Towards the end, the line actually continued to increase in sales. S2R, size 2 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. The other digits in the serial number can tell you when your banjo was made. 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 1975 price was $1,999. The bass of this model will amaze you, and of course the clear brilliant treble is in perfect balance. For once, the hyperbole may have been closer to the truth. middle-sized, chrome tuners. Another useful
MK-53 models were maple back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. Gibson Banjo Serial Number Factory Order Number Information; Pre-war banjos, Flathead, Mastertone. Check out our banjo decal selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our bumper stickers shops. 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. Presentation banjos often turned up at NAMMand other shows. As a consequence, the details were grand in scale and the bindings high in contrast to look good in black and white on the silver screen. 1968: Changed to a bottom belly bridge and 1960 style pickguard, 1969: Changed to a square shoulder dreadnaught, Original version: solid mahogany back but laminated mahogany sides, 1 piece mahogany neck & 17 degree headstock angle, Bound Brazilian fretboard with trapezoid inlayed markers, Individual Kluson tuners with white buttons later: keystone Pearloid buttons, P-90 single coil pickup with adjustable pole pieces. Mythology has it that the Southerner Jumbo was specifically targeted at the Southern market honoring rising Country music trends. The necks and heels were rounder. Laminated maple back and sides is discontinued (FON batch 2828 used maple back and sides). Art Studios. The concept behind the J-45 was a high quality, affordable, big-sounding acoustic flat-top guitar. 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. Deering. B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. Timing is everything In 1969 the Gibson parent company: Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) was acquired by the South American brewing conglomerate: E.C.L. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. Though there appear to be exceptions, necks between 1912 and 1923 are 3-piece mahogany. Like everything else, we have seen exceptions to the listed dimensions; especially the nut widths. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. 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. Mid 1921 through late 1930s: larger base with 2 feet, 3/8 adjustment wheels and wooden compensated bridge top. 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. In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. The headstock face was veneered in black. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. 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. 1980 $1249 By late 1980, the Gibson deluxe tuners with Crank button, and Posi-Lok strap button were added. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. 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 decade following saw a change in finish from varnish to shinier lacquer. Saga. Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. For more detailed information, get the following book: The Larsons Creations Guitars & Mandolins by Robert Carl Hartman. . The back braces were tall and thin and Gibson scalloped the top braces. The focus of the site is antique and vintage banjos and mandolins, but there are . Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee Body shape changed to square shoulder dreadnought. The necks were 1-piece mahogany V shape with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard at 12 radius. 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. banjos. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. Have a vintage Harmony guitar? Introduced 1954, discontinued in 1978, reintroduced in the 1980s and still produced today. Silkscreen logos - Low end models. During 1942 two new models were introduced to the Gibson line-up to replace the J-35 and J-55. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. Made in USA. So, take a look and . 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. See LG-0 for materials and dimensions. 1940: #1 or #001 to 1965: approximately #84xxx. By 1941, either natural or sunburst were available. 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 ). Thanks for the feedback! At the turn of the century, Orville Gibson was refining his notion of the superior mandolin: carved in the tradition of violins for greater volume and tone as well as comfort. Size 3 Gurian, either acoustic or amplified. The 1975 price was $659. S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. CLR, Classic guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides, decorated binding, gold tuners. Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/27/2013 17:30:00, Charles in SC - Posted-12/27/2013: 20:38:42. 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. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. I like it. These digits should match the 4 digits found on the back of the peghead of your banjo. Banjos with pegheads like that shown in the first picture below are usually made by Buckbee. A Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. (Folk Jumbo Natural and Folk-25). Headstocks say LoPrinzi. 1952: The headstock gold decal logo was replaced by an inlayed pearl script and crown. The model started production in 1938 as Gibsons top-of-the-line flat top guitar. Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. Gibson TP-6 tailpiece became standard. The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. The first two digits tell you the month the banjo was built, the last two digits before the dash or space will tell you the year, and the numbers . Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. These shoes are shown in an 1890s Washburn banjo catalog, on low end models with . Gibson needed to revitalize its lineup of flat-top guitars the LG-Series was born. 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. Q: What is the first step in determining the age of my banjo? Yes, paging Scott to the Collector's Corner, please. Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). A maple, prewar style bluegrass banjo made like the classic banjos of the 1930's with the same materials and the same weight, design and features, the Golden Era is one of our most popular banjos for traditional bluegrass bands. The sunburst finish was generally $30 less than natural finish. 1959: Larger crown frets and the adjustable bridge. New Location:
LoPrinzi Guitars Plainsboro, New Jersey AMF years (serial numbers: high 3,000 4,000s) Tom LoPrinzi was still with the company. 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. The Gibson Southerner Jumbo was introduced in 1942 and discontinued in 1978. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. The electric version included a P-90 pickup at the end of the soundboard like the later versions of the J-160E. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. There were 1424 made. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. Due to the plain marks on the bracing, it is believed that every top was tuned by the same Gibson employee. Larger 2.25 wide by .140 laminated maple bridge plates replace 1 7/16 x .125 solid maple bridge plates, Change the body shape to square shoulder dreadnaughts, Injection molded .075 thick styrene pickguard replaces the older .025 thick celluloid pickguard, Plastic bolt-on bridge replaces the rosewood bridge, White pickguard with Gibson logo screwed down to the top. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . Google Play. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. 1921 early: 3/8 adjustment wheels, short base and aluminum compensated bridge top. The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. The hardshell case had a green or red silk lining. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. 587 Similar to 585 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything. http://www.mugwumps.com. It was built for Hollywood singing star Ray Whitley as the worlds biggest and fanciest acoustic guitar. The Jumbos had a slight V shaped neck with the Gibson truss rod and a pointed French heal somewhat unusual for Gibson. All Rights Reserved. It was basically a slope shoulder dreadnaught like a J-45 or Southerner Jumbo and designed for the country and western market. Introduced is the year of introduction. Collector's Corner
During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! Thanks for the history, I always love the story. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. The Mark Series guitars had 16 3/16 lower bouts with very narrow waists, and a headstock like no other in Gibson tradition. There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. New Location:
of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long,
The intent is to provide a rough dating guide. 1972 L-5S launched, but shipping totals list no instruments being shipped until 1973. The flood of returning soldiers with a broader world-view brought new musical tastes and new hopes for the future. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. Grupo Musical. 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). Only about a dozen were made. Where no serial numbers are shown they simply are not known. 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. It is most common after 1923 when most Gibson model As had this shape. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. The examples weve seen vary from the Gibson catalogs quite a bit. Starting in 1923, models included: the Silver Bell, the Super Banjo and the Blue Bell. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher
541 Concert: rosewood back & sides with colored wood appointments. This was expanded in 1935 to about 1/3 of the top area. set of identifying characteristics can be found at
Lyon & Healy routinely used talon or patent 1897
Saga Bella Voce 70/80. GB -- guitar banjo. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. Gibson believed that these choices would allow them to focus on their more profitable lines. their better banjos is also distinctive, with a small additional bump on either
Manchester University, All Forums
Weve seen some serial number lists that are as much as 8 years out-of-sync with this list. That way I'll be sure to hear it, since I will get a heads up when you post. Generally harp guitars, L.H. Other Banjo-Related Topics
thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. 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. Dark stained plain birch back and sides. 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. JM, jumbo size guitar with mahogany back & sides, chrome tuners. Yuletide. 615-264-4959. Gibson started making banjos in 1917. For example, one head might sound right for one player on a five string banjo, but be disappointing on another players tenor banjo. The 1975 price was $879. S2M, size 2 guitar with mahogany back & sides. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. 118 Midtown Ct # M For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. It appears that they experimented right up to the point of discontinuing the line. There's a small snag in the outer pocket webbing - otherwise it's like new. I own the book and have found it to be an invaluable resource in identifying these old guitars. bands even in the early 1890s. Banjo Headstock Designs. Neck s/n DA5063 with L&B headstock inlay: T. Biggs : 1932 : 66-1: PB-3 : Shipped August 7, 1935: Gibson Shipping Ledger : 1932 : 66-2: PB-3: Flathead: 1-piece: The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. 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. White from 1928 to 1943/44. A2-Zs were theoretically made during the Loar period of 1921-25, but only between 1923 and 1924. The second type of headstock, as you can tell by its name, is the angled or tilted-back headstock. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. The designations were. Gibson had helped in the war effort and seen many employees enlist. The aluminum shell was chrome plated with 24 chrome-plated brackets. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. There were 431 made. 1979 $1149 Antique Sunburst added to Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst and Natural. There were 2 tone bars and a treble side X brace with a 102 degree angle about 1 below the 4 soundhole. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). They were available in steel string or classical. Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) 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. The somewhat radical headstock shape was discontinued at Gibson with the Mark Series but appears to have been an influence on the young Paul Reed Smith who later used a similar shape for his electric instruments. It was a refinement of the slope-shoulder design of the original Jumbo but slightly deeper: 4 13/16. About Larrive Guitar Labels USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. Format: 2 (Identifier) YY (Year) XXXX (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number . 585 Grand Concert: rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments and a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. 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. MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. 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. Pickguards between 1909 and 1921 +/- show a stamped patent date of Mar. Between 1934 and 1938, Gibson only offered the sunburst finish. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. S3R, Size 3 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. The LG-Series is 2 narrower than the J-Series. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. The birch sides and back were stained red. FLC, Flamenco guitar with Canadian cypress back and sides, friction pegs (machine heads on some examples). GIBSON GARAGE FIND A DEALER GIBSON APP. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. The original V shape of the necks of the J-35s was replaced by distinctly round necks (baseball bats) and a tear drop pickguard. . Gibson discontinued the A-3 around 1922. 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. Late 1974 gold covered recording pickups are replaced with humbuckers. The saddles were wider than usual. Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). Buckbee (1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their
Take a closer look at the serial number found on the back of the headstock and reference the guide below. and What's it sound like? Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. Though it has gone through a number of refinements over the years, the basic design has not changed since. The 1975 price was $439. In any event, these should be used only as a guide and not assumed to be absolutely correct. If you want to use any of this information:
593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. 1946 onward: No feet the bottom of the bridge flush on the instrument top. Though you were told there was only12 of this model made, it will not be any more valuable than if there 10,000 made. Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Number on headstock, Open Back, Pink OHC liner, Klusons with white plastic buttons, bound f/b: I/N Auction 8/2007 : 1962 : 88909: RB-180 . Larrivee Serial Numbers (approximate). which do not feature a paper label. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. There was a line of black inlay (or ebony layer) along the centerline of the back of the neck. They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. Script Gibson logo, Fretboard: Twin parallelograms inlays unbound 19 fret. 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?) Plectrum. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. 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. 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. MK-81 models were rosewood back & sides, ebony fingerboard with figured abalone block inlays & gold plated hardware. 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. The back and sides were Brazilian rosewood and the tops Adirondack red spruce. Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". 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. Example: U8034853 U = Unsung, 8 = 1998, 03 = March, 4853 = manufacturing number. peghead shape. Its difficult to positively
The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. 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. 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. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. How to customize a Huber Banjo; . Gibson introduced their first adjustable belly bridge 2 screws to raise and lower the bridge. 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. George Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars by George Gruhn and Walter Carter. Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. There is a Kay company logo on the headstock but absolutely no other identifying marks. 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). Headstocks say LoPrinzi. 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 following are believed to be accurate known numbers: The following serial numbers are approximate at best. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names,
The 1970s are viewed by many collectors and players as the low point of Gibson manufacturing. 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. Neck: mahogany single piece. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. There are a few examples of A-2Zs with black tops, though this was probably used to cover some imperfection in the selected tops. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. PB -- plectrum banjo. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. 1-6 digits stamped into the top edge of the headstock-often difficult to read. ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin.