I doubt you'll find this in a catalog. B-series Factory location: Grand Street, New York City from 1972 to 1973. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made banjos. Cherry Sunburst is still available. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. The sides and back were tinted mahogany with a sunburst red spruce top. The further down the headstock the peg is, the shorter it will be. RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover. 340 Rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments & a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. string peg perch is typically carved out from the side of the neck as shown The neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. Banjo not included or available. The early models had shallow neck sets that increased in angle around 1908. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. 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 standard "Huber' shape, the popular "Double Cut" shape or the "Fiddle Cut" shape. The decade following saw a change in finish from varnish to shinier lacquer. Sunburst finish changes slightly: a cremona brown fading from the center amber to a reddish brown perimeter. Some rectangular examples, Headstock appointments: Decal Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. Gretsch started a new serial number system. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. 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. The Gibson Super Jumbo first appeared in 1937. The labels with an image of Orville Gibson are generally found on instruments with serial numbers below 10,000. You'll find Epiphone serial numbers in the standard places. (The 1st year of the J-45 actually had similar appointments but they were reduced and simplified for model clarity in 1943). Like everything else, we have seen exceptions to the listed dimensions; especially the nut widths. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. Unfortunately, the information is confusing and inconsistent. There can easily be more numbers within each year listed. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. 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. The top and back bindings were black plastic. Towards the end, the line actually continued to increase in sales. Alternates can range from standard designs out there in the banjo world, old or new, or a custom. Instruction * ConcertsJams * More Gold War era logo - This type is called "Banner logo". 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. They are very pricy at over $20.00 each, but worth it if you want . In 1893, he patented a banjo neck fitted with a channel for the 5th string to pass through so it could be tuned at the headstock instead of its usual location. Music Love. 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). There were 2 tone bars and a treble side X brace with a 102 degree angle about 1 below the 4 soundhole. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. LoPrinzi Rosemont, New Jersey built by Augustino LoPrinzi (and apprentices) with Augustino on the headstocks. Why not post a little tune with it. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. This can often be found on the back of the peghead or on the inside rim of the banjo. Like all other companies, there are exceptions. Free or royalty-free photos and images. The tuners cogs are peened on the shafts (the peening sometihas a waffle design). They were mahogany back & sides with single layer binding front and back. Pearl twin parallelogram inlays, Bridges: Rosewood belly-down. The rosettes were simple white-black-white. You have your choice of 3 different peghead shapes. A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. 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. These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. LoPrinzi Guitars Plainsboro, New Jersey AMF years (serial numbers: high 3,000 4,000s) Tom LoPrinzi was still with the company. Hard-case rugged and gig-bag light! Gibson discontinued the A-3 around 1922. Never seen one with an inlay on the back of the neck. Download Old Banjo stock photos. 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. There were some 1 3/4 nuts available. (Numerical ID) Example: Serial number 0191456 = Harmony Standard Series guitar built in 2019. ss stewart presentation banjo - Google Search. This is a high-quality instrument. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues - there are many exceptions. There are some examples of two piece bodies used with the transparent or natural finishes. 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 new design was thinner and much easier to handle and play. They were now able to get better materials. banjos, not surprising since they bought out the Buckbee factory in 1898. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. the bins that were used to move instruments from . Even the group of inexperienced entreprenuers could see and understand the value of the Gibson name. Manchester University, All Forums This moved the X away from the soundhole a bit. 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. The above Peghead Shapes are existing patterns. The standard early Gibson A models had a soft V shaped neck. The only available finish was sunburst until 1954. No binding, no inlay and no decoration. 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. The 1975 price was $879. It is not clear how Gibson decided to set their nut widths and neck thicknesses. These appear to have a unique serial number scheme. I just received this mando-banjo I bought on e-bay and I'm hoping someone can help me identify the builder. CLR, Classic guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides, decorated binding, gold tuners. Gibson started making banjos in 1917. Its difficult to positively It was built for Hollywood singing star Ray Whitley as the worlds biggest and fanciest acoustic guitar. 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. 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. The neck was basically the neck stocks from the L-5 archtop: 3 ply maple with single wide bound scalloped fretboard ends and headstocks and the early models had the L-5 flowerpot inlay on the headstock. It also had a black veneered headstock (front and back) and a black inlay in the back of the neck. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. In some cases, teachers would Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) 30, 1909. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. It might be a Fairbanks or Stewart, but there is no name anywhere on the instrument. The Gibson LG series of flat-top guitars were developed as the natural evolution of the earlier L-Series. Higher numbers also meant more money. Wyatt Fawley's banjo, model for the "Retrotone" banjo design : 1949 : 3399-86 -100 : 1-piece: Dots : I/N Auction 2/2007 with flathead ring from 1963 RB180 and 1959 RB100 neck : 1949 : 3399-90: RB-150: . Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. 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. No serial numbers etc. identify the manufacturer of these banjos in many cases, but some identify The Mark Series guitars were particularly interesting among the Gibson flat tops made in the 1970s due to their unique bracing. JM, jumbo size guitar with mahogany back & sides, chrome tuners. Tuners, hardware and tailpieces were probably purchased from Lyon and Healy who had a factory just down the street from the Larson shop. The numbers are preceded by letters: A, B, C, or D which indicate the series. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. What's the history on the this jo, are you the original owner? To complicate matters, the Larson brothers appear to have used different numbering techniques for different brands that they supplied. This is a "fit-all" banjo case. 1916 into 1921: the pin to the bridge was dropped. The public seems to have favored this shape over time as it fetches better prices now. 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. Gibson believed that these choices would allow them to focus on their more profitable lines. New Location: The banjo's fingerboard is where the magic happens. Your banjo is Asian made, likely Korea, but maybe Japan. purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other Skip to main content. The final production versions had a double-braced red spruce top and rosewood back and sides with a sunburst finish. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. Gretsch used a new serial format showing: Month/Year/Production Number (3-4 digits), stamped as follows: Its not clear whether the 3-4 digit production number is the total production for the month or for the year. The bridge were early simple rectangular with through-saddles. Sometimes (rarely) the labels are easy to read: the model and serial numbers hand-printed in ink and sometimes the information was written in pencil and is now barely legible. 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. Other Banjo-Related Topics The 5th string is not only shorter than the other four banjo strings, but this string is also the highest in sound (or pitch ). If the fretboard was bound, they generally added a stripe of black under the side binding. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. Martin introduced the large body dreadnaught in 1932 It was bigger, bolder, and louder than anything Gibson had to offer. Take a closer look at the serial number found on the back of the headstock and reference the guide below. The back braces were tall and thin and Gibson scalloped the top braces. 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. It became the working mans choice and one of the most enduring instrument designs in history. 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 ). The first group in late 1936 had larger soundholes and long scales: 25 1/2. Mid 1950s: the pickguard changed from the teardrop to the larger undulating shape like the pre-war J-35s. To accommodate the pickup, the standard production neck was pushed up to a neck-body joint at the 15th fret. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. If1970s, would be Japanese, more likely. Labels say: A. mikehalloran - Posted-12/27/2013: 17:21:06. A total of 2,477 J-35s were made according to Gibson records. ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin. Manchester University, Instruction * ConcertsJams * More teachers who sold them to students, some of which are tagged with the name of Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/27/2013 17:30:00, Charles in SC - Posted-12/27/2013: 20:38:42. 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. These instruments live a bit outside that critique. MK-35 models were mahogany back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. LG-0 | Introduced 1958 | Discontinued 1973, LG-1 | Introduced 1947 | Discontinued 1968, LG-2 | Introduced 1942 | Discontinued 1962, LG-2- | Introduced 1949 | Discontinued 1962, LG-3 | Introduced 1946 | Discontinued 1963, B-25 | Introduced 1962 | Discontinued 1976, FJ-N | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, F-25 | Introduced 1963 | Discontinued 1970, B-15 | Introduced 1967 | Discontinued 1970, Brazilian rosewood rectangular through bridges, 2 screws in the bridge with MOP dot covers, Basically the same as LG-1 with a mahogany top, Single plastic tortoise shell binding top and back, Narrow neck design with 14 degree headstock angle, Same basic guitar as LG-2 with average wood, Wood imperfections covered by a dark sunburst, Tall scalloped braces change to low-profile rough cut, Enlarged rectangular bridge with closed slot, Fire striped plastic pickguard teardrop shape, Last use of the Banner decal on headstocks, Basically the same as an LG-2 with better materials, Bottom belly rosewood bridges with adjustable saddles, Back, sides and neck finished in walnut stain, Body shape: 16 wide, round shoulder dreadnought shape, Top: Select spruce, 2-piece bookmatched with scalloped X-bracing, Neck: mahogany, single piece, unbound, 19 fret, dot markers, Bridges: Rosewood belly-down. 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. A-series Factory location: New York City from start to 1971. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. Mid to late 1944, the neck block revert back to mahogany, though poplar is occasionally used. It had a 24 3/4 scale and was constructed of all solid woods. The exceptions are those guitars sold by Selmer in the UK which will (probably) have a number stamped into the back of the headstock and guitars sold by Van Wouw in the Netherlands. http://www.mugwumps.com. 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. This was available in brown, black or blonde finish. The appointments matched the MK-35 but the bracing was modified to accommodate the additional string tension of 12 strings. I'll have to record it and post a tune. Augustino & Thomas LoPrinzi Guitars usually have the date of manufacture on the label. To most people all banjos look (and sound) the same. better-grade offerings frequently had notched, rather than grooved stretcher 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?) Some banjo . Martin introduced their versions of acoustic-electrics: the D-18E in 1958 and D-28E in 1959. Deering Gabriella 5-string banjo headstock. 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 All Rights Reserved. Our 19th Year * Sign Up Now Information compiled by Leonard Wyeth 2008, L Wyeth, Century General Introduced 1933 for the Century of Progress Exhibition @ $55. Steel Guitar. of their later banjos had elite tailpieces, Orpheum-like hardware, and long, The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). ARCHIVED TOPIC: Vintage Kay Company Banjo - Need Help Identifying Model, Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Information gleamed from the Mandolin Cafs website over the years. Buy in monthly payments with Affirm on orders over $50. Angled (Tilted-Back) Headstock. 1980 $1249 By late 1980, the Gibson deluxe tuners with Crank button, and Posi-Lok strap button were added. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. Most old Hfners do not have serial numbers. Example: U8034853 U = Unsung, 8 = 1998, 03 = March, 4853 = manufacturing number. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. Semi-hollow guitar serial numbers are found inside the 'top' F-hole on a label. department to department had 40 cubbyholes. Information gathered from many sources but there are a few that need to be acknowledged: Dan Beimborns original Mandolin Pages web site and later contributions to the Mandolin Archive. There were 431 made. Instrumental. Introduced August 1942 and J-45s are still available today. The 1975 price was $659. 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. Some SJNs with plastic Special Bridges. 2: The Histories of Cool Guitars". The birch sides and back were stained red. Yes, please do post your tune here on this page. 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. Over time the J-35 braces began to appear scalloped. Schall hardware is pretty unique and the fifth I'm leaning more in that direction. The tuners were individual Kluson with amber buttons. For more detailed information, get the following book: The Larsons Creations Guitars & Mandolins by Robert Carl Hartman. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". The hurricane of September 1938 destroyed the companys ability to manufacture anything. Approximate Chronology (there are always exceptions): There were a few natural finished J-45N models made during 1942. Similar to A-2 but with snakehead headstock, blonde finish, b/w binding, and A2-Z on the label. S2R, size 2 guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. 593 Similar to 590 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. Michael Wright has compiled one of the largest picture galleries of headstock photos in his book "Guitar Stories Vol. In fact, he was part of a team of scientists paid as consultants by Gibson for their input on a project to create the finest sounding guitar based upon sound scientific logic, theory and research. Electric guitars having the serial number on the back of the headstock. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. Every banjo has a story. 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). S2R3H, identical to S2R, but with 3-piece back, full herringbone purflings, gold tuners. By 1941, either natural or sunburst were available. Like everything else connected to instrument identification issues there are many exceptions. It had chrome plated standard friction pegs, rosewood finished neck and headstock with matchin resonator. The last 4 digits are a neck number. 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. 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 . The current bridge height and neck angle was reached around 1910. The last of the Mark Series was built in 1979. B&D models stopped around 1968 following Baldwins (Gretschs parent company) 1967 purchase of the ODE company. In 1923 it appears that Gibson began to assemble A-2s with left-over blonde tops from A-3s. Carl and August Larson built instruments between 1900 and 1944. The hardshell case had a green or red silk lining. The grade of top wood was tighter grained. Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. 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. Its price tag was $55 as compared to the Martin D-18 at $65 and D-28 at $100. For example, one head might sound right for one player on a five string banjo, but be disappointing on another players tenor banjo. 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. Between 1934 and 1938, Gibson only offered the sunburst finish. 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. Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was slowly being shifted from Kalamazoo MI to Nashville TN. Occasionally the labels have fallen out or been removed during repairs making it a bit trickier to date the instruments. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. When I look at the rim, tone ring, tube and plate, and tailpiece they look like the same ones on my Ibanez 591. There are a few examples of A-2Zs with black tops, though this was probably used to cover some imperfection in the selected tops. In 1947 a natural finish J-45 was finally offered and given the designation: J-50. The tuners were individual. A simpler variation on the SJ-200 with fewer appointments and a lower price tag was the SJ-100. 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!' Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. At least then you will know the model name. Some rectangular examples, black bridge pins (2 pearl dots on rectangle bridge), Headstock appointments: gold decal: Only a Gibson is Good Enough banner. made unmarked banjos for others to sell as well. 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. Bound rosewood fingerboard with small fret wire, clamshell tail piece with Morris inscribed. Ironically, the script logo on the headstock was old-style. Sounds great and the instrument is very easy to play. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. MK-53 models were maple back & sides, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. Ohio banjo player Steven Moore has his first solo project, Just a Little Talk with Myself, just recently released. 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. PB -- plectrum banjo. Gibson By the end in 1985-86, Gibson was basically down to the Les Paul model alone. 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). Saga. By the records, between 200 and 300 were built. The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. GB -- guitar banjo. Though you were told there was only12 of this model made, it will not be any more valuable than if there 10,000 made. Generally harp guitars, L.H. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. Maybell was a Slingerland brand name. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, mandolin. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. These shoes are shown in an 1890s Washburn banjo catalog, on low end models with . The 5th string on a banjo lies within easy reach of the right-hand . and many were left unmarked. They were the J-45 and the Southerner Jumbo. It was initially called the De Luxe Jumbo for the few versions that were delivered before the model went into production. 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. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. 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! Gibson had changed its neck profiles and headstock shape on the successful J-Series. Not many were sold and the production run was therefore limited to 2 years. Banjos with pegheads like that shown in the first picture below are usually made by Buckbee. Customers can choose from these shapes or provide an alternate. thin heel footprints as shown below in the second row of pictures: J. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. The fingerboard of the L-5S is in with select abalone. Google Play. During 1942 two new models were introduced to the Gibson line-up to replace the J-35 and J-55. 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. Thanks for the history, I always love the story. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. Sometimes a higher model number means a bigger and fancier instrument but there does not appear to be a thoughtful of consistent method for ascribing model numbers. FLC, Flamenco guitar with Canadian cypress back and sides, friction pegs (machine heads on some examples). Gretsch was contracted to make banjos for them. Body designations and style designations of Martin guitars are letter-number combinations separated by a hyphen. There were 5226 made. The Gibson Company was formed in late 1902 and the early mandolins evolved from the original Orville Gibson designs. There were many name variations for The Bacon Banjo Company, Inc. but it remained in Fred Bacons name from 1920 until the company closed in 1938. The following versions evolved quickly to 14 frets clear of the body. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names, You may, . The choice to discontinue the Mark Series had to do with the general turmoil of the Gibson company in the last years of ownership by Norlin. A: One of the easiest ways to determine the age of your banjo is to inspect the serial number, if it has one.