banjo headstock identification
It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. Serial number records exist for instruments built before 1975 and after 1980. Considering that Gibson was using a double X bracing for most of its other flat top guitars during that period, these instruments, with their modified fan bracing, stand out as some of the better sounding Gibsons of the time. Though it has gone through a number of refinements over the years, the basic design has not changed since. 1946 onward: No feet the bottom of the bridge flush on the instrument top. ARCHIVED TOPIC: VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION. Most information about Larson Brothers instruments comes from their catalog published around 1930. MK-72 models were rosewood back & sides, 3 piece ebony/rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number 0191456 = Harmony Standard Series guitar built in 2019. I would sure like to hear what it sounds like. (Folk Jumbo Natural and Folk-25). What's the history on the this jo, are you the original owner? These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. Gibson changed the name again in the 1950s to the SJ-200. themselves through common hardware and design characteristics. The L-5S was the first high end jazz solid body guitar. It is very showy though. ARIA BANJOS (1970s) banjos - guitar-list For example: Gretsch stopped production of Bacon and B&D banjos. The top and back are lightly arched, producing the deepest measurement in the center of the guitars body. Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. Gibson TP-6 tailpiece became standard. expressed on the sides and back of the 1934 versions. JR3H, like JR, but with 3-piece back, herringbone binding & gold tuners. This makes up for the shallow break angle, and also does away with string trees, which are not needed in this case. They were well suited for orchestral arrangements as well as individual play and accompaniment. Fairbanks & Vega banjos, Dating & Identifying - Mugwumps Gibson hoped to score the same type of success that had occurred with Lloyd Loar in the 1920s: redefining the acoustic guitar for generations to come. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. 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. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. See Martin Serial Numbers for a dating information. In 1923 it appears that Gibson began to assemble A-2s with left-over blonde tops from A-3s. mikehalloran - Posted-12/27/2013: 17:21:06. The original Factory Order Numbers (FON) appear to show the first De Luxe Jumbos were delivered bewteen March and June of 1938 to Joe Wolverton, Ray Whitley and Gene Autry. Some banjo . S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. 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. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. It will be interesting of one of the BHO members has a vintage Kay catalog with that particular banjo. 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. The Mark Series guitars had 16 3/16 lower bouts with very narrow waists, and a headstock like no other in Gibson tradition. The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. department to department had 40 cubbyholes. You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. GB -- guitar banjo. Identify Wood Lathe Parts Illustrated - Turn A Wood Bowl Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. The Gibson CF-100 was introduced in 1950 (the CF-100E was introduced 1951) and discontinued in 1960. So, take a look and . The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. Acoustic Guitars. Go back. Only about a dozen were made. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. New guitars were supplied with user applied pick guards, and extra saddles of different heights that could be easily inserted to adjust the string action to accommodate the swelling of the instrument with seasonal humidity changes. Several other forces were at work for change: Introduced 1963, these were designed as dual-purpose instruments. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. World War II changed many aspects of the guitar world. 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). banjos. It worked. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. 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. These shoes are shown in an 1890s Washburn banjo catalog, on low end models with . Gibson Banjos 1925 and Later: . Date Your Harmony - Harmony Guitars Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). the teacher or distributor. their better banjos is also distinctive, with a small additional bump on either It would have helped if the Larson brothers had sequential serial numbers but there is just enough contradictory evidence to prevent one from trusting numbers that appear to be sequential. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. Knob changes usually following other Gibson electrics. During the Folk Boom of the 1960s, Gretsch produced a line of 5 string open back banjos with regular and long necks. The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. Vega Banjos - Deering Banjo Company Gretsch started a new serial number system. The neck holds the strings secure using tuners, four of which are located at the peghead, with the fifth string tuning peg located almost halfway up the neck. MIDWEST BANJO CAMPJune 1-4, 2023New Manchester, IN, 'Pisgah Banjo Co. raffle for Arnold Shultz Fund extended to March 10, 2023' 2 hrs, 'Pisgah Banjo Company banjo raffle extended to March 10' 2 hrs, 'Lost Indian: Samuel Bayard collection ' 3 hrs, 'Lost Indian: Samuel Bayard collection' 3 hrs, 'Flinthill FHB-300 - Killer bluegrass banjo for the money!' That being said, and allowing for the large numbers of prototypes and other Gibson anomalies, the following can be used s a guide to help get close to a proper model identification and its year of production. 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. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. . The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. Gretsch was contracted to make banjos for them. It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. Slanted mid 1940's Gibson Logo. Heads have different effects on different kinds of banjos. The Maurer Company records have been lost. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, ukulele. The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. Higher numbers also meant more money. Thanks for the feedback! The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. ss stewart presentation banjo - Google Search. The 5th string is not only shorter than the other four banjo strings, but this string is also the highest in sound (or pitch ). Following many prototypes, shapes and bracing patterns, the Mark Series was launched in 1975. Banjo not included or available. Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. They are essentially an Advanced Jumbo with minor compromises: they filled a gap between the J-35 and the J-55. It marked the beginning of a new era for Gibson. There was a line of black inlay (or ebony layer) along the centerline of the back of the neck. It had chrome plated standard friction pegs, rosewood finished neck and headstock with matchin resonator. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. The banjo's fingerboard is where the magic happens. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. Many have no identification at all. The saddles were wider than usual. MB -- mandolin banjo. They had owner applied pick guards and multi-bound backs and tops (including red line highlights). This technique of supplying interchangeable saddles/bridges was not new, it had been used by Selmer in France for their Maccaferri style instruments since the 1930s. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. 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! 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. That way I'll be sure to hear it, since I will get a heads up when you post. There was some amber color. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. This is a strong playing. 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. David L. Day was in his 70s. Introduced is the year of introduction. 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. Maybell was a Slingerland brand name. Banjo Head Types and Descriptions - Deering Banjo Company Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher. which do not feature a paper label. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. These were Gibsons first flat-top cutaways. The tradition had been Bug style mandolins: bowl-backs with flat or bent tops. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. Sounds great and the instrument is very easy to play. Plectrum. >I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. To complicate matters, the Larson brothers appear to have used different numbering techniques for different brands that they supplied. Some SJNs with plastic Special Bridges. 615-264-4959. The bridge was a small rectangular block type with a through saddle. 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. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Edited by - rfvelk on 12/26/2013 17:31:36, Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 22:24:21. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify Western movies were tremendously popular and the singing cowboy heroes needed instruments as big and bold as untamed West. 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. 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. Identifying How Old Your Banjo Is (The Easy Way!) - Pro Music Vault 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, Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. 118 Midtown Ct # M A2-Zs were theoretically made during the Loar period of 1921-25, but only between 1923 and 1924. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. I chose a .090 binding that is layered, for a nice pin-striped look and Stewart MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply makes the perfect set of bits for routing headstock for binding called Piloted Binding Router Bits. Gibson 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. The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. These instruments live a bit outside that critique. 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. It is not clear how Gibson decided to set their nut widths and neck thicknesses. Yuletide. 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). Hand Engraving. A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. The fretboard was bound but without extension and The Gibson was stamped into the tailpiece cover. S. S. Stewart Guitars Born of a Banjeau Maker During the period of 1909 through 1920 Gibson produced large numbers of mandolins. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. The Mark Series, though not a wild success in terms of overall sales, did sell reasonably well. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth The fingerboard of the L-5S is in with select abalone. The ones up until 1924 had either at best a ball bearing tone ring -- spring loaded ball bearings with springs to keep the skin heads tight. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. 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. 1-6 digits stamped into the top edge of the headstock-often difficult to read. the bins that were used to move instruments from . CONTACT US; Headstock Shape. Epiphone Serial Number Lookup - Authority Guitar USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. 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 examples weve seen vary from the Gibson catalogs quite a bit. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. 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. 1930s-40s R S Williams and Sons built "Stewart" 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop headstock 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop back Gibson. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2600s to 2700s. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. The last 4 digits are a neck number. There were 1229 made. You can buy the book here on Amazon and I would highly recommend it. Home | Vintage Banjo Maker 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. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. When it came out in 1942 it was the most expensive Gibson flat-top in the line. 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. Vintage Guitar - Parts and Identification - Hfner 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 . Neck: mahogany single piece. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. 1972 L-5S launched, but shipping totals list no instruments being shipped until 1973. Weve seen some serial number lists that are as much as 8 years out-of-sync with this list. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. Gibson introduced their first adjustable belly bridge 2 screws to raise and lower the bridge. How to Survey the Neck to Identify a Great Bluegrass Banjo B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. The first Gibson J45 guitars were only slightly different from the discontinued J-35. A total of 2,477 J-35s were made according to Gibson records. How to ID vintage Gibson banjos? - The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum Vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s - price guide and values - Carter's banjo headstock identification 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! banjo headstock identification The Gibson Company was formed in late 1902 and the early mandolins evolved from the original Orville Gibson designs. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. Another useful All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. I just received this mando-banjo I bought on e-bay and I'm hoping someone can help me identify the builder. There is a utility market though. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover and inlaid in headstock. They were too late Gibson owned the market and the Martins were dropped 6 years later having only sold about 540 combined. There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. banjo headstock identification Some rectangular examples, Headstock appointments: Decal Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. Manchester University, Instruction * ConcertsJams * More Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel . Jun 24, 2020 - The Art of Banjo Headstocks. 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. Augustino LoPrinzi has developed a fine reputation for classical guitars, ukuleles, steel string and 12-string guitars. There were 5226 made. The decade following saw a change in finish from varnish to shinier lacquer. The original price in 1942 was $45. Martin introduced their versions of acoustic-electrics: the D-18E in 1958 and D-28E in 1959. Deering Gabriella 5-string banjo headstock. Identifying Vintage Guitars, Banjos & Mandolins - Acoustic Music Rated 5.00 out of 5. Introduced 1954, discontinued in 1978, reintroduced in the 1980s and still produced today. The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. The other digits in the serial number can tell you when your banjo was made.
banjo headstock identification