norlin years that the Gibson Guitar Corp. was within 3 months of going out of business when it was bought by young Harvard Business grads: Henry E. Juszkiewicz, David H. Berryman and Gary A. Zebrowski in January of 1986. I just have a few questions. When he passed, my grandmother bought it for me from his brother who was attempting to liquify his collection. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. I'll have to record it and post a tune. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. 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. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. To most people all banjos look (and sound) the same. The neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". This was available in brown, black or blonde finish. Notable endorsers of this model include Leon Redbone. I visited his place once when I was kid (probably mid - late 1970's) and his finished basement was filled with guitars, banjos, lots of different instruments. A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. Body designation Style designation, Serial number. It was a refinement of the slope-shoulder design of the original Jumbo but slightly deeper: 4 13/16. Gretsch was contracted to make banjos for them. Early 1970's block shaped no dot over the "i" closed "b" and . 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 . Our 19th Year * Sign Up Now
The 1975 price was $1,999. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. It appears that many mandolin owners of earlier models chose to upgrade their bridges to the fancy new adjustable models after 1921. 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 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. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. 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). The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher. Though it was discontinued in 1942, the last Advanced Jumbo left the Kalamazoo plant in 1940. 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. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. Q: What is the first step in determining the age of my banjo? Edited by - rfvelk on 12/26/2013 17:31:36, Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 22:24:21. Style Designations (There are many exceptions to the following). Some rectangular examples, black bridge pins (2 pearl dots on rectangle bridge), Headstock appointments: gold decal: Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. 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. 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.
Vega Banjos - Deering Banjo Company I own the book and have found it to be an invaluable resource in identifying these old guitars. 2: The Histories of Cool Guitars". As for how I came to own the instrument, my grandmother's cousin was an instrument collector.
PDF Gibson Banjo Construction Evolution The aluminum shell was chrome plated with 24 chrome-plated brackets. The 1975 price was $549. $ 5,719.00 $ 5,149.00. To confuse matters, they also manufactured Bacon banjos that had been developed by Fred Bacon: the Professional, the Orchestra and the Blue Ribbon. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. The early models had shallow neck sets that increased in angle around 1908. This can often be found on the back of the peghead or on the inside rim of the banjo. Worthy of mention is the Jumbo Deluxe, though it is believed that only 3 were ever made in 1938. The J-160E was Gibsons second design for an electric flat-top guitar following the CF-100. Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. Larrivee Serial Numbers (approximate). The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Australian zither . These were Gibsons first flat-top cutaways. Laminated maple back and sides is discontinued (FON batch 2828 used maple back and sides). The appointments matched the MK-35 but the bracing was modified to accommodate the additional string tension of 12 strings. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. In any event, these should be used only as a guide and not assumed to be absolutely correct. See LG-0 for materials and dimensions. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. Martin Flat Top Guitar Body Sizes and Designations: The body size designation is stamped on the neck block starting in October 1930. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. Though you were told there was only12 of this model made, it will not be any more valuable than if there 10,000 made. Other similar details include: single-cutaway body, ebony fingerboard with block inlays, flowerpot headstock inlay, L-5 tailpiece with contrasting silver on gold with L-5 engraving (changed to TP-6 in 1978) and multilayer body binding throughout. The first Gibson J45 guitars were only slightly different from the discontinued J-35. Thanks for any assistance you can provide. Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . Buckbee (1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their
Help identifying an old banjo - Mandolin Cafe Fairbanks & Vega banjos, Dating & Identifying - Mugwumps The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. 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). Bridges: Ebony Sometimes with a flattened pyramid rectangular bridge shape. The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. The birch sides and back were stained red. Design your own Huber Banjo. The above Peghead Shapes are existing patterns. Other Banjo-Related Topics
The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well.
Antique and Vintage Hall of Fame - Collectors Weekly MB -- mandolin banjo. Instrumental. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. They did not imprint the instruments with any particular brand. During the period of 1902 to approximately 1909 the mandolins sported tailpiece covers with a curly top and internal white labels with an image of Orville Gibson holding a lyre mandolin. The necks were 1-piece mahogany V shape with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard at 12 radius.
banjo headstock identification - voxu.group Serial number records exist for instruments built before 1975 and after 1980. 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. S3R, Size 3 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. 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. There were 1229 made. Skip to main content. The bridge were early simple rectangular with through-saddles. Hand Engraving. They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. The following versions evolved quickly to 14 frets clear of the body. The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. 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.