paula - Posted - 02/04/2008:  19:01:34

Is Ventura a collectible name to look for? I just acquired one.

A Penco also. Both from the 70s.

CK

mattrogers5 - Posted - 02/04/2008:  19:12:59

ask wrightedward on the hangout....he's got one and loves it..asian mastercone, matt

'If it wasn't easy I couldn't play it" John Hartford

beegee - Posted - 02/04/2008:  21:29:38

Collectible? No. Decent intermediate banjo, sold under a variety of names-Melodier, Ventura, Orpheum, Alvarez.

A footnote to history: My first decent banjo after my old Kay was a Ventura, around 1972. When I bought that, I got the bug to have a Gibson. I couldn't afford one, so I started building banjos, using Stew-Mac parts. I still buy these banjos when I can for anything less than $200 and re-sell them to students.

Of course, anything is collectible. Look at Beanie Babies. A few years ago they were the latest collector fad. Now....?

______________________________

turtle on a fencepost....

Edited by - beegee on 02/05/2008 17:05:57

banjonz - Posted - 02/04/2008:  21:51:51

As Beegee says. Probably good intermediate instrument but certainly not collectable in the true sense of the word.

Wayne
New Zealand

Home computers are the perfect thing for women who don't feel that men provide them with enough frustration

Bill Rogers - Posted - 02/05/2008:  00:38:09

Another agreement with beegee. Demand makes for collectibility, and there's no particular demand for Venturas (or any other similar contemporary Japanese banjo.)

Bill

FXHERE - Posted - 02/05/2008:  09:21:40

Except Goldstars---

Pre-War Picker-----New Banjo

beegee - Posted - 02/05/2008:  10:59:05

I wouldn't put the 70's model Ventura in the same class as a Gold Star. However, Gold Star still hasn't reached a level of true collectibility except perhaps for some of the nicer earlier more rare models, like the JD Crowe .

______________________________

turtle on a fencepost....

kallekockum - Posted - 02/05/2008:  13:17:06

About the old Gold Stars...I can't believe banjos with the potential to sound as good as Tom Adams '81 Gold Star GF-100W rarely seem to sell for more than...what? $1100-1500? A steal...

Kalle Kockum, Sweden
I wish I was as cool as Levon Helm...

Edited by - kallekockum on 02/05/2008 13:17:34

kudzugypsy - Posted - 02/05/2008:  13:59:09

no

'80 Gold Star GF-100FE

Lenwardg - Posted - 02/05/2008:  15:43:54

Collectable? No. Decent banjo? Yes. My dad has one and I learned on it. Sounds good, plays good. Wouldn't be ashamed to take it anywhere. Still, not what you'd call a collectable.

*Five fingers, five strings. It's as it should be.*

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