1972 L-5S launched, but shipping totals list no instruments being shipped until 1973. Worthy of mention is the Jumbo Deluxe, though it is believed that only 3 were ever made in 1938. Banjos with pegheads like that shown in the first picture below are usually made by Buckbee. 1952: The headstock gold decal logo was replaced by an inlayed pearl script and crown. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. How to customize a Huber Banjo; . Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. 2. 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. 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. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. Instrumental. Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. 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. Example of custom shape is well represented below with the "Tennessee Banjo". 585 Grand Concert: rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments and a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). . A Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. Cherry Sunburst is still available. Back & Sides: Mahogany but some released as Brazilian rosewood. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. Saga. There are also examples of A-2Zs without the Z on the lable but still sporting the black perfling line. Also, the first batch of J-45s had more binding both on the body and soundhole. That way I'll be sure to hear it, since I will get a heads up when you post. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover and inlaid in headstock. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. The neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. In some cases, teachers would Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything. 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. banjo headstock identification new harrisonburg high school good friday agreement, brexit June 29, 2022 fabletics madelaine petsch 2021 0 when is property considered abandoned after a divorce They had owner applied pick guards and multi-bound backs and tops (including red line highlights). The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. The Jumbos had a slight V shaped neck with the Gibson truss rod and a pointed French heal somewhat unusual for Gibson. 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. It had binding on front, back, soundhole and the fretboard; The Gibson inlaid into the headstock and a better grade of spruce top. Even the group of inexperienced entreprenuers could see and understand the value of the Gibson name. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. There were 1229 made. 1946 onward: No feet the bottom of the bridge flush on the instrument top. 1970 onward: 1 piece maple. Inlays and bindings are remarkably consistent through the years. purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other New Location: 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. Gibson. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. It appears that many mandolin owners of earlier models chose to upgrade their bridges to the fancy new adjustable models after 1921. 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. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. The rosettes were simple white-black-white. 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 centerline of the neck had the black inlay. It was basically a slope shoulder dreadnaught like a J-45 or Southerner Jumbo and designed for the country and western market. Most information about Larson Brothers instruments comes from their catalog published around 1930. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. The aluminum shell was chrome plated with 24 chrome-plated brackets. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! $ 5,719.00 $ 5,149.00. The neck heal had a white plastic cap. The focus of the site is antique and vintage banjos and mandolins, but there are . 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. Some banjo . The system is not known for certain but might have restarted as consecutive numbers beginning at 1000. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. The following site helps identify the labels with the date and location of production: All Gurian Guitars have serial numbers stamped on the neck block in characters visible through the soundhole. The second type of headstock, as you can tell by its name, is the angled or tilted-back headstock. Prairie State instruments have the patented rod and/or tube reinforcing, occasionally found on other Larson built guitars. JM, jumbo size guitar with mahogany back & sides, chrome tuners. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. The designations were. The 1975 price was $439. For photographic examples of the Gibson Cf-100 and CF-100E Click Here. Heads have different effects on different kinds of banjos. 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. The early instruments built in Nashville suffered from inexperienced workers and climate-control problems in the humid South. The Larson bridge, if not otherwise specified by another company, is a rectangular flattened pyramid ebony style similar to those used by Lyon and Healy. The Gibson CF-100 was introduced in 1950 (the CF-100E was introduced 1951) and discontinued in 1960. You'll find Epiphone serial numbers in the standard places. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. Sha-Sw. T-V. W-Y. The 1970s are viewed by many collectors and players as the low point of Gibson manufacturing. 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: . 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. A total of 2,477 J-35s were made according to Gibson records. The tradition had been Bug style mandolins: bowl-backs with flat or bent tops. 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. There was some amber color. The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. The instruments had modified fan bracing and asymmetrical bridges. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. Timing is everything In 1969 the Gibson parent company: Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) was acquired by the South American brewing conglomerate: E.C.L. The saddles were wider than usual. I'm leaning more in that direction. Plectrum. Several other forces were at work for change: Introduced 1963, these were designed as dual-purpose instruments. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. 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. 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. In general, higher model numbers meant more binding and ornament. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". The numbers are preceded by letters: A, B, C, or D which indicate the series. 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. These instruments live a bit outside that critique. In 1941 the fretboard became Brazilian rosewood. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher Have a vintage Harmony guitar? So, take a look and . Some early necks were cherry before 1912. (The 1st year of the J-45 actually had similar appointments but they were reduced and simplified for model clarity in 1943). There were 1424 made. It also had a black veneered headstock (front and back) and a black inlay in the back of the neck. Prices were typically 30-40% more than other Gibson solid bodies; the Les Paul Recording, LP Custom and SG Custom. They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. Richard Schneider and assistant Abe Wechter acted as the on-site, full-time luthiers to collaborate and develop Kashas theories and bring them to a manufacturing reality. Some examples had the black (skunk) strip down the middle of the top similar to the Southerner Jumbos. The individual artist's touch on the . Our 19th Year * Sign Up Now Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. There were 431 made. During 1942 two new models were introduced to the Gibson line-up to replace the J-35 and J-55. feature both a serial number and a FON. There is a Kay company logo on the headstock but absolutely no other identifying marks. For example: Gretsch stopped production of Bacon and B&D banjos. In some cases there are no pickguards. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. The later pickguard clamps have a stamped patent date of July 4, 1911. 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. 615-264-4959. beautiful banjo. Style Designations (There are many exceptions to the following). 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.). In late 1 the use of factory order numbers was discontinued. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. Identification. Script Gibson logo, Fretboard: Twin parallelograms inlays unbound 19 fret. It was built for Hollywood singing star Ray Whitley as the worlds biggest and fanciest acoustic guitar. Some rectangular examples, Headstock appointments: Decal Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. During the period of 1909 through 1920 Gibson produced large numbers of mandolins. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. They were well suited for orchestral arrangements as well as individual play and accompaniment. I'm thinking it was made by the Iida folks for a NAMM show or something. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. CMI acquired Gibson around May 1944. The grade of top wood was tighter grained. Steel Guitar. http://www.mugwumps.com. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. middle-sized, chrome tuners. Yet somehow, there's a certain cool factor to this one. 118 Midtown Ct # M The binding on the top is b/w. 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. 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. Vega continued to mark their banjos "A.C. Fairbanks" until the middle teens. See also: Gibson J-160E for more historical context. New Location: 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. Western movies were tremendously popular and the singing cowboy heroes needed instruments as big and bold as untamed West. To most people all banjos look (and sound) the same. One of the advantages of choosing a banjo made in a small shop environment is the easy availability of customization. However there were and are many different types, most of which can be found on this page. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. An entire bin was a "lot" and would contain Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. 1973 $895 L-5S a few instruments shipped and cherry sunburst is the only available finish. Gibson discontinued the A-3 around 1922. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. In the early years, due to the depression and the following wartime austerity, demand for this expensive instrument was limited and production quantities were small. Many have no identification at all. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. 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. The model started production in 1938 as Gibsons top-of-the-line flat top guitar. These were Gibsons first flat-top cutaways. Manchester University, All Forums expressed on the sides and back of the 1934 versions. These digits should match the 4 digits found on the back of the peghead of your banjo. 3 hrs, 'Pisgah 12 Builders Choice Custom Walnut Dobson 5+1 String Banjo' 3 hrs, 'Custom 12inch Billybilt Banjo w Figured Maple neck and Curly maple RIckard Pot and Balch head' 4 hrs, '11inch Billybilt Banjo with Antique Spunover SS Stewart Pot and Curly Maple neck' 4 hrs, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<, We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The electric version included a P-90 pickup at the end of the soundboard like the later versions of the J-160E. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. The soundboard was so large and the body so deep that the sound was immense. Acoustic Guitars. The Mark Series, though not a wild success in terms of overall sales, did sell reasonably well. Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Gibson believed that these choices would allow them to focus on their more profitable lines. The public seems to have favored this shape over time as it fetches better prices now. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. I like it. 1979 $1149 Antique Sunburst added to Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst and Natural. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. Between 1934 and 1938, Gibson only offered the sunburst finish. Gibson developed the truss rod in 1921. Brown or black finish, some binding only on the top and in the soundhole with one ring around the soundhole. This was expanded in 1935 to about 1/3 of the top area. It had a 24 3/4 scale and was constructed of all solid woods. The soundhole size coincided with the overall size of the instrument. No binding, no inlay and no decoration. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. LoPrinzi Guitars Plainsboro, New Jersey AMF years (serial numbers: high 3,000 4,000s) Tom LoPrinzi was still with the company. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. department to department had 40 cubbyholes. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. 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. which do not feature a paper label. B. Schall (1878-1907) manufactured many unmarked banjos for 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. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. The last 4 digits are a neck number. A head on a long neck open back banjo might sound completely different on a 12-string banjo. This was available in brown, black or blonde finish. the bins that were used to move instruments from . 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 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. 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). World War II changed many aspects of the guitar world. Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. . . Information compiled by Leonard Wyeth 2008, L Wyeth, Century General Introduced 1933 for the Century of Progress Exhibition @ $55. They generally had birch or walnut back and sides sometimes flat and later (1904+/-) carved. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names, There is a steel tone ring on the maple rim, and the rim has a maple cap. 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. MK-35-12 models were only made in 1977. The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us. Introduced is the year of introduction. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, The 5th string on a banjo lies within easy reach of the right-hand . Format: 2 (Identifier) YY (Year) XXXX (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number . Augustino & Thomas LoPrinzi Guitars usually have the date of manufacture on the label. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. Edited by - rfvelk on 12/26/2013 17:31:36, Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 22:24:21. Known Problems with Gretschs Serial Number System: Due to the various renumbering schemes, there are Gretsch-built Bacons and B&Ds with 3 digit, 4 digit and 5 digit serial numbers, which confuses identification of instruments made between 1910 and 1940. themselves through common hardware and design characteristics. Manchester University, Instruction * ConcertsJams * More The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. 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! Its not clear how it works during this period. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. I have never seen one like this in person or even a picture of one. The only available finish was sunburst until 1954. Weve seen some serial number lists that are as much as 8 years out-of-sync with this list. 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. 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!' 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. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. Pearl dots on fretboard. Most have the patented L&H tailpiece shown in the inset. 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. Identification: "A" Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. Thanks for any assistance you can provide. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. Every banjo has a story. To complicate matters, the Larson brothers appear to have used different numbering techniques for different brands that they supplied. The 1934 was single bound, front and back with dot markers on the rosewood fretboard and a horizontal script logo inlay on the headstock. PB -- plectrum banjo. There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. Carl and August Larson built instruments between 1900 and 1944. Go back. He was also a guitar enthusiast with a passion for physical and psycho-acoustics. The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. 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?)