Gary Trusty - Posted - 07/07/2009:  19:49:12

Can anyone tell me what a Sigma by Martin 5 string banjo in good shape might be worth? It was made in Japan and has some type of aluminum tone ring with a 45 degree angle with holes in it. Decent inlay work in fretboard.
Thanks, Gary

beegee - Posted - 07/08/2009:  05:44:25

It's probably die-cast zinc(zamac, white metal, pot metal...) not aluminum. These were imported and labeled when Martin thought they should have a less expensive(than Vega)banjo line of some kind. (They should stick to what they know best:guitars) They're OK banjos, I recall they had a 2-piece flange which seemed to be the norm for imported banjos in that era. Probably Kasuga-made. There is a SOLD one in the classifieds that the asking price was $700. That seems about right to me...$600-800

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"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca

timberliner - Posted - 07/08/2009:  21:12:09

In my opinion they are more than an ok banjo. I own one. It is the first banjo I started playing and I had several people come up to me after a show and want to know what kind of Gibson I was playing. I have been around three of these banjos. One of my best friends was the Martin dealer here and he had one in his studio and another friend of mine played one for several years. All three banjos were better than the other imports I had been around.

At the time they retailed between $900 and $1000, depending on the dealer and I agree with Beegee that the $600 - $800 range would seem about right. Stay away from the ones made in Korea. When they switched from Japanese made to Korean made the quality went downhill big time.

beegee - Posted - 07/09/2009:  06:49:54

In my grading system, there are two categories: OK and NOT OK.

__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca

timberliner - Posted - 07/09/2009:  12:28:54

That sounds fair Beegee lol