Headstocks say LoPrinzi. The space between the headstock center and the top of the lathe bed is the radius of the lathe swing. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel . LoPrinzi Guitars most from Plainsboro New Jersey. What's the history on the this jo, are you the original owner? The second type of headstock, as you can tell by its name, is the angled or tilted-back headstock. STONE BANJO CO - PEGHEAD SHAPES. 1930s-40s R S Williams and Sons built "Stewart" 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop headstock 1940s R S Williams and Sons built bird's eye maple archtop back Gibson. The fingerboard was rosewood with 9 inlaid position markers. The Mark Series, though not a wild success in terms of overall sales, did sell reasonably well. 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. In the early years, due to the depression and the following wartime austerity, demand for this expensive instrument was limited and production quantities were small. The bridge were early simple rectangular with through-saddles. The 5th string is a crucial distinguishing characteristic of the five-string banjo, both in the instrument's appearance and in the sound of the music. The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). The Lyon & Healy peghead shape used on most of The best way to date Larrive instruments is by the instrument labels. Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. First published as a folk music magazine in 1971 by Michael I. Holmes before going online in 1997, Mugwumps is a no-frills, highly informative site that's packed with well-written articles, detailed photographs, and historical ads of old instruments and parts. Neck s/n DA5063 with L&B headstock inlay: T. Biggs : 1932 : 66-1: PB-3 : Shipped August 7, 1935: Gibson Shipping Ledger : 1932 : 66-2: PB-3: Flathead: 1-piece: MK-81 models were rosewood back & sides, ebony fingerboard with figured abalone block inlays & gold plated hardware. The strings are tightly wound at the headstock so the banjo player can form cords along the fingerboard. Banjos with pegheads like that shown in the first picture below are usually made by Buckbee. You may, . Sha-Sw. T-V. W-Y. Gibson It had chrome plated standard friction pegs, rosewood finished neck and headstock with matchin resonator. Dimensions: 16 wide, 10 1/4 long and 4 1/2 deep. Back & Sides: Mahogany but some released as Brazilian rosewood. MK-72 models were rosewood back & sides, 3 piece ebony/rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays & nickel hardware. 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. Most 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. which do not feature a paper label. $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. Pearl dots on fretboard. A-3s had refrigerator white tops with a black perfling line, adjustable truss rods and adjustable bridges. The selected tuners varied randomly by model and year. They were now able to get better materials. Augustino & Thomas LoPrinzi Guitars usually have the date of manufacture on the label. CLM, Classical guitar with mahogany back and sides. There are also examples of A-2Zs without the Z on the lable but still sporting the black perfling line. In late 1 the use of factory order numbers was discontinued. 1921 onward: Metal 90-degree pickguard support screwed into the body and additional screw to the neck. The Southerner Jumbos were the most expensive flat-top guitars Gibson offered at the time. Each type of banjo head has a unique contribution to your banjo's tone. Internally, changes from the J-35 included strengthening the top bracing by moving the X brace 1 additional inch behind the soundhole. 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. serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. 340 Rosewood back & sides, MOP, colored wood appointments & a Tree-of-Life fretboard inlay. Lyon & Healy routinely used talon or patent 1897 Due to the plain marks on the bracing, it is believed that every top was tuned by the same Gibson employee. Thanks for any assistance you can provide. Headstocks say LoPrinzi. For sale for $50 cash, firm. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. 1974 $895 This was the best sales year for the L-5S shipping 555 instruments. So far as I can find Gibson appears to have only made "Stewart" instruments for a couple of years in the early 1930s. 1979 $1149 Antique Sunburst added to Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst and Natural. It had binding on front, back, soundhole and the fretboard; The Gibson inlaid into the headstock and a better grade of spruce top. The instruments had modified fan bracing and asymmetrical bridges. They did not imprint the instruments with any particular brand. 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. It was available with a brown finish and came as a snakehead or paddle headstock. beautiful banjo. New Location: 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. They did provide paper labels for the instrument that they represented but did not provide labels for custom instruments or other shops or manufacturers. It was the heart of the depression and the instruments cost $60 without a case. set of identifying characteristics can be found at Maybell was a Slingerland brand name. The designations were. Scott Zimmerman may be able to shed some light on this. It shared many features with the L-5 archtop electric acoustic: The neck was basically an L-5 neck in scale, section and detail. This is the smallest model, chrome tuners. I have owned a beautiful Kay company banjo for over 30 years. The new design was thinner and much easier to handle and play. The body dimensions basically match the LG-series: 14 1/8 wide by 19 1/2 long by 4 1/2 deep. Late 1930s through 1942: ? adjustment wheels 2 feet and extensions on top of the base for the wheels. 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. It is very showy though. The introduction of a truss rod cover to the headstock caused the inlay patterns to adjust as well. Late 1940's "i" touches the "G" on "Modern" non cursive/script Gibson Logo. Your banjo is Asian made, likely Korea, but maybe Japan. 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. 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. serial number impressed to verso, 60 cm long 1923 into 1970: 1 piece mahogany necks. Please read the section on J-35s and J-55s as the J-45s and Southerner Jumbos replaced the earlier models it was a natural evolution. Depending on the selected source, there is disagreement about these numbers. Some examples had the black (skunk) strip down the middle of the top similar to the Southerner Jumbos. JR, jumbo size guitar with East Indian rosewood back & sides, chrome tuners. The intent is to provide a rough dating guide. In 1947 the name changed to the J-200 and the standard back and sides became highly figured maple. Acoustic guitars are punched inside the soundhole on a sticker behind the strings. Late 1930's Thicker Gibson Logo. target no need to return item. For a period of time, this was the top of the line. 3 special model, serial number 8382, New York, circa 1920s, intricate abalone shell inlay to fingerboard and headstock which also bears the Company logo. In 1947 a natural finish J-45 was finally offered and given the designation: J-50. They were available in steel string or classical. The saddles were wider than usual. 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. Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/27/2013 17:30:00, Charles in SC - Posted-12/27/2013: 20:38:42. F/FF = Factory code (No factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models) Y/YY = Year of manufacture (Single digit for some 1997 and earlier models) MM = Month of manufacture. The top and back bindings were black plastic. This was expanded in 1935 to about 1/3 of the top area. It was reintroduced in limited editions in 1991. In 1926 Gibson introduced the L-series guitars with the L-0 at $35 and the L-1 at $50 (1928 prices). During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. The swing distance is important because it dictates how large a turned piece can be on that particular lathe. Thinner cog gears with no bevel on the edge of the cogs. World War II changed many aspects of the guitar world. 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. These appear to have a unique serial number scheme. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2600s to 2700s. Many have no identification at all. Factory Order Numbers (FON) in the 2800s to 2900s and 300s to 500s and some in the 600-800s and 1000s range. Tuners, hardware and tailpieces were probably purchased from Lyon and Healy who had a factory just down the street from the Larson shop. MB -- mandolin banjo. The last 4 digits are a neck number. Research our price guide with auction results on 40 items from $35 to $2,928. Dark stained plain birch back and sides. The Mark Series guitars had 16 3/16 lower bouts with very narrow waists, and a headstock like no other in Gibson tradition. $ 5,719.00 $ 5,149.00. It is most common after 1923 when most Gibson model As had this shape. I just have a few questions. >I see no collectors market for banjos like yours.<. 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. 1908 into 1916: Elevated pickguards of plastic tortoise shell clamped to the body with a removable clamp and pinned to the bridge. 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. Cherry Sunburst is still available. The more economical Student Grade instruments were often ladder braced. Have a vintage Harmony guitar? On 12 fret to the body guitars, in a break with tradition, the Larson brothers frequently inlayed the 10th fret instead of the ninth. 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. 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 Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. The Southerner Jumbo (later shortened to: Southern Jumbo and then SJ) was a fancier J-45. Hand Engraving. 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. expressed on the sides and back of the 1934 versions. Thanks for the feedback! The banjo's fingerboard is where the magic happens. Q: What is the first step in determining the age of my banjo? G Edward Porgie - Posted - 06/16/2021: 14:40:30. 587 Similar to 585 but with pearl (vs ivoroid) tuner buttons. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. Sounds great and the instrument is very easy to play. Timing is everything In 1969 the Gibson parent company: Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) was acquired by the South American brewing conglomerate: E.C.L. At the time, the Nick Lucas model was the largest flat-top Gibson offered. The other digits in the serial number can tell you when your banjo was made. Factory numbers (when the exist) appear in pencil inside on the block where the neck meets the body. Tstyle of tuner lasts into early 1943 (FON 2221 last documented series with this tuner style), Late 1942 poplar neck blocks (Late 1942 FON 2119 with FON 2143 being the last documented series with mahogany neck block.). 1934 was in the depth of the depression, and at $60 without a case, most families put food ahead of guitars. The Gibson stamped on tailpiece cover and inlaid in headstock. Gibson TP-6 tailpiece became standard. The fretboard was bound but without extension and The Gibson was stamped into the tailpiece cover. It appears that they experimented right up to the point of discontinuing the line. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. Modern Gibson Logo open "b" and "o". Some early necks were cherry before 1912. It is, therefore, not unusual to find older mandolins with replacement bridges. Like the SJ-100 of the same year, the J-55 had a stair-step headstock that persisted for only 2 years. Each model of the Mark Series was available in natural or sunburst finish. I would sure like to hear what it sounds like. 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. 1975 $899 The first catalog appearance of the L-5S was in the 1975 Gibson Solid Body catalog. The soundhole binding does not extend the full depth of the soundhole. tailpieces (see fourth row of pictures below) on many of their unmarked banjos, and their RRRR = Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234. 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. 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 neck was a broad round profile single piece mahogany with a bound coffewood fretboard and dot markers. 1978 $1079 Tobacco sunburst is dropped for Fireburst; Maple is now described as Natural. These can exist on any model numbers including the A-jr. 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. 1940: #1 or #001 to 1965: approximately #84xxx. A total of 2,477 J-35s were made according to Gibson records. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. Check out our banjo decal selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our bumper stickers shops. Not many were sold and the production run was therefore limited to 2 years. By the records, between 200 and 300 were built. side of the top of the peghead (see last set of pictures below). and many were left unmarked. 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. My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. This information is approximate and has not been verified by the LoPrinzi family. Inlays and bindings are remarkably consistent through the years. I own the book and have found it to be an invaluable resource in identifying these old guitars. They didnt sell well but did live up to their design intent of a. heavier, booming tone with good overall balance. Never seen one with an inlay on the back of the neck. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February . 562 Standard size with rosewood back & sides, MOP and colored wood appointments. S3M, Size 3 guitar with mahogany back & sides. In mid 1944 bookmatched two piece Sispruce tops reappear. The soundboard was so large and the body so deep that the sound was immense. 1973 $895 L-5S a few instruments shipped and cherry sunburst is the only available finish. ECL changed its name shortly afterwards to: Norlin Inc. for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Maurice Berlin. The guitar designs, however, were not the problem. Yuletide. 15 Mahogany top, back & sides no binding, 17 Mahogany top, back & sides bound top. string peg perch is typically carved out from the side of the neck as shown There is a utility market though. http://www.mugwumps.com. See Martin Serial Numbers for a dating information. The swing of a lathe is measured as the total diameter of a finished turned piece, such as a wood bowl. These had black plastic laminate headstock overlays with Bacon engraved in blockletters and a small, metal plate engraved Bacon Folk Model. It appears that many mandolin owners of earlier models chose to upgrade their bridges to the fancy new adjustable models after 1921. The 1975 price was $439. Information compiled by Leonard Wyeth 2008, L Wyeth, Century General Introduced 1933 for the Century of Progress Exhibition @ $55. The original price in 1942 was $45. There is a steel tone ring on the maple rim, and the rim has a maple cap. Rettberg & Lange (1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made In 1923 it appears that Gibson began to assemble A-2s with left-over blonde tops from A-3s. The headstock carried an inlayed script Gibson. There were 1424 made. They are maintained by Donna LoPrinzi in Clearwater Florida. As a vintage instrument dealer, I see no collectors market for banjos like yours. 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. Frets refers to the number of frets that are clear of the body. The neck heal had a white plastic cap. Width at nut 1 11/16, scale 24 3/4. Plectrum. Following many prototypes, shapes and bracing patterns, the Mark Series was launched in 1975. 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 Headstocks of US models also use the Gibson headstock shape. Most were 3-piece solid maple bodies. On rare occasions, some dates can be found on . My understanding is that only 12 of these particular banjos were ever manufactured by Kay. A flourish inlay under The Gibson in the headstock. 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!' Bodies: Rosewood, oak, mahogany, koa and maple. The headstock had a black wood face veneer. Rated 5.00 out of 5. First factory order number (FON) on neck block of J45s in 1942 was 907 and 923. Identify vintage banjo fleur de lis inlays on headstock & carved heel. A New Leaf from Steven Moore. Larger top braces used, and bigger solid wood bridge plate and larger bottom-belly bridge. In some cases, teachers would Materials and methods of production were reviewed and revised. GB -- guitar banjo. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. There were 431 made. The only available finish was sunburst until 1954. Late 1960's Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the "i". cases they carry no identifying name at all. Because there are few of these instruments around, little has been written about them, though some did find their way into the hands of influential artists of the day. GIBSON GARAGE FIND A DEALER GIBSON APP. The centerline of the neck had the black inlay. Labels say: A. Some FONs for 1942 include 7116-7119, 7434, 7705, 7721, 907, 910, 923, 928, 2004-2006, 2059, 2098, 2110, 2119. During the war years women played a greater role in manufacturing while young men were fighting overseas. 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. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. Martin Guitars seemed to take note of the successful sales of the Gibson acoustic-electrics J-160E and CF-100Es. S3R3H, Like S3R, with 3-piece back, full herringbone binding, gold tuners. All Rights Reserved. Banjo serial numbers: During the 1920s, Gibson instruments were made in lots of 40s (for the most part, this procedure continues today). Ironically, the script logo on the headstock was old-style. The 1934 version had a classic Gibson sunburst: the small amber center around the bridge about 1/4 of the top area. For example: B&D had several un-numbered models between 1913 and 1920. 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. Yet somehow, there's a certain cool factor to this one. Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was slowly being shifted from Kalamazoo MI to Nashville TN. Vega continued to mark their banjos "A.C. Fairbanks" until the middle teens. The appointments matched the MK-35 but the bracing was modified to accommodate the additional string tension of 12 strings. There were 1229 made. These bridges had movable saddles up to about 1917 when they changed to a one-piece compensating bridge design through early 1921. If the fretboard was bound, they generally added a stripe of black under the side binding. gibson one-of-a-kind Christmas banjos! The rosettes were simple white-black-white. Why not post a little tune with it. The following numbers are the earliest known serial number for the year listed. I wouldn't be surprised if a few exist with other brand names. Thanks for the history, I always love the story. The top and back bindings were black plastic with red line highlights. If you would like to use content from this page, see our Terms of Usage policy. Gretsch appears to have started a new numbering system at about that time. It took Gibson 2 years to develop their response: The Jumbo of 1934. When it came out in 1942 it was the most expensive Gibson flat-top in the line. The 1975 price was $549. MK-99 models were handcrafted and signed by Richard Schneider. The 5th string on a banjo lies within easy reach of the right-hand . 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. Body shape changed to square shoulder dreadnought. 2005-2023 acousticmusic.org. PB -- plectrum banjo. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson's lower grade models (like the ES-125, ES-140, J-160E, etc.) In 1941 the fretboard became Brazilian rosewood. It was the innovations of the Loar period: 1921 through 1925 that saw the introduction of the truss rod, adjustable bridges, bracing adjustments, thinning and grading of the tops and numerous other refinements to create the standards that are still used today. Introduced August 1942 and J-45s are still available today. USA produced Epiphones of this era bear standard Gibson serialization and include the Made in USA stamp on the back of the headstock. 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 system is not known for certain but might have restarted as consecutive numbers beginning at 1000.