The designations were. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. 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. 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. He lived in Illinois all his life. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. J-L. M. N-P. Q-Sch. See LG-0 for materials and dimensions. A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. Tuners, hardware and tailpieces were probably purchased from Lyon and Healy who had a factory just down the street from the Larson shop. Slanted mid 1940's Gibson Logo. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. 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! Pickguards between 1909 and 1921 +/- show a stamped patent date of Mar. S2M, size 2 guitar with mahogany back & sides. Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was slowly being shifted from Kalamazoo MI to Nashville TN. An entire bin was a "lot" and would contain It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. There's a small snag in the outer pocket webbing - otherwise it's like new. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. White from 1928 to 1943/44. There are no manufacture's labels or stamps on it. 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. The 1970s are viewed by many collectors and players as the low point of Gibson manufacturing. Most have the patented L&H tailpiece shown in the inset. Gibson style one piece flange, probably zinc, also Gibson style flange brackets, 4 resonator screws. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. 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 top and back are lightly arched, producing the deepest measurement in the center of the guitars body. Carl and August Larson built instruments between 1900 and 1944. The Gibson Southerner Jumbo was introduced in 1942 and discontinued in 1978. There are a few examples of A-2Zs with black tops, though this was probably used to cover some imperfection in the selected tops. 2. MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. Bridges: Ebony Sometimes with a flattened pyramid rectangular bridge shape. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything. 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. Augustino LoPrinzi Guitar Maker Clearwater Florida (LoPrinzi name bought back from AMF) Instruments designed and built by Augustino and Donna LoPrinzi (daughter). Intermediate Grade and Best Grade were generally X braced with laminated braces for added strength. There is a steel tone ring on the maple rim, and the rim has a maple cap. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. The soundhole had an additional thick white purfling ring. The Aria 921C was a good quality 5-string banjo made in the early 1970s. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. I doubt you'll find this in a catalog. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well. The fingerboard of the L-5S is in with select abalone. Script Gibson logo, Fretboard: Twin parallelograms inlays unbound 19 fret. The bridge was a small rectangular block type with a through saddle. 2: The Histories of Cool Guitars". banjos, not surprising since they bought out the Buckbee factory in 1898. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. The appointments roughly followed the Southerner Jumbo but the design was primarily electric: it had a 3-ply top with ladder bracing to reduce the low-end response for the single coil pickup placed at the base of the fretboard. Gibson introduced their first adjustable belly bridge 2 screws to raise and lower the bridge. Introduced is the year of introduction. Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. The electric version included a P-90 pickup at the end of the soundboard like the later versions of the J-160E. STONE BANJO CO - PEGHEAD SHAPES. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. The instruments had modified fan bracing and asymmetrical bridges. New guitars were supplied with user applied pick guards, and extra saddles of different heights that could be easily inserted to adjust the string action to accommodate the swelling of the instrument with seasonal humidity changes. Every banjo has a story. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names,
It would surprise me if there were 12 of those made as K banjos, however. It was available with a Snakehead and had a shaped fingerboard extension. These appear to be the easiest to find and quite reasonable to buy. By 1939 the 3 tone bar system was reduced to 2 tone bars and the angle of the X braces change to approximately 95 degrees. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. The only available finish was sunburst until 1954. 1959: Larger crown frets and the adjustable bridge. All listed sizes are for 12 fret to body models: These dimensions were similar for all Larson made instruments. Yuletide. The labels with an image of Orville Gibson are generally found on instruments with serial numbers below 10,000. S3R, Size 3 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. It is not clear how Gibson decided to set their nut widths and neck thicknesses. ARCHIVED TOPIC: VINTAGE BANJO IDENTIFICATION. 1979 $1149 Antique Sunburst added to Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst and Natural. Electric guitars having the serial number on the back of the headstock. They could be strung with steel or nylon strings. 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. Gibson hoped to score the same type of success that had occurred with Lloyd Loar in the 1920s: redefining the acoustic guitar for generations to come. expressed on the sides and back of the 1934 versions. This makes up for the shallow break angle, and also does away with string trees, which are not needed in this case. There is a utility market though. Leland Brilliantone (1910 1918?). It worked. Its not clear how it works during this period. To confuse matters, they also manufactured Bacon banjos that had been developed by Fred Bacon: the Professional, the Orchestra and the Blue Ribbon. 1921 early: 3/8 adjustment wheels, short base and aluminum compensated bridge top. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, mandolin. There were 5226 made. This moved the X away from the soundhole a bit. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. 585 Grand Concert: rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments and a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. 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. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. The original Factory Order Numbers (FON) appear to show the first De Luxe Jumbos were delivered bewteen March and June of 1938 to Joe Wolverton, Ray Whitley and Gene Autry. It also had a black veneered headstock (front and back) and a black inlay in the back of the neck. Collector's Corner
At least one model, the Epiphone Spirit, was manufactured in the USA during the early 1980s in the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. For a period of time, this was the top of the line. The sides and back were tinted mahogany with a sunburst red spruce top. Banjo serial numbers: During the 1920s, Gibson instruments were made in lots of 40s (for the most part, this procedure continues today). In general, higher model numbers meant more binding and ornament. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. Jun 24, 2020 - The Art of Banjo Headstocks. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee CUSTOMER SERVICE. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. If the serial number is legible the instrument can be relatively easy to date. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher
However there were and are many different types, most of which can be found on this page. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. Gibson Banjos 1925 and Later: . 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. There were 1424 made. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of
David L. Day was in his 70s. The intent is to provide a rough dating guide. Plectrum. Since that day in 1989, Deering has breathed new life into the Vega name, blending over a century of tradition with Deering's banjo building expertise, to create a range of heritage rich open back and longneck banjos that are as integral to the modern folk . The fingerboard typically has inlays made of silver or steel. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. Not many were sold and the production run was therefore limited to 2 years. The 1975 price was $439. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. made unmarked banjos for others to sell as well. The early instruments built in Nashville suffered from inexperienced workers and climate-control problems in the humid South. 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. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long Cherry Sunburst is still available. Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. Mid 1921 through late 1930s: larger base with 2 feet, 3/8 adjustment wheels and wooden compensated bridge top. and many were left unmarked. Our 19th Year * Sign Up Now
The later pickguard clamps have a stamped patent date of July 4, 1911. CLR, Classic guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides, decorated binding, gold tuners. Sounds great and the instrument is very easy to play. See the notes below. This information is approximate and has not been verified by the LoPrinzi family. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. The 5th string is not only shorter than the other four banjo strings, but this string is also the highest in sound (or pitch ). The original partners were Fred and Cassie Bacon and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Winship. During the period of 1909 through 1920 Gibson produced large numbers of mandolins. The 2nd delivery to Ray Whitley was the more refined 14 fret SJ that is so well photo-dicumented. The headstock face was veneered in black. set of identifying characteristics can be found at
A-series Factory location: New York City from start to 1971. 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. Style Designations (There are many exceptions to the following). 587 Similar to 585 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. They are essentially an Advanced Jumbo with minor compromises: they filled a gap between the J-35 and the J-55. 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. 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. 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.