DouglasMcArthur - Posted - 03/06/2011:  15:55:45

Hello all,
I have this Iida Banjo that i fixed up for a friend/bandmate of mine,
When i got it from him, he assumed it was ruined. The head was broken, 5th string tuner was missing, the head was busted. it looked like some punk kid intentially knocked it around and tore it up a bit, because the single tension rod is bent :/
He does not play much and agreed to let me rehabilitate it.
New head (Remo)
New Nut (grover)
New Bridge
new 5th string tuner
its an aluminum pot with a raised inner rim, like a fake archtop tonering.
i love it, not mine though
thinking about making the dude an offer
any idea what its worth?

DouglasMcArthur - Posted - 03/06/2011:  16:00:37

Here is the a picture of the inside of the pot (plywood) and a picture of the inside of the aluminum pot. you get a pretty good look at the bent tension rod >:|
hasnt been too many ill effects so far.
the thing is kinda a bear to tune as well. 1=1 tuners. not the worst but it tests me some nights.
it sounds alot snappier and a whole heck of alot lounder than my GTII though.
plays nice too

TheBanjoDoctor - Posted - 03/06/2011:  16:01:14

i would say 150 maybe 200 bucks.

banjofrog - Posted - 03/06/2011:  16:34:47

I bought an Iida very similar to that one on eBay years ago. I paid $300 and sold it for $325. It had a hardshell case that came with it.

Jim D - Posted - 03/06/2011:  17:32:18

As you received it = $75.00.

I'm presuming that any increase in value (parts, labor) came out of your pocket. There's no reason you should pay him for that.

If it's now worth more than $75.00, it's because of the work you put in.

Merely my opinion.

Jim

xnavyguy - Posted - 03/06/2011:  18:21:47

Recently, I sold a flat head cousin of that banjo (same peghead, guitar tuners) for $275. I set the banjo up, added a geared 5th string peg, 5th string spikes, strap & gig bag. Except for picks and a capo, it was ready to go and would put most Mastertones in the shade.

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 03/07/2011:  08:13:01

looks like an Iida 229 to me. it should not be a big deal to get a new rod (or straighten the bent one). It should be worth considerably more than $75. I have the same model in a tenor, for which I paid $140 with a chipboard case.

DouglasMcArthur - Posted - 03/07/2011:  09:36:26

Thanks for all the feedback gents. Its not much of a banjer to look at, but it sounds convincing!

ban-joe - Posted - 03/07/2011:  10:29:53

I've got that exact banjo in lefthand. I really like it for a knock-around/travel banjo when you don't want to lug the real thing. It sounds good for what it is and it's got a really nice-feeling neck. The tuners on mine (except for the 5th) are not 1:1 though, so it's easy to tune. I think I paid $285 for it, maybe expensive but I was having a hard time finding an affordable lefty.

Does it have a little doily-looking decoration on the back of the resonator?

Edited by - ban-joe on 03/07/2011 10:32:52