banjodr - Posted - 02/09/2014:  07:37:00

I have a Gibson TB-3 out of the 9489 batch. This banjo was pretty cobbed up in the past. For example, there has been a small hole carved at the taint at the armrest area and 4 small holes drilled on inside of the rim. Speculation suggests either a crude pickup or better yet an internal set of lights which I have seen several times. Anyway the outside of the rim was painted red also. I'm assuming the resonator also as it was recently re skinned and finished by Robin Smith. The rim interior and taint area are original finish and much effort has resulted in removing most of the red so it is back close to what it should be. Label is cut and stamped serial numbers are in tact. Only non pre war metal is the tailpiece bracket. Sooooo my question.. Would you offer the banjo with new metal and a great set up for a killer working pro quality banjo or keep it pre war and priced according to excuses?  The rim is fitted with a Huber HR-30 and if you were at SPGMA, the pot was the banjo Steve was playing with a pre war style 4 resonator and maple neck. Not sure I will sell just exploring options because this is a really great sounding banjo but I have an eye on another instrument or two and well you guys know the side effects of BAS let met know what you think. D

steve davis - Posted - 02/09/2014:  09:09:27

I wouldn't call it one or the other ...just the facts,imo.

It must sound and play great.

Edited by - steve davis on 02/09/2014 09:10:02

robbyboone - Posted - 02/09/2014:  10:16:37

David,

This is just my opinion and since you did ask what people thought......IF you were selling this and I were looking to buy it, I would want it as original as possible.  Again, my opinion......I personally would pay more money for it with warped, flaking or pitted original hdwe than I would for it with new shiney crap. Give me functioning non perfect pot metal ANY day over new brass.

There is nothing that you can do about someone else's poor choice to "paint" the rim and the reso and the fact that the reso was reskinned, but you can make the better choice (in my mind) to leave the rest of it as intact as possible.

 I'm assuming that the reso was reskinned back to mahogany? If so, to me this is still a PW Style 3 with a couple issues, but definitely worth more (to me) than a banjo with a the same issues and replacement hdwe.

I suppose though that you will get as many different opinions as replies made to this. Everyone has their own idea of what's "best". I have read threads where folks change out pitted, pulled or warped BUT functioning original hoops and flanges for new ones and then sell off the original pieces.........I don't get it and there is no way that I would, but it's their banjo.......I just hate to see more and more of these old banjos separated and/or parted out.

Robby

steve davis - Posted - 02/09/2014:  10:27:24

I sold the hoop,flange and tb neck from my 9469 tb2 which paid for the conversion.

banjodr - Posted - 02/09/2014:  10:35:21

Robbie that's kinda where I'm leaning (leaving ) all pre war parts as is the more I play it the more I think I'm going to move a style 4 and an old Martin but still tossing ideas around. Steve, I have done that same thing with a few 11's etc. works well both ways.

steve davis - Posted - 02/09/2014:  12:48:44

The criteria of course are different between a 2 and a 3(value),but I rarely base my decisions on just the money.
I tend to get ideas and run with them like selling pieces that I don't need to finance the best sounding banjo I've ever played and that won't ever be for sale.

What a Percheron this thing is without the old hoop and flange.
If I ever found some good prewar hardware and could afford them at the time,I could always put it back like it was,I guess.

lazyarcher - Posted - 02/09/2014:  15:43:08

Dave--I would put it back to as prewar as you can get it...but thats just my view on old banjos.

There are a ton of hacked up-new parts-non original prewars out there, but not so many originals. The new stuff is soooo good now, I still feel the value in a prewar is the originality of the instrument. You can get a pro-quality instrument for less than $2K from RK, Saga, etc, so I think these old girls are getting more and more valuable and in demand to the people that want an instrument as close to original as possible.

I'd love to see some of your stuff sometime....

banjodr - Posted - 02/09/2014:  18:05:53

Okay pre war all the way it is now a version of a late RB-75 and killer I'll get sound file later. I also put up a good TB-4 on eBay and if a member buys it I'll donate to hangout also. Take a look see what you think. D

banjodr - Posted - 02/09/2014:  18:25:53

Dave I'm kinda thin right now on stuff since the market sucks so bad. I'm restoring/converting 3 old 5-string necks that I'm looking forward to finishing up. Also got an idea for a caddy for a picker's essentials for string changes and setup so stay tuned for that

myfavefive - Posted - 02/12/2014:  15:50:34

Hard to tell from pictures...is the neck straight grain maple or curly maple ...and shouldn't that be a mahogany neck to be consistent with a style 3 or 75? Any sound clips you can post? Thanks

banjodr - Posted - 02/12/2014:  19:34:18

It is straight grain maple and late style 75's were mainly straight grain 3's were mostly mahogany I have photos of that exact neck original at banjothon it was maple