Excellent original condition. All original parts, including: frets, nut, 5th string nut, 1-pc flange, tension hoop, tailpiece, tuners, reso hardware, armrest, tuners, hooks & nuts, etc... Even the hard case is original and working, but has a newer replaced handle.
     * If you are looking to buy this banjo and convert it to a full flathead version, I suggest you buy a different banjo. There is nothing wrong with the sound of this banjo and in the future you will probably regret cutting the rim...
     Original 5-string neck, resonator and rim. Rim has original brass bead ring for tonering. 5-string neck is in very good shape and has never been cracked or repaired. All finish is original.
     These original Gibsons with bead brass for tone ring make you aware that a tone ring is really only a facilitator for tone to resonate and develop thru the rim (and neck and resonator). When someone is playing this banjo and you are approaching it, you cannot tell that it doesn't have a full flathead tone ring - all you hear is great tone.
     Maple banjo with brown finish. Some finish worn on back of neck, and some various scratches on resonator. Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with gull wing inlays. Gibson pearl logo inlaid in peghead along with pearl flourish inlaid in center of peghead. Resonator and fingerboard bound with cream binding. Original Grover Pat. "dog-ear" tuners in peghead, with friction tuner 5th peg (works fine). Original matching cream buttons.
     Original 1-pc pot metal flange is in very good shape, with no cracks and no bad bending. Original pot metal tension hoop shows a little outward lean, but is in good shape and shows no cracks.
     Comes set-up to play with an old Remo head that shows finger wear and the former owner's name, Butch. New Prucha bridge. Now has recent professionally installed r.r. spikes for 5th string capo'ing.

     Exc(-) Condition. All-original pot. Maple neck and resonator. Ivoroid binding around top and back of resonator and along fingerboard. Very cool early Remo Weatherking head from the earliest period of manufacturing, circa 1950. Head is in good shape. First Quality replica neck with flat Rosewood fingerboard and diamond pattern Pearl inlay in fingerboard and peghead. Fiddle-cut peghead. Ptacek 2-band tuners, Schaller 5th string tuner, all with matching Ivoroid buttons. Railroad spikes professionally installed at 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th frets for 5th string capo'ing.
     Very early example of the full Mastertone construction. With original solid, no-hole archtop tonering and 2-pc. tube and plate flange. Huge presence, strong voice with a lot of resonance. Set up very well and has no issues.

     Exc. condition. Has some compression dents in back of resonator and some wear on back of neck. Moderate fret wear but not buzzing.
     Choice Mahogany neck and resonator. Rosewood flat fingerboard. Cream bindings around resonator top and back and along fingerboard. Concentric circles in back of resonator. Traditional design, with double-cut peghead and "RB-75" version of "Flying Eagle" inlay pattern. Large pearl inlay block at 12th fret reads 25th Anniversary (of RockyGrass Bluegrass Festival). Large solid pearl truss-rod cover is engraved, and reads RockyGrass 97.
     This banjo is in good playable condition and has been recently polished and had a new Remo 'Renaissance' installed. So... its cleaned and polished and set-up and ready to go. It sounds very good.