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fivedrive5 - Posted - 04/05/2009: 19:50:20
I just bought a fender artist with concertone inlays,ser#b-1519 california made.It is in excellent condition. Just wondering how to date it. The concertone inlay
was apparently an option then. Thanks
Jim
beegee - Posted - 04/05/2009: 20:13:15
Fender has no records(they will admit to having). I just went through an email struggle with them trying to get production records, which they say do not exist. There are several Fender Artists owners here on the Hangout. Best thing is to approximate your banjo by interpolating known dates from other owners.
Fender says the Artist first production date is unknown and they probably stopped in 1979. Salstrom Banjo was probably bought in 1966-67. Fender tried unsuccessfully to buy Gareipy Banjo in 1966. So I'd guess the Artist production started in 69 or early 70. Scott ZImmerman can probably narrow it down, since he worked there.
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
Edited by - beegee on 04/05/2009 20:38:27
fivedrive5 - Posted - 04/05/2009: 20:22:25
Thanks BeeGee,I am happy with the tone of this thing and I haven;t even set it up yet. Someone did say the concertone inlay was optional
Jim
beegee - Posted - 04/05/2009: 20:40:56
I have seen several Artists with Concertone inlay. Whether it wan an option or an accident, I don't know. The most beautiful banjo I ever owned until I got my Lane was a Concert Tone. I traded my Artist for my Granada back in 1974 or 75.
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
beegee - Posted - 04/05/2009: 21:00:17
Brosnac has it listed in his book on Fender as banjo production from 1966 to 1980
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
desert rose - Posted - 04/05/2009: 23:53:17
He is correct, I was personally ushered into the foremans office in early 1980 and shown the last two resonators and necks to be assembled. They were hand carved and painted Concertones
As Bob discovered and Ive been saying, Fender has NO data at all relating to the banjo production. What did exist, which was next to nothing was thrown out when CBS sold the name in early 1985. Before this Ken Young was the sole knowlege depot about the banjos and he and I left at the same time, he got out of the music business
There is not ONE person who will know a single fact about banjos at the company at this time. If you contact them they cant afford to spend their time on banjos that were made in ancient history to them
Scott
beegee - Posted - 04/06/2009: 06:19:46
Here is an exact copy of what Ed Treat from Fender sent me last week:
Model Name: Artist 5-String Bluegrass Banjo
Model Number:
Series: Fender Banjo Series
Source:
Body Style: 5-String Banjo
Body Depth: Resonator: N/A
Top: Laminated Maple Rim With 24 Piece Bracket
Back and Sides: Hard Maple with Walnut Veneer (Resonator)
Neck: Walnut with Maple Center Stripe
Fingerboard: Rosewood with Black Walnut Underlay
Scale Length: 26.75"
No. Of Frets: 22
Width at Nut: 1.22"
Width at Heel: N/A
Machine Heads: 4 Chrome Individually Enclosed (Geared) with Non-Slip 5th
Peg
Bridge: Maple with Ebony Backbone
Electronics: None
Finish: Gloss
Colors: Natural Walnut
Strings:
Unique Features: 10 Hand Cut Australian Mother-of-Pearl Position
Inlays,
Adjustable Truss Rod,
Multiple Binding on Bottom and Sides,
White Bound Neck,
Violin Shaped Headstock with Walnut Underlay and Hand Cut Australian
Mother-of-Pearl Inlays,
Heavy Chrome Plating on Hardware,
Molded Nut,
Adjustable Tension Tail-Piece with String Loop Lid Cover,
Bell Metal Tone Ring,
24-Piece Bracket,
11" Milk White Plastic Head
U.S. MSRP: $480.00 to $1,325.00
Comments:
Introduced: 1967
Discontinued: 1979
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
xnavyguy - Posted - 04/06/2009: 14:23:54
My friend, Art Horan (Roll Player) owns a Fender Artist. I don't know a whole lot about it, except that the flange seems unique and quite heavy compared to a typical banjo flange Maybe Art will post any information he might know about the Artist.
This photo of his banjo neck might help:
Jerry
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we''re here we should dance."
rudykizuty - Posted - 04/06/2009: 15:18:41
I'm with Jerry. I learned to play on a '69 Fender Artist tenor back in the late 70s and I have yet to encounter another banjo anywhere near as heavy. I don't know how to embed pics into posts, so I loaded some photos into a personal album. The inlays are standard for an Artist. I have always wished I could find one of these in plectrum trim. They're sweet sounding and packed a pretty good punch too.
Jim, congratulations on your acquisition, and enjoy!!!
Anthony Herner
Edited by - rudykizuty on 04/06/2009 15:19:51
banjoplyr. - Posted - 04/06/2009: 18:43:59
yep,xnavyguy looks just like mine,mine is believer to be a 1968.i bought it used in 1973 .ser. # 5000.very nice banjos for the money
Roger
htt://www.banjolounge.chat/
RS bridges
mikehalloran - Posted - 04/07/2009: 20:36:27
quote:
Originally posted by fivedrive5
I just bought a fender artist with concertone inlays,ser#b-1519 california made.It is in excellent condition. Just wondering how to date it. The concertone inlay
was apparently an option then. Thanks
Jim
The Concert Tone inlays suggest that this was made near the end of the run when they were pushing banjos out the door using whatever parts were left. There are a few of them out there like this.
One of the best banjos I ever owned was a Fender Allegro xtra long neck. I sold it through Buffalo Bros. to a collector in Spain, made a huge profit when I replaced it with my ODE/MUSE that was hanging in a pawn shop for $180. Had the opportunity not been there to make some nice $$$, I would have kept it. It was a very nice banjo.
I have jpegs of the full banjo catalog from 1968. I posted them in a long thread a while back and can certainly email them as a .pdf to anyone who wants to see it.
Mike Halloran
Edited by - mikehalloran on 04/07/2009 20:44:38
rudykizuty - Posted - 04/08/2009: 02:38:40
Here's a full view pic of the Artist with it's standard set of inlays.
Anthony Herner
beegee - Posted - 04/08/2009: 05:46:56
quote:
Originally posted by rudykizuty
Here's a full view pic of the Artist with it's standard set of inlays.
Anthony Herner
Yeh, but the neck has been sawed off and someone stole the 5th string!!!!
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -
Seneca
xnavyguy - Posted - 04/08/2009: 10:42:32
Unless my bad vision is deceiving me, it also looks a bit like an arch top.
Jerry
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we''re here we should dance."
desert rose - Posted - 04/08/2009: 17:28:40
Archtop Fenders were more common especially in the early years
Im sure Chuck Eriksons input had a bit to do with making more flatheads
Scott
Edited by - desert rose on 04/08/2009 17:29:56
beegee - Posted - 04/08/2009: 19:13:37
Most of the archtop Fenders I have seen are tenors or plectrums. I've only seen one 5-string AT. I saw a tenor banjo player in a Pennsylvania Amish country market tourist-trap playing a tenor Fender years ago. It was one of the few Fender tenors I ever saw "in action."
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
desert rose - Posted - 04/08/2009: 20:57:58
Back when Fender was making these banjos they didnt know they didnt care anything about four string tenor plectrum five string etc, their knowlege of the music was zero, just check out the cheesy catalogs of the day. Put a wagon wheel in the photo and hey its bluegrass Im fairly sure that Chucks and John Hartfords consulting with Fender was the real source of them realizing that flatheads were where the market was.
There is a great story about Chucks and Johns visit together to Fender and John getting the free banjo, sometime Ill relate it here again
They wanted sales and thats all they knew. This was what fueled the decision to finally stop banjos. When you make 350 guitars a day, the factory space dedicated to making five or ten a month becomes a no brainer and having Moridaira make the Leo line solved all their problems.
Scott
beegee - Posted - 04/09/2009: 05:09:51
I always thought the advertisements with the guys in Barbershop Quartet outfits were kinda classy. Now you tell me they were "Cheesy." Man, I'm bummed out.....
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
rudykizuty - Posted - 04/10/2009: 14:21:17
[/quote]Yeh, but the neck has been sawed off and someone stole the 5th string!!!![/quote]
LOL.....Bob, I wouldn't know what to do with a 5th string. I've only got 4 fingers to work with 
Anthony Herner
Ebanjo - Posted - 04/10/2009: 16:17:33
Hey Jim,
How does that Fender sound? Found yourself playing any Bill Emerson licks on it yet? Let me know when you get a chance.
Eric Ellis
fivedrive5 - Posted - 04/10/2009: 19:06:23
Eric ,actually its a killer the no hole ring,concertone inlays,mint cond.
I had to pull out a few old Emerson licks,haha .hope you doin well old pal!
Jim
Edited by - fivedrive5 on 04/10/2009 19:08:26
beegee - Posted - 04/12/2009: 05:17:39
Wow. Great catalog. Where can I get some of those "Skruggs Tuners" ?
__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing." -Seneca
TL - Posted - 04/12/2009: 10:36:56
My first 'official' bluegrass banjo was a Fender Artist I bought for $600 from Martin Music in Richmond, Virginia, in 1969. I got it after seeing Bill Emerson playing one. I peddled it in 1978. One of those deals you eventually regret and wish you could do over! It sounded great but I never really got used to the super-thin neck.
fivedrive5 - Posted - 04/12/2009: 10:47:07
yeah, this neck is a little slim but not as bad as some jo'sI still don't know if the concertone inlays were optional but my had them. A great soundind 5 and near mint condition,Thanks
Jim
gfeke200 - Posted - 04/14/2009: 12:48:10
Has anyone thought of starting a registry for these California Fender's?
My SSN is A13XX. I found a business card/calander in the case from the late 70's. Maybe I should call the number on the card. It could be the original owner and he'll reminder when he bought it.
quote:
I always thought the advertisements with the guys in Barbershop Quartet outfits were kinda classy. Now you tell me they were "Cheesy." Man, I'm bummed out.....
And the card is for a barber shop....
Edited by - gfeke200 on 04/14/2009 13:37:28
fivedrive5 - Posted - 04/14/2009: 12:56:54
That would be cool. as I said this one is B1519 Fullerton,CA .Still wondering if the concertone inlays were optional or special order on the artist Thanks
Jim
darrellschulte - Posted - 04/14/2009: 16:49:04
I have an artist, and there's a date under the neck adjusting plate by the nut. Mine is in pencil, 6/72.
gfeke200 - Posted - 04/24/2009: 11:31:53
Has anyone else checked for a date?
What is the serial number on the 6/72 banjo?
I'm curious to get home and check mine.....
f5loar - Posted - 04/24/2009: 15:56:56
Since it is not in catalog descriptions that I have found I would say it would be only on special order. Sure are a lot of them out there.
Tom Isenhour
Charley wild - Posted - 04/24/2009: 16:08:37
For what it's worth I played quite a few of the "Artist" model back in the early 70's. They were affordable; you'd see them at festivals. I had a friend that had one also. I never saw one WITHOUT the inlays. I recall playing a couple of the Concertone model also. I was impressed by them!
"The dogs bark but the caravan moves on"
Arab proverb
Edited by - Charley wild on 04/24/2009 16:09:53
gfeke200 - Posted - 04/29/2009: 07:27:00
I couldn't find a date under the truss rod cover. Curious if anyone has had the neck off to see if date is penciled on the end like so many of the fender guitars.
Blackpowder - Posted - 04/29/2009: 10:35:53
I have an old Regal from the 60's that was supposed to be distibuted by Fender according to a quick search.
Production of resonator guitars ceased in 1941, and of all fretted instruments in 1954. However in 1965, Fender were distributing five models of banjo under the Regal name, and claimed to be the exclusive distributors
Aint history fun!
Jon
Ronnie - Posted - 05/16/2009: 09:23:41
Did anyone here buy a California Fender from Kenny Vernon? He didn't play it much and I used to baby sit it when he was on the road with Merle Haggard. He told me he sold it to an individual in Florida, as I remember. Always wondered what became of that banjo. It was a presentation model Fender made for him in 1967 or 68 and possibly one of a kind.
www.bobbythompsonbanjo.com
Edited by - Ronnie on 05/16/2009 11:19:04
percyfam - Posted - 07/26/2009: 09:20:19
Richard: Fender Artist 5-string resonator banjos usually sell in the $1100-$1500 range. Although any California Fender neck will fit either an openback or resonator pot due to the same neck/rim fit on both, this rim would not accept a flange without severe alteration (removal of the bracket shoes and lathe turning). For that reason its marketability as an openback is not as great as would be for a resonator pot. I would place the value in the $300-$500 range.
Hereford Percy
http://www.reverbnation.com/souther...urebluegrass
FXHERE - Posted - 07/27/2009: 19:14:09
I took the neck off my artist and it had a number of 6-72 on the bottom of the neck.. I dont know if that is when the neckwas done or when the banjo was put together..These are like Odes they are great banjos and they sell for what a new Chinese banjo does..These banjos are the best kept secret out there...Doug
Pre-War Picker-----New Banjo
Banjo MD - Posted - 07/28/2009: 02:49:05
quote:
Originally posted by FXHERE
..These banjos are the best kept secret out there...Doug
Shhhhh!
William
