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frankabr. - Posted - 09/20/2009: 08:30:21
Hi. I was lucky enough to come across a 1984 Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard. This is the first year they made this banjo (Its label is signed by Earl). (They made 1984 the first year). I really like the sound of this one and it appears to be well made and put together.
I've been reading that a few years later, they made modifications to this model. My question is whether these modifications made it sound better, etc. Also, are the earlier ones signed by Earl during the first year more collectible than the later ones?
Or, in the alternative, do the changes made to the later models make them more desirable than the earlier models?
Thanks, Frank
Play The Music Or Face The Music
tombriarhopper - Posted - 09/20/2009: 09:03:47
Let me preface this with affirming that I don't know jack...folks that I used to jam with said the ES "sucked" until somebody took over the banjo's construction in 1990/1991. I thought that comment "sucked" because the first ones I heard were as good as the one I bought brand new in 1992. Mine is signed on the inner label, but I turned over the coordinator rod cover that says "Earl Scruggs" 'cause I don't want to defame his name with my style o'playing. I am indeed interested in the lifecycle of the Earl Scruggs-labeled banjos.
Tom Briarhopper
http://www.wbtbriarhoppers.blogspot.com
greenbriar - Posted - 09/20/2009: 11:26:05
My first good banjo was an 84 Scruggs, ordered from Morgan Music in Lebanon Mo.. It was basicaly a Stewart MacDonald banjo. The flange and tone ring, while excellent quality, are slightly different and not interchangeable with the 88 to current Gibson flange and tone rings. The honey color was what Faulkner decided to stain Earl's banjo when he made him a neck. The slightly different double cut pattern was as close as Faulkner could come to original, when he made the reproduction neck for Earl, While a little off the original pattern, that aspect was copied from Faulkner's neck. The only fault that I heard of the 84 Scruggs, was some inconsistencies with heel cuts. Some were great...some not. I traded mine to Curtis McPeake, he had it sold right away.
There is a member on the hangout that has #0002 (Earl Has 0001).
Another tidbit, First Quality has the original Gibson templates of the fiddle cut and double cut headstock patterns...Bill bought alot of stuff from Gibson when they moved to Nashville, old necks like an All American with the Eagle on the headstock, prototype tone rings from the 30's, the mold that the flathead tone rings were cast in among other treasures.
Julio B - Posted - 09/20/2009: 11:54:22
They are the collectible ones. I played an ex-student's that was very strong. He had the banjo professionally set-up and during the process, the tone ring was found to be too snug. Corrected for a slip-fit on a humid day, the banjo became a powerhouse.
~Julio
strang - Posted - 09/20/2009: 13:25:38
quote:
Originally posted by tombriarhopper Mine is signed on the inner label, but I turned over the coordinator rod cover that says "Earl Scruggs" 'cause I don't want to defame his name with my style o'playing.
So your model isn't the Earl Scruggs clawhammer banjer  - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - Bluegrass -- THE Original Country Music!
frankabr. - Posted - 09/20/2009: 17:33:44
No, I like Wildwoods and Old Vegas for that part of my life. (Which lately isn't as large as my Bluegrass life). (Which is still pretty meager but growing!)
Take care, Frank
Play The Music Or Face The Music
beegee - Posted - 09/20/2009: 17:37:52
All I know is that it would make a great 4-string!!
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
grich - Posted - 09/20/2009: 18:03:04
Fact check
There are a total of 1984 ES Models with hand signed labes ( signed in blue felt marker ) after that is just a copy signature on the label.
Gibson never produced 1984 of them in the first year ....... it took from 1984 to 1993 to complete the hand signed version of the model.
The change came in 1988 to the model
Randall - Posted - 09/20/2009: 18:06:37
Steve Ryan made the tone rings for those banjos. I got one. Some were "Studs" and some were "Duds". Mine was bought in '86. #884 if my memory serves me well.
Randall
Wyatt Banjos - Creating the sounds of yesteryear, today!
OSCAR82AA - Posted - 09/20/2009: 18:43:03
I have # 0931 , Bought new in 1987.
Snuffy Smith 2 Bridge
Sullivan two hump tailpiece
Fit the ring to rim,was tight .
Saving for a Yates, but this banjo has been great to me for a long time.
DHutchens - Posted - 09/21/2009: 04:29:39
>>>Steve Ryan made the tone rings for those banjos. I got one. Some >>>were "Studs" and some were "Duds". Mine was bought in '86. #884 if my >>>memory serves me well.
Randall
Steve Ryan did StuMac's early rings, The Scruggs banjo information (http://www.banjohangout.org/my/dhutchens) was a compliation of emails from the old "Scruggs List" from the late 90s and there was talk of who did the rings in the early days of StuMac and I added that as a tidbit of information. Steve had long since stopped doing rings for Stumac by 84. He did them from about 1970 until 72 or 73. I'll ask him, Bill MacDonald or Kix Stewart the next time I talk to them. Bill MacDonald is a hangout member possibly he will chime in.
I never intended for anyone to think that Steve did the Scruggs banjos tone rings, like I said the Scruggs banjo information came from several emails put together. Guess I need to go and make that plain on the page.
Doug
WildwoodFlower - Posted - 09/23/2009: 07:28:00
I have S/N 312 and had it set up by Charlie Cushman. I was not so happy with its sound when I bought it.. but knew it had the potential to be somewhat collectable someday. After Charlie worked on it... it is a powerhouse. I would never part with it.
I'd suggest you hold on to yours.
Also will mention: Charlie Cushman changed out the StewMac tone ring on this banjo with a Gibson tone ring which changed the sound completely.. but he gave me back the original ring just so I'd have all the original parts to the banjo. This banjo is very heavy & not comfortable for a woman to play. So I don't play it anymore. I am basically an Ome freak... I am devoted to collecting Omes. My ole 1984 Gibson ESS is stored in a closet for my old age..
Edited by - WildwoodFlower on 09/24/2009 04:23:44
afchap - Posted - 09/24/2009: 10:23:08
I had #463. - my first Gibson. It had a great sound, and was comfortable to play. Unfortunately, it was lost in a fire.
Afchap
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..."
RB5 - Posted - 09/26/2009: 17:07:27
Wow! I had never seen this info from dhutchens. Answers a lot of my long time questions.
That's my story and I'm sticking with it!
Robert.
PeterJ - Posted - 09/30/2009: 10:00:42
I've got one of the honey-colored ones I bought new in '87, but it was built a least a year before that -- beautiful flamed maple, and (don't flame me) I like the color.
Yes, the tone ring was way too tight, but after some set-up (including neutral coordinator rods), it opened up and sounds great. Not sure how to check the neck fit -- it looks snug when the neck is on, but how can I tell if the curve is correct?
Also, it is pretty heavy -- after reading Doug's notes (great updates, Doug!), I wonder how much of that is the all-maple resonator.
Peter
"Play the song, not the notes"
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3bgzt/ (banjo sound samples & my rig)
www.splinterville.com
www.myspace.com/splinterville
MrJakers - Posted - 10/28/2009: 19:47:26
I just purchased standard number 1048 so far no complaints changed from a stock bridge and were pickin
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