banjo headstock identification

They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. The headstock face was veneered in black. Made in USA. The early instruments built in Nashville suffered from inexperienced workers and climate-control problems in the humid South. 340 Rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments & a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. I have owned a beautiful Kay company banjo for over 30 years. It appears to be all original except for the bridge, which appears to be a banjo bridge crudely slotted for 8 strings, and the head, which is probably plastic. Gibson started making banjos in 1917. There was some amber color. tailpieces (see fourth row of pictures below) on many of their unmarked banjos, and their Introduced August 1942 and J-45s are still available today. 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 . Jul 15, 2021 - A study of banjo head peg heads. 3 hrs, 'Pisgah 12 Builders Choice Custom Walnut Dobson 5+1 String Banjo' 3 hrs, 'Custom 12inch Billybilt Banjo w Figured Maple neck and Curly maple RIckard Pot and Balch head' 4 hrs, '11inch Billybilt Banjo with Antique Spunover SS Stewart Pot and Curly Maple neck' 4 hrs, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<, We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. http://www.mugwumps.com. Good size logs of spruce were government controlled during the war and were not easily available shortly after. Presentation banjos often turned up at NAMMand other shows. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. Some J-45 models with non-bookmatched two piece Adirondack spruce tops and some examples with four piece tops. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. These were Gibsons first flat-top cutaways. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . Features: Carved curly maple body, with ornate multilayer binding, laminated maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone block inlays, gold-plated hardware throughout, two gold plated pickups with separate volume and tone, three-way selector switch. 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. You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. 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 Knob changes usually following other Gibson electrics. Carl and August Larson built instruments between 1900 and 1944. The soundhole size coincided with the overall size of the instrument. 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. During the period of 1902 to approximately 1909 the mandolins sported tailpiece covers with a curly top and internal white labels with an image of Orville Gibson holding a lyre mandolin. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/276603. All Rights Reserved. Lyon & Healy routinely used talon or patent 1897 Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. 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 bridge was a small rectangular block type with a through saddle. Each model of the Mark Series was available in natural or sunburst finish. banjos. The Advanced Jumbo has been described by some as the finest no compromises most powerful flat-top guitar Gibson ever designed and built. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, 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. Customers can choose from these shapes or provide an alternate. For example, one head might sound right for one player on a five string banjo, but be disappointing on another players tenor banjo. MK-53 models were maple back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. The Maurer Company records have been lost. The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. No serial numbers etc. 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. Gibson discontinued the A-3 around 1922. It had a double ring of purfling around the soundhole, pearl dots on the fretboard, dark stained birch back and sides and The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover. Buckbee (1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. Plectrum. 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 . 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. 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! Gibson Banjos 1925 and Later: . 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). For more detailed information, get the following book: The Larsons Creations Guitars & Mandolins by Robert Carl Hartman. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher They could be strung with steel or nylon strings. Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Not many were sold and the production run was therefore limited to 2 years. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. 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. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. Deering. 428 Geared pegs, reinforced neck & high nut, MYNNN or MYNNNN Month = 1-9 with 3 or 4-digit production number, MMYNNN or MMYNNNN Month =10,11,12 with 3 or 4-digit production number, # 41122 would have been made April 1971, #122, #121131 could be made in either December 1971, #131 or January 1972, #1131, #221 could have been made around 1907 or in the early 1940s, #2121 could have been made around 1913 or 1914, the late 1940s or February 1971, #21, #31121 could have been made in the early 1931 or 1932, 1960 or March 1971, #121. Gretsch was contracted to make banjos for them. (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number 0191456 = Harmony Standard Series guitar built in 2019. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to, http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/276603, 'Pisgah Banjo Co. raffle for Arnold Shultz Fund extended to March 10, 2023', 'Pisgah Banjo Company banjo raffle extended to March 10', 'Flinthill FHB-300 - Killer bluegrass banjo for the money! 1890s into 1907: Inlaid into the top of the instrument. Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. Jun 24, 2020 - The Art of Banjo Headstocks. Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. The original price in 1942 was $45. On 12 fret to the body guitars, in a break with tradition, the Larson brothers frequently inlayed the 10th fret instead of the ninth. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. 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. The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. . MB -- mandolin banjo. The 5th string is not only shorter than the other four banjo strings, but this string is also the highest in sound (or pitch ). 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. FLC, Flamenco guitar with Canadian cypress back and sides, friction pegs (machine heads on some examples). Gibson Banjo Serial Number Factory Order Number Information; Pre-war banjos, Flathead, Mastertone. This was quickly reduced to avoid model confusion between the J-45s and the more expensive Southerner Jumbos. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. The tuners were individual Kluson with amber buttons. Its price tag was $55 as compared to the Martin D-18 at $65 and D-28 at $100. 1979 $1149 Antique Sunburst added to Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst and Natural. You can buy the book here on Amazon and I would highly recommend it. 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. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. peghead shape. CMI acquired Gibson around May 1944. It's difficult to positively identify the manufacturer of these . The back and sides were Brazilian rosewood and the tops Adirondack red spruce. The aluminum shell was chrome plated with 24 chrome-plated brackets. Serial numbers are addressed elsewhere on the web site but can be found also on Gibsons website and George Gruhn & Walter Carters book: Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars. This should be considered a guide to get you within a year of the correct date. It was bound on the top, back, sides and around the fretboard. Several other forces were at work for change: Introduced 1963, these were designed as dual-purpose instruments. Saga Bella Voce 70/80. It marked the beginning of a new era for Gibson. 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. The 1934 was single bound, front and back with dot markers on the rosewood fretboard and a horizontal script logo inlay on the headstock. It became apparent early that the new design concept was good: they were, in fact, louder and more cutting in tone. 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). These digits should match the 4 digits found on the back of the peghead of your banjo. Ss. They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. These appear to be the easiest to find and quite reasonable to buy. Back & Sides: Mahogany but some released as Brazilian rosewood. They did not imprint the instruments with any particular brand. This makes up for the shallow break angle, and also does away with string trees, which are not needed in this case. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. The banjo's fingerboard is where the magic happens. F Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. In 1935, binding was added to the fretboard. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. 2. It would surprise me if there were 12 of those made as K banjos, however. The 1970s are viewed by many collectors and players as the low point of Gibson manufacturing. Sha-Sw. T-V. W-Y. They were too late Gibson owned the market and the Martins were dropped 6 years later having only sold about 540 combined. Its difficult to positively The binding on the top is b/w. The instruments had modified fan bracing and asymmetrical bridges. Numerous articles in Vintage Guitar Magazine over the years. There is a Kay company logo on the headstock but absolutely no other identifying marks. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. Intermediate Grade and Best Grade were generally X braced with laminated braces for added strength. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. 587 Similar to 585 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. mikehalloran - Posted-12/27/2013: 17:21:06. One of the advantages of choosing a banjo made in a small shop environment is the easy availability of customization. The one delivered first to Ray Whitley was not the model now seen as the beginning of the Super Jumbos, but a simpler 12 fret version. It worked. The banner only a Gibson is good enough logo is replaced with the old style Gibson script gold logo, The blond J-50 is introduced (limited until 1954), Bracing system changed: non-scalloped, low cut braces, Larger pickguard with point at upper bout, Headstock appointments: pearl logo inlay and crown added, Adjustable bridge saddle offered as an option called J-45ADJ. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. Collector's Corner target no need to return item. The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. The early models had shallow neck sets that increased in angle around 1908. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Vega continued to mark their banjos "A.C. Fairbanks" until the middle teens. The intent is to provide a rough dating guide. side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover. Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". 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. $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. Since Spruce was needed for the war-time effort, some J-45s in 1943 have a mahogany top. The new design was thinner and much easier to handle and play. It is most common after 1923 when most Gibson model As had this shape. A head on a long neck open back banjo might sound completely different on a 12-string banjo. 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. Free or royalty-free photos and images. Example of custom shape is well represented below with the "Tennessee Banjo". which do not feature a paper label. The soundboard was so large and the body so deep that the sound was immense. The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. Martin introduced their versions of acoustic-electrics: the D-18E in 1958 and D-28E in 1959. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. There were 1424 made. 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. Go back. Where possible, these numbers are in agreement with existing sales receipts. 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. Introduced 1967, Basically an more economical LG-0. The L-5S was the first high end jazz solid body guitar. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. MIDWEST BANJO CAMPJune 1-4, 2023New Manchester, IN, 'Pisgah Banjo Co. raffle for Arnold Shultz Fund extended to March 10, 2023' 2 hrs, 'Pisgah Banjo Company banjo raffle extended to March 10' 2 hrs, 'Lost Indian: Samuel Bayard collection ' 3 hrs, 'Lost Indian: Samuel Bayard collection' 3 hrs, 'Flinthill FHB-300 - Killer bluegrass banjo for the money!' B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. See Martin Serial Numbers for a dating information. Late 1930's Thicker Gibson Logo. To complicate matters, the Larson brothers appear to have used different numbering techniques for different brands that they supplied. Weve seen some serial number lists that are as much as 8 years out-of-sync with this list. They are available for binding that is .060 and .090 binding. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, ukulele. Format: 2 (Identifier) YY (Year) XXXX (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number . Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. 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. Neck: mahogany single piece. Blake507 - Posted-12/26/2013: 15:42:17. Starting in 1923, models included: the Silver Bell, the Super Banjo and the Blue Bell. 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. 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. I removed the resonator today and there is a hand written number 8 and that's it. The early models had shallow neck sets and low bridges that increased in angle around 1908 with taller bridges. banjo headstock identification new harrisonburg high school good friday agreement, brexit June 29, 2022 fabletics madelaine petsch 2021 0 when is property considered abandoned after a divorce ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin. Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made The decade following saw a change in finish from varnish to shinier lacquer. I would sure like to hear what it sounds like. In general, higher model numbers meant more binding and ornament. On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . All Rights Reserved. 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. G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. gibson one-of-a-kind Christmas banjos! S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. Gretsch started a new serial number system. Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) 2 foot pressed arm rest and flat head tone ring. It will be interesting of one of the BHO members has a vintage Kay catalog with that particular banjo. They were popular with the Cowboy Singing Stars like Bob Baker (National Barn Dance WLS). The rosettes were simple white-black-white. Rated 5.00 out of 5. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. Identification: "A" Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. It was intended to be more affordable and more readily available than its main competition: the Martin D-18. banjos, not surprising since they bought out the Buckbee factory in 1898. The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. 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. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. This is a high-quality instrument. 1973 $895 L-5S a few instruments shipped and cherry sunburst is the only available finish. The grade of top wood was tighter grained. English mandolin banjo, by cuckoo, circa 1900s, of typical form, 'Cuckoo' imprinted on the headstock, 55 cm long American Orpheum mandolin banjo , by Rettberg & Lange, no. Size 3 Gurian, either acoustic or amplified. It became the working mans choice and one of the most enduring instrument designs in history. There is a utility market though. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. The 1975 price was $879. S2R, size 2 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. 1980 $1249 By late 1980, the Gibson deluxe tuners with Crank button, and Posi-Lok strap button were added. This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. Though it has gone through a number of refinements over the years, the basic design has not changed since. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. Where no serial numbers are shown they simply are not known. J-L. M. N-P. Q-Sch. bands even in the early 1890s. The tuners were individual. They were available in steel string or classical. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify The more economical Student Grade instruments were often ladder braced. thurgood marshall school of law apparel Projetos; bubble buster 2048 town Blog; cell defense the plasma membrane answer key step 13 Quem somos; how to make a good elder scrolls: legends deck Contato; hillsdale college football. JR, jumbo size guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. 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. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. The J-160E was Gibsons second design for an electric flat-top guitar following the CF-100. I doubt you'll find this in a catalog. Western movies were tremendously popular and the singing cowboy heroes needed instruments as big and bold as untamed West. Description: Internally constructed from dense EPS foam, the exterior of this Gator banjo case is covered in rugged 600-denier ballistic . Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel . The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. CONTACT US; Headstock Shape. The sides and back were tinted mahogany with a sunburst red spruce top. Every banjo has a story. Kay company banjos were normally not that high-quality but this one is different. These appear to have a unique serial number scheme. S2M, size 2 guitar with mahogany back & sides. Gold-plated tuning gears, LOTS of abalone inlay. Cherry Sunburst is still available. 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 fingerboard typically has inlays made of silver or steel. There was a line of black inlay (or ebony layer) along the centerline of the back of the neck. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. . Introduced is the year of introduction. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. There were 2 tone bars and a treble side X brace with a 102 degree angle about 1 below the 4 soundhole. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". 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. It is not clear how many were made, but it is likely that there are less than 12. The electronics cover on the back was matching solid figured maple. The appointments of the Southerner Jumbo included more top binding and an additional set of rosette rings. Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. If the serial number is legible the instrument can be relatively easy to date. The following are believed to be accurate known numbers: The following serial numbers are approximate at best. LoPrinzi Guitars Plainsboro, New Jersey AMF years (serial numbers: high 3,000 4,000s) Tom LoPrinzi was still with the company. CLB, Classic guitar of Brazilian rosewood, gold tuners. The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. So, take a look and . Download Old Banjo stock photos. Early 1970's block shaped no dot over the "i" closed "b" and . 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. The bracing was revised to accommodate the moustache bridge and generally heavier than earlier models. 1959: Larger crown frets and the adjustable bridge. Pickguards between 1909 and 1921 +/- show a stamped patent date of Mar. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. If you want to use any of this information: The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. 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. Prairie State instruments have the patented rod and/or tube reinforcing, occasionally found on other Larson built guitars. There were some 1 3/4 nuts available. I like it. 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. MK-35 models were mahogany back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. For a period of time, this was the top of the line. CUSTOMER SERVICE. This was adapted to the mandolin over the next few years. 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). Mark Johnson; Regular Hours Mon-Fri: 10:00am-4:00pm Extended Hours January-April 8:30am-5:00pm; 239 West 400 North, Lindon UT; 801-785-3161 Following many prototypes, shapes and bracing patterns, the Mark Series was launched in 1975. The appointments matched the MK-35 but the bracing was modified to accommodate the additional string tension of 12 strings. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. I chose a .090 binding that is layered, for a nice pin-striped look and Stewart MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply makes the perfect set of bits for routing headstock for binding called Piloted Binding Router Bits. 615-264-4959. 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. Nice playability, great tone, strong low end and good sustain all the way up the neck. CLR, Classic guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides, decorated binding, gold tuners. Occasionally the labels have fallen out or been removed during repairs making it a bit trickier to date the instruments. It was built for Hollywood singing star Ray Whitley as the worlds biggest and fanciest acoustic guitar. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. Serial number records exist for instruments built before 1975 and after 1980. Gibson developed the truss rod in 1921. Larrivee Serial Numbers (approximate). Electric guitars having the serial number on the back of the headstock. RB -- regular banjo (5-string) TB -- tenor banjo. Ironically, after almost 40 years of making some of the worlds finest banjos, the Bacon and Day banjos were the first to carry David L. Days name. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. 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. The tradition had been Bug style mandolins: bowl-backs with flat or bent tops. I have an open back banjo with a number 44 stamped in the ring, and May 2, 1899 carved in the support on the backside. Semi-hollow guitar serial numbers are found inside the 'top' F-hole on a label. Like everything else, we have seen exceptions to the listed dimensions; especially the nut widths. 1946 onward: No feet the bottom of the bridge flush on the instrument top. middle-sized, chrome tuners. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s.

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