Gibson RB-00 5 String Banjo , c. 1938
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Item # 3105
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Gibson RB-00 Model 5 String Banjo, c. 1938, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst lacquer finish, maple neck and rim, rosewood fingerboard, laminated mahogany resonator, black tolex hard shell case.
Of all vintage instruments, one of the hardest items to find is an authentic original prewar Gibson five-string banjo. The four-string tenor banjo was the most popular style in the 1920's and 30's by a wide margin, particularly among those who could afford pricey instruments like Gibsons! Most extant old Gibson five-strings are conversions from tenor or plectrum banjos and an original "5" in any style is always an exciting find.
This instrument is an RB-00, the least expensive banjo in Gibson's line of the 1930's but still a considerable rarity in five-string configuration. These Style 00 instruments retailed originally at $30.00 and were available from the mid-30's up until WWII. As is the case with this one, they usually carry no serial number, making them impossible to date exactly. The features of these banjos tend to be somewhat inconsistent as well, with different versions assembled from stocks of parts which may have been intended for other instruments originally! By the late 1930's, banjos were no longer a priority for Gibson, and even well before WWII they often seem to have been put together somewhat randomly from whatever was available.
This RB-00's plain-finished rim is a thin 1/2" laminate peculiar to the 00 series, but carrying the familiar cast one-piece flange and a single coordinator rod/bolt neck attachment. There is no tone ring fitted and the hoop is fairly thin, while the hooks and armrest are standard Gibson fittings. The maple neck is sunburst finished on the back and has a pointed Kalamazoo-like headstock with a white script silkscreened Gibson logo on the black-painted face.
The rosewood fingerboard is inlaid with four single pearl dots and has no binding. The tuners are two-tab Grovers with white celluloid buttons and the nut is plain ebony. Unlike the even cheaper Kalamazoo line banjos, this Gibson is equipped with both an adjustable truss rod and an arched-back resonator, which appears to be faced with mahogany (instead of the usual maple) and is bound only on the bottom edge. The back and sides feature a nicely shaded sunburst effect.
The 00 style instruments were Gibson's attempt to make a "Genuine Gibson" available to anybody. For ambitious amateurs or hopeful entertainers on the way up, dropping $30.00 on a good instrument in the late 1930's was a real possibility. Despite this, the five-string banjo was not nearly as popular even in country music as it would later become, and relatively few of even these inexpensive banjos were made compared to guitars or even mandolins in the same price range.
This banjo is a fully authentic 1930's Gibson, and even without a heavy tone ring or fancy trim is as authentic as one can get for pre-war banjo stylings. Perfect for any pre-bluegrass string band or solo/duo playing with a deeper, mellower tone than the familiar Mastertone.
Overall length is 37 7/8 in. (96.2 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) deep. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.).
A very nicely original example; all hardware appears stock except for an added Five Star Planetary fifth string peg and two tension nuts. The tailpiece is a period nickel Grover Presto, but the fifth-string hole is hand drilled so it may not be original to this banjo; it also has the name "Phil" VERY lightly scratched in script into the cover. Some finish/playing and plating wear but overall well-preserved. Set up with a Waverly Fiberskyn head; plays and sounds excellent. Excellent Condition.
Of all vintage instruments, one of the hardest items to find is an authentic original prewar Gibson five-string banjo. The four-string tenor banjo was the most popular style in the 1920's and 30's by a wide margin, particularly among those who could afford pricey instruments like Gibsons! Most extant old Gibson five-strings are conversions from tenor or plectrum banjos and an original "5" in any style is always an exciting find.
This instrument is an RB-00, the least expensive banjo in Gibson's line of the 1930's but still a considerable rarity in five-string configuration. These Style 00 instruments retailed originally at $30.00 and were available from the mid-30's up until WWII. As is the case with this one, they usually carry no serial number, making them impossible to date exactly. The features of these banjos tend to be somewhat inconsistent as well, with different versions assembled from stocks of parts which may have been intended for other instruments originally! By the late 1930's, banjos were no longer a priority for Gibson, and even well before WWII they often seem to have been put together somewhat randomly from whatever was available.
This RB-00's plain-finished rim is a thin 1/2" laminate peculiar to the 00 series, but carrying the familiar cast one-piece flange and a single coordinator rod/bolt neck attachment. There is no tone ring fitted and the hoop is fairly thin, while the hooks and armrest are standard Gibson fittings. The maple neck is sunburst finished on the back and has a pointed Kalamazoo-like headstock with a white script silkscreened Gibson logo on the black-painted face.
The rosewood fingerboard is inlaid with four single pearl dots and has no binding. The tuners are two-tab Grovers with white celluloid buttons and the nut is plain ebony. Unlike the even cheaper Kalamazoo line banjos, this Gibson is equipped with both an adjustable truss rod and an arched-back resonator, which appears to be faced with mahogany (instead of the usual maple) and is bound only on the bottom edge. The back and sides feature a nicely shaded sunburst effect.
The 00 style instruments were Gibson's attempt to make a "Genuine Gibson" available to anybody. For ambitious amateurs or hopeful entertainers on the way up, dropping $30.00 on a good instrument in the late 1930's was a real possibility. Despite this, the five-string banjo was not nearly as popular even in country music as it would later become, and relatively few of even these inexpensive banjos were made compared to guitars or even mandolins in the same price range.
This banjo is a fully authentic 1930's Gibson, and even without a heavy tone ring or fancy trim is as authentic as one can get for pre-war banjo stylings. Perfect for any pre-bluegrass string band or solo/duo playing with a deeper, mellower tone than the familiar Mastertone.
Overall length is 37 7/8 in. (96.2 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) deep. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.).
A very nicely original example; all hardware appears stock except for an added Five Star Planetary fifth string peg and two tension nuts. The tailpiece is a period nickel Grover Presto, but the fifth-string hole is hand drilled so it may not be original to this banjo; it also has the name "Phil" VERY lightly scratched in script into the cover. Some finish/playing and plating wear but overall well-preserved. Set up with a Waverly Fiberskyn head; plays and sounds excellent. Excellent Condition.