Brown or black finish, some binding only on the top and in the soundhole with one ring around the soundhole. 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 . The Mark Series, though not a wild success in terms of overall sales, did sell reasonably well. The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. Dr. Michael Kasha was a chemical physicist and the director of the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University. The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. They were now able to get better materials. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. STONE BANJO CO - PEGHEAD SHAPES. Between 1934 and 1938, Gibson only offered the sunburst finish. Gibson Banjos 1925 and Later: . 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. Only about a dozen were made. What's the history on the this jo, are you the original owner? 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. Starting in 1923, models included: the Silver Bell, the Super Banjo and the Blue Bell. Vega continued to mark their banjos "A.C. Fairbanks" until the middle teens. Where no serial numbers are shown they simply are not known. This was expanded in 1935 to about 1/3 of the top area. He lived in Illinois all his life. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. Music Love. peghead shape. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. 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. 1955: Gibson stopped scalloping the bracing it was faster to produce but not as strong. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. The fingerboard typically has inlays made of silver or steel. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. During the Folk Boom of the 1960s, Gretsch produced a line of 5 string open back banjos with regular and long necks. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. It was intended to be more affordable and more readily available than its main competition: the Martin D-18. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a. heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. Between 1975 and 1979, Gibson worked with Dr. Michael Kashas acoustic theories for guitar and Luthier Richard Schneiders design applications to create a unique instrument for the Gibson acoustic lineup. S3R, Size 3 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". The further down the headstock the peg is, the shorter it will be. Pearl dots on fretboard. Early 1970's block shaped no dot over the "i" closed "b" and . 118 Midtown Ct # M Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. There is a Kay company logo on the headstock but absolutely no other identifying marks. CONTACT US; Headstock Shape. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. In 1926 Gibson introduced the L-series guitars with the L-0 at $35 and the L-1 at $50 (1928 prices). beautiful banjo. The above Peghead Shapes are existing patterns. The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. J-L. M. N-P. Q-Sch. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. AMF ceased production of LoPrinzi guitars. Acoustic Guitars. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). For a period of time, this was the top of the line. 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. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. It was a refinement of the slope-shoulder design of the original Jumbo but slightly deeper: 4 13/16. Steel Guitar. 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. It's always made of hardwood such as ebony and makes up the front-facing top half of the banjo's neck. 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 ). 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. 1959: Larger crown frets and the adjustable bridge. 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. Serial Numbers. According to the Gibson catalog, natural finish was the only option in 1939 but we are told that at least 2 examples exist of a cherry sunburst from the same period. Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. I just have a few questions. The first Gibson J45 guitars were only slightly different from the discontinued J-35. Higher numbers also meant more money. 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. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. 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. At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. To accommodate the pickup, the standard production neck was pushed up to a neck-body joint at the 15th fret. The system is not known for certain but might have restarted as consecutive numbers beginning at 1000. 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. Some laminated maple necks with two walnut stripes down the center (5 piece neck), most with no truss rod (war time meallocations), Neck shape large and round (Baseball Bat) due to lack of truss rod, Poplar neck blocks. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. This is a high-quality instrument. Free or royalty-free photos and images. Customers can choose from these shapes or provide an alternate. The labels with an image of Orville Gibson are generally found on instruments with serial numbers below 10,000. http://www.mugwumps.com. Ohio banjo player Steven Moore has his first solo project, Just a Little Talk with Myself, just recently released. purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other feature both a serial number and a FON. 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. The Gibson CF-100 was introduced in 1950 (the CF-100E was introduced 1951) and discontinued in 1960. side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Approximate Chronology (there are always exceptions): There were a few natural finished J-45N models made during 1942. 30, 1909. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. It appears that they experimented right up to the point of discontinuing the line. The tuners were individual. They had owner applied pick guards and multi-bound backs and tops (including red line highlights). Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) 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. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. This was adapted to the mandolin over the next few years. Banjo not included or available. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. The fingerboard of the L-5S is in with select abalone. the teacher or distributor. The second type of headstock, as you can tell by its name, is the angled or tilted-back headstock. 1972 L-5S launched, but shipping totals list no instruments being shipped until 1973. Other attempts by Gibson to make-do with the materials available to them include laminated maback and sides finished in a dark mahogany stain and a few were built with a laminate maple back and a mahogany top. The 1975 price was $439. Some early necks were cherry before 1912. Some examples had the black (skunk) strip down the middle of the top similar to the Southerner Jumbos. The USA distributors in the 60s and 70s used their own serial number systems and we do . 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 . banjo headstock identificationleap year program in python using for loop. Back & Sides: Mahogany but some released as Brazilian rosewood. Gibson TP-6 tailpiece became standard. The designations were. It is most common after 1923 when most Gibson model As had this shape. The public seems to have favored this shape over time as it fetches better prices now. There were some 1 3/4 nuts available. 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. It was built for Hollywood singing star Ray Whitley as the worlds biggest and fanciest acoustic guitar. Plectrum. 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. A New Leaf from Steven Moore. The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. 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. Instruction * ConcertsJams * More 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 concept behind the J-45 was a high quality, affordable, big-sounding acoustic flat-top guitar. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. Pickguards between 1909 and 1921 +/- show a stamped patent date of Mar. The 1975 price was $879. Late 1930's Thicker Gibson Logo. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. 1975 $899 The first catalog appearance of the L-5S was in the 1975 Gibson Solid Body catalog. LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. Following many prototypes, shapes and bracing patterns, the Mark Series was launched in 1975. Instrumental. Never seen one with an inlay on the back of the neck. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. The only available finish was sunburst until 1954. This is a high-quality instrument. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . This should be considered a guide to get you within a year of the correct date. Some rectangular examples, black bridge pins (2 pearl dots on rectangle bridge), Headstock appointments: gold decal: Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. Heads have different effects on different kinds of banjos. banjos. The tradition had been Bug style mandolins: bowl-backs with flat or bent tops. 587 Similar to 585 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. Larrivee Serial Numbers (approximate). Augustino & Thomas LoPrinzi Guitars usually have the date of manufacture on the label. 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. Thanks for the feedback! The 1975 price was $549. 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. 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. There were 431 made. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, The model started production in 1938 as Gibsons top-of-the-line flat top guitar. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! Slanted mid 1940's Gibson Logo. Manchester University, All Forums There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. The 1934 was single bound, front and back with dot markers on the rosewood fretboard and a horizontal script logo inlay on the headstock. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. An entire bin was a "lot" and would contain 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. Sounds great and the instrument is very easy to play. Other singing cowboys who later owned Super Jumbos include Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. They generally had birch or walnut back and sides sometimes flat and later (1904+/-) carved. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel. The sides and back were tinted mahogany with a sunburst red spruce top. Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. To complicate matters, the Larson brothers appear to have used different numbering techniques for different brands that they supplied. made unmarked banjos for others to sell as well. 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). 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. In 1923 it appears that Gibson began to assemble A-2s with left-over blonde tops from A-3s. The bracing was revised to accommodate the moustache bridge and generally heavier than earlier models. JR3H, like JR, but with 3-piece back, herringbone binding & gold tuners. First factory order number (FON) on neck block of J45s in 1942 was 907 and 923. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues - there are many exceptions. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. The fretboard was bound but without extension and The Gibson was stamped into the tailpiece cover. 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). Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. The first versions of the Super Jumbo guitar had a neck joint with 12 frets clear of the body placing the moustache bridge geometrically in the center of the distinctly round 16 7/8 lower bout. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. They are essentially an Advanced Jumbo with minor compromises: they filled a gap between the J-35 and the J-55. 3 special model, serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. Silkscreen logos - Low end models. Then Gibson developed the adjustable bridge. For example: Gretsch stopped production of Bacon and B&D banjos. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. 1921 early: 3/8 adjustment wheels, short base and aluminum compensated bridge top. Like all other companies, there are exceptions. 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 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. Gibson changed the name again in the 1950s to the SJ-200. MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. The name variations included Bacon and Day and B&D for all the instruments co-developed by Fred Bacon and David Day. The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. The 2nd delivery to Ray Whitley was the more refined 14 fret SJ that is so well photo-dicumented. middle-sized, chrome tuners. 14" resonator on the banjo examined is probably non original (Korean). Notable endorsers of this model include Leon Redbone. Electric guitars having the serial number on the back of the headstock. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. PB -- plectrum banjo. Every banjo has a story. JM, jumbo size guitar with mahogany back & sides, chrome tuners. Another useful mikehalloran - Posted-12/27/2013: 17:21:06. 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). It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, mandolin. Other Banjo-Related Topics Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . which do not feature a paper label. The back braces were tall and thin and Gibson scalloped the top braces. 1976 $929 In June of 1976 the price rose to $999, and two new finishes were added: tobacco sunburst and natural maple. 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. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth bands even in the early 1890s. Many have no identification at all. Research our price guide with auction results on 40 items from $35 to $2,928. S2M, size 2 guitar with mahogany back & sides. Bridges: Ebony Sometimes with a flattened pyramid rectangular bridge shape. See Martin Serial Numbers for a dating information. CLB, Classic guitar of Brazilian rosewood, gold tuners. During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. 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. Prices were typically 30-40% more than other Gibson solid bodies; the Les Paul Recording, LP Custom and SG Custom. The original V shape of the necks of the J-35s was replaced by distinctly round necks (baseball bats) and a tear drop pickguard. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin. When it came out in 1942 it was the most expensive Gibson flat-top in the line. 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 intent is to provide a rough dating guide. It will be interesting of one of the BHO members has a vintage Kay catalog with that particular banjo. These appear to have a unique serial number scheme. The necks were 1-piece mahogany V shape with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard at 12 radius. Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. Take a closer look at the serial number found on the back of the headstock and reference the guide below.

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