banjo headstock identification

The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. CLB, Classic guitar of Brazilian rosewood, gold tuners. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. . Banjo not included or available. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. When I look at the rim, tone ring, tube and plate, and tailpiece they look like the same ones on my Ibanez 591. There was some amber color. 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. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. 292 Old Banjo Stock Photos, Images & Pictures - Dreamstime 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. Gibson RB-250 MASTERTONE 5-string RB250 - All Original with - Reverb.com Size 3 Gurian, either acoustic or amplified. Maybell was a Slingerland brand name. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. Though it has gone through a number of refinements over the years, the basic design has not changed since. 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. 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. The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. In some cases there are no pickguards. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. To most people all banjos look (and sound) the same. These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. Naming the parts of a banjo. The tuners were individual Kluson with amber buttons. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. bands even in the early 1890s. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. For a period of time, this was the top of the line. Nice playability, great tone, strong low end and good sustain all the way up the neck. There were some 1 3/4 nuts available. The Gibson Southerner Jumbo was introduced in 1942 and discontinued in 1978. 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. S2R, size 2 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. MIDWEST BANJO CAMPJune 1-4, 2023New Manchester, IN The focus of the site is antique and vintage banjos and mandolins, but there are . The neck heal had a white plastic cap. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. CLR, Classic guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides, decorated binding, gold tuners. One of the advantages of choosing a banjo made in a small shop environment is the easy availability of customization. There were 1424 made. Music Love. 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?) If the serial number is legible the instrument can be relatively easy to date. Hard-stamped serial numbers. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. 1970 onward: 1 piece maple. MK-35 models were mahogany back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. The pot fairly screams Iida to me. This peghead is found on low end, turn of the century, Lyon & Healy banjos, often with the L&H or Mystic brand stamped into the strut. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. Style Designations (There are many exceptions to the following). Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. The other digits in the serial number can tell you when your banjo was made. 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. Yuletide. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel . Yes, paging Scott to the Collector's Corner, please. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . New Location: . Plectrum. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. This was available in brown, black or blonde finish. Ironically, the script logo on the headstock was old-style. Free or royalty-free photos and images. Identification: "A" Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. Art Studios. He lived in Illinois all his life. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. Its difficult to positively Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. Manchester University, All Forums 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. 1972 L-5S launched, but shipping totals list no instruments being shipped until 1973. S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. Higher numbers also meant more money. The passage of time confuses matters even further: They made some non-SilverBell models that had been developed in the 1930s that bore the B&D label like the Seniorita, and some later Gretsch SilverBells that carried only the Bacon label. The 1975 price was $439. The headstock face was veneered in black. Where no serial numbers are shown they simply are not known. For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. The narrower guitar sizes allowed for available materials. The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. Western movies were tremendously popular and the singing cowboy heroes needed instruments as big and bold as untamed West. Also, the first batch of J-45s had more binding both on the body and soundhole. I just have a few questions. Like all other companies, there are exceptions. The 1934 version had a classic Gibson sunburst: the small amber center around the bridge about 1/4 of the top area. The Jumbos had a slight V shaped neck with the Gibson truss rod and a pointed French heal somewhat unusual for Gibson. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth The more economical Student Grade instruments were often ladder braced. 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. See LG-0 for materials and dimensions. The system is not known for certain but might have restarted as consecutive numbers beginning at 1000. This should be considered a guide to get you within a year of the correct date. George Youngblood of Youngbloods Music Workshop. Prices were typically 30-40% more than other Gibson solid bodies; the Les Paul Recording, LP Custom and SG Custom. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. LoPrinzi Rosemont, New Jersey built by Augustino LoPrinzi (and apprentices) with Augustino on the headstocks. Gibson had changed its neck profiles and headstock shape on the successful J-Series. 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. (The 1st year of the J-45 actually had similar appointments but they were reduced and simplified for model clarity in 1943). It also had a black veneered headstock (front and back) and a black inlay in the back of the neck. ARIA 921C. LG-0 | Introduced 1958 | Discontinued 1973, LG-1 | Introduced 1947 | Discontinued 1968, LG-2 | Introduced 1942 | Discontinued 1962, LG-2- | Introduced 1949 | Discontinued 1962, LG-3 | Introduced 1946 | Discontinued 1963, B-25 | Introduced 1962 | Discontinued 1976, FJ-N | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, F-25 | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, B-15 | Introduced 1967 | Discontinued 1970, Brazilian rosewood rectangular through bridges, 2 screws in the bridge with MOP dot covers, Basically the same as LG-1 with a mahogany top, Single plastic tortoise shell binding top and back, Narrow neck design with 14 degree headstock angle, Same basic guitar as LG-2 with average wood, Wood imperfections covered by a dark sunburst, Tall scalloped braces change to low-profile rough cut, Enlarged rectangular bridge with closed slot, Fire striped plastic pickguard teardrop shape, Last use of the Banner decal on headstocks, Basically the same as an LG-2 with better materials, Bottom belly rosewood bridges with adjustable saddles, Back, sides and neck finished in walnut stain, Body shape: 16 wide, round shoulder dreadnought shape, Top: Select spruce, 2-piece bookmatched with scalloped X-bracing, Neck: mahogany, single piece, unbound, 19 fret, dot markers, Bridges: Rosewood belly-down. Fairbanks & Vega banjos, Dating & Identifying - Mugwumps Angled (Tilted-Back) Headstock. 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: . Similar to A, but with double purfling on the soundhole. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover and inlaid in headstock. ARCHIVED TOPIC: VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. I have to say that it is most interesting. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. Jul 15, 2021 - A study of banjo head peg heads. The headstock shape is very similar and it has the hexnut . The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. B. Schall (1878-1907) manufactured many unmarked banjos for Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. feature both a serial number and a FON. Example: U8034853 U = Unsung, 8 = 1998, 03 = March, 4853 = manufacturing number. 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. They had dot markers on the fretboard and a moustache bridge with individual adjusters on each string. This is a high-quality instrument. VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout Steel Guitar. Gator GL-BANJO-XL Banjo Light Weight Case - $50 (Lynnwood) The space between the headstock center and the top of the lathe bed is the radius of the lathe swing. Thanks for the feedback! A Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. Download Old Banjo stock photos. Most They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. Instrumental. Mid to late 1944, the neck block revert back to mahogany, though poplar is occasionally used. After October 1930 the body and style designations and the serial number appears stamped on the neck blocks: Since the Larson brothers built guitars for many brand names, identification can be difficult, but there are a number of stylistic and structural building techniques that help narrow the exercise. In some cases, teachers would Post-war Gibson Banjo Serial Number Listing for "Bowtie Era Banjos" During the Folk Boom of the 1960s, Gretsch produced a line of 5 string open back banjos with regular and long necks. The headstock had a black wood face veneer. 541 Concert: rosewood back & sides with colored wood appointments. The L-5S was the first high end jazz solid body guitar. Bodies: Rosewood, oak, mahogany, koa and maple. Gibson needed to revitalize its lineup of flat-top guitars the LG-Series was born. Laminated maple back and sides is discontinued (FON batch 2828 used maple back and sides). The tuners were individual. 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. Please see the, Epiphone: Current Serial Number Information, Gibson J-35 & Advanced Jumbo Flat-top Acoustic Guitars, Gibson Jumbo Deluxe and J-55 Flat-top Acoustic Guitars, Gibson J-45 and J-50 Flat-top Acoustic Guitars, Gibson Southern Jumbos and Country Westerns, Gibson J-160E Flat-top Acoustic-Electrics, Gibson CF-100 Flat-top Acoustic-Electrics, Gibson MK Series Flat-top Acoustic Guitars, Gibson L-5S Solid Body Electric Guitars, Guitars & Stringed Instruments General Information, Care & Feeding of a Wooden Musical Instrument, Identifying Vintage Guitars, Banjos & Mandolins, 41530 Transition from 12 to 14 fret necks, 1 Banjos from various contracted builders, 2028 Earliest reference to Forrest Dale VT, 30620 Symphonie, Sultana, and Senorita introduced, 35341 Gretsch purchases Fred Bacon Banjo Company. Home | Vintage Banjo Maker 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. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. The early models had shallow neck sets that increased in angle around 1908. There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. Lion Banjo Mfg Co - Rock Rapids, Iowa - S. Nathaniel Adams At least then you will know the model name. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names, The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. http://www.mugwumps.com. Prairie State instruments have the patented rod and/or tube reinforcing, occasionally found on other Larson built guitars. Where possible, these numbers are in agreement with existing sales receipts. The 5th string on a banjo lies within easy reach of the right-hand . B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. All Rights Reserved. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. Saga. Neck: mahogany single piece. Body designation Style designation, Serial number. 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. . Another useful You may, . It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . It was bound on the top, back, sides and around the fretboard. 14" resonator on the banjo examined is probably non original (Korean). By 1941, either natural or sunburst were available. For example: The custom series of Epiphone Texans built with cooperation from Paul McCartney: some were built in Bozeman Montana and some in Japan. Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made Mando-banjo identification [Archive] - Mandolin Cafe Forum They had owner applied pick guards and multi-bound backs and tops (including red line highlights). side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). It is very showy though. the bins that were used to move instruments from . Pearl dots on fretboard. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. Kluson tuners no longer had circle stamp (exposed gears riveted instead of screwed in place) and shaft size of 7/32 to save wartime metal. The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. banjo headstock identification Headstocks say LoPrinzi. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. The top and back bindings were black plastic. It's always made of hardwood such as ebony and makes up the front-facing top half of the banjo's neck. It was Gibsons most prestigious solid body (and therefore expensive, with a couple of exceptions). LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. There were 5226 made. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues - there are many exceptions. Tuners, hardware and tailpieces were probably purchased from Lyon and Healy who had a factory just down the street from the Larson shop. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. How did you come to own it? 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. He was also a guitar enthusiast with a passion for physical and psycho-acoustics. 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. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. Thanks for any assistance you can provide. 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). 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. $80 in depression era dollars was beyond the means of most people of the time but 300+/- were built during its 3 year production run. 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. 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. Knob changes usually following other Gibson electrics. In 1947 a natural finish J-45 was finally offered and given the designation: J-50. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. Deering. 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. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. Between 1934 and 1938, Gibson only offered the sunburst finish. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. The last 4 digits are a neck number. The neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. Epiphone serial-number-information - identification 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 soundboard was so large and the body so deep that the sound was immense. 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 . The later pickguard clamps have a stamped patent date of July 4, 1911. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. MK-81 models were rosewood back & sides, ebony fingerboard with figured abalone block inlays & gold plated hardware. 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. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). Martin Flat Top Guitar Body Sizes and Designations: The body size designation is stamped on the neck block starting in October 1930. Gibson. 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. Lyon & Healy routinely used talon or patent 1897 The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . A New Leaf from Steven Moore. Gibson believed that these choices would allow them to focus on their more profitable lines. The following versions evolved quickly to 14 frets clear of the body. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. The sunburst finish was generally $30 less than natural finish. The further down the headstock the peg is, the shorter it will be. See also: Gibson J-160E for more historical context. It had chrome plated standard friction pegs, rosewood finished neck and headstock with matchin resonator. A2-Zs were theoretically made during the Loar period of 1921-25, but only between 1923 and 1924. Collector's Corner The neck is the long piece of wood that attaches to the banjo body that guides the strings along the instrument's fretting surface (called the fingerboard ). Have a vintage Harmony guitar? ss stewart presentation banjo - Google Search. These appear to be the easiest to find and quite reasonable to buy. These instruments live a bit outside that critique. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. S. S. Stewart Guitars Born of a Banjeau Maker No serial numbers etc. 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. Serial Numbers - Acoustic Music 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. For sale for $50 cash, firm. 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. Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. Deering Gabriella 5-string banjo headstock. Other singing cowboys who later owned Super Jumbos include Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Binding a Banjo Headstock - AcousticBox.com Many have no identification at all. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. Sunburst was the only finish available for the J-45 until much later as the sunburst finish can hide flaws in the wood; this was a significant advantage during WW2 when clear wood was being used for the war effort. The first group in late 1936 had larger soundholes and long scales: 25 1/2. These were Gibsons first flat-top cutaways. It will be interesting of one of the BHO members has a vintage Kay catalog with that particular banjo. The following are a rough guide. 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! In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. The 2nd delivery to Ray Whitley was the more refined 14 fret SJ that is so well photo-dicumented. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, ukulele. string peg perch is typically carved out from the side of the neck as shown serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Australian zither . Rated 5.00 out of 5. Cherry Sunburst is still available. Buckbee (1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their 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. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. The original price in 1942 was $45. When it came out in 1942 it was the most expensive Gibson flat-top in the line. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. Ebony Fretboards were generally thicker than other builders. The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. 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. The binding on the top is b/w. I just received this mando-banjo I bought on e-bay and I'm hoping someone can help me identify the builder. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. Starting in 1923, models included: the Silver Bell, the Super Banjo and the Blue Bell. Dr. Michael Kasha was a chemical physicist and the director of the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University. ', 'Pisgah 12 Builders Choice Custom Walnut Dobson 5+1 String Banjo', 'Custom 12inch Billybilt Banjo w Figured Maple neck and Curly maple RIckard Pot and Balch head', '11inch Billybilt Banjo with Antique Spunover SS Stewart Pot and Curly Maple neck'. The above Peghead Shapes are existing patterns.

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