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Tonecaster - Posted - 11/11/2011: 13:58:38
I saw my first Great Lakes in 1975 when I took a lesson from Jim "Willard" Spencer in Ann Arbor. I saw and played one in 1976 when I visited my friend Brian's house and tried his "Special." I wanted one but by the time I started looking they were out of business so I bought a 1980 Liberty and have been happy for 31 years.
I was talking to Mark Zimmerman and we'll be getting together to add a tone ring and upgrade this very nice banjo. Mark told me that all the banjos were of the same quality materials but the less expensive models didn't have a tone ring, neck binding and nicer inlay. After 35 years, I finally found one! :)
There are more pictures on my homepage.
Edited by - Tonecaster on 11/11/2011 13:59:45
Alex Z - Posted - 11/11/2011: 14:36:25
Enjoy!
frailin - Posted - 11/11/2011: 15:01:15
SWEET!
StraitsBlueGal - Posted - 11/11/2011: 18:33:34
Alright! Was this the one on Ebay? I spent a lot of years in Ann Arbor, so I'd like to get a Great Lakes, but was set on an open back if they exist. Very nice, though.
Tonecaster - Posted - 11/11/2011: 19:07:56
Yes, the pictures were pretty bad but I figured at the price it was at, how could I loose?
Plastichead - Posted - 11/12/2011: 14:20:10
Whatever happened to the Pretzel Bell? Used to travel down to Anne Arbor to see the R.F.D. Boys in the 70's often, first to Lansing to stock-up at Elderly's, and then over to Ann Arbor for a great steak and even better bluegrass. What the heck happened???
Keith.
Tonecaster - Posted - 11/12/2011: 19:23:27
I liked the Pretzel Bell too. It was great food and music. I'm not sure what happened there.
Edited by - Tonecaster on 11/12/2011 19:23:51
rb4player - Posted - 11/13/2011: 05:39:20
I spent lots of time at the Pretzel Bell watching the RFD Boys. Proposed to my wife there. I vaguely recall a fire (after I was off campus), but I may be mistaken.
Anyway, when I started playing in the early seventies I took some lessons at the Rochester (MI) Folk Workshop with Vince Sadovsky. He carried both Great Lakes and Ome banjos, but played Omes himself. I was conflicted when I moved up from my plastic-resonator Harmony, but ended up with an Ome Single X. Was familiar with and lusted after the Great Lakes banjos hanging on the wall at RFW.
At one time I had old catalogs, etc. but couldn't find them when I looked recently.
Jim
StraitsBlueGal - Posted - 11/13/2011: 07:21:32
I think that the Pretzel Bell did burn. RFD Boys are still around, I believe (playing The Ark sometime soon?). I'm taking lessons at Rochester right now (small world).
Tonecaster - Posted - 01/11/2012: 11:25:03
For those who have interest, Mark Zimmerman gave me some clarification in regard to the change from 3 to 5 digit serial numbers with the Great Lakes banjos.
He writes:
in '77 the serial numbers went from a three digit system to five digits with first of the five digits numbers being first year of the decade (7 for the 1970s) and the last digit for the 7th year of the decade. Hence, if the number were 73368 this would have been made in 1978. And so on...
Russ
Edited by - Tonecaster on 01/11/2012 11:25:30
