This is the first of several banjos that I am getting ready to take down to the Joe Val festival, if it doesn't sell before then. There are no apologies necessary for this banjo because it is what it is, and that's plenty good enough, but here is everything that I know about it.
The pot assembly is 100% pre-war Gibson, with the exception of the tone ring, which is an old Great Lakes that I have had lightened to right at 3 lbs. The rim is serial number 9553-18 and the resonator is 9639-18, indicating that both are 1930. I can't tell you if they came from Gibson together or were mated up later. What I can tell you is that there is no doubt that the rim is style 4, based on the coloration, and the label is barely cut, meaning this might have left Gibson as a flathead. No matter, as it is one now. The resonator is unusual in that the veneer between the concentric rings is from a different flick than the rest of the back. I've seen a couple of other resonators were this was done, and it was definitely done at Gibson before shipping. The only thing that I can figure is that there must have been some kind of flaw in that part of the wood and they replaced it. The hardware on the pot is all nickel instead of the chrome that most 4s went out with. Don't know if that's the way it was sent out, but I've always liked nickel better so it never bothered me. The neck is reported to have been made by Frank Neat and is a very nice playing walnut neck.
This banjo has been my primary player for the last year, and I have had the tone ring for several years now, vowing that it would never leave here. Some of you have played this tone ring and might comment, on the forum thread, on your impressions, but my impression is that it doesn't get any better without spending at least $45,000. This banjo is what it is folks. At the very least, a great pre-war Gibson parts banjo with a great sound. It is going to take $8800 to pry this one away, with a new hard shell case...Bill
Thanks to a awake BHO member for correcting me on the year of this banjo. I had checked it when I first got it and thought that it was a 1931, but it is a 1930.
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