The Old Timer - Posted - 06/29/2015:  12:11:33

In the July Bluegrass Unlimited Notes & Queries column, someone asks about Carter Stanley's guitars.  In the answer Walt Saunders mentions that in the late 1950s one of Carter's D-28s was destroyed by a rear end car collision ALONG WITH Ralph's 1920s ball bearing Gibson Mastertone banjo.

I remember reading somewhere even Ralph mentioned he traded off his first Mastertone to some guy for a rifle, and what all else.

Anyone care to comment on this?  I'd never heard of this fate for Ralph's 1950s Mastertone that looked sort of like a 1925 RB 4 with no shotgun holes in the tone ring skirt with a notched (not grooved) tension hoop.  Alternatively looked like a 1927-29 RB 4 with a 1925 peghead inlaid MASTERTONE.

beegee - Posted - 06/29/2015:  13:38:29

I heard years ago that Tom Morgan put together Ralph's banjo from parts and pieces. True or not? I have no idea.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 06/29/2015:  13:42:32

Don Stover told me in 1963 or '64 that Ralph sold that banjo for $700, a deer rifle and an electric razor.  I have always assumed that was true.

Banjorb3 - Posted - 06/30/2015:  09:50:22

quote:

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

 

In the July Bluegrass Unlimited Notes & Queries column, someone asks about Carter Stanley's guitars.  In the answer Walt Saunders mentions that in the late 1950s one of Carter's D-28s was destroyed by a rear end car collision ALONG WITH Ralph's 1920s ball bearing Gibson Mastertone banjo.

I remember reading somewhere even Ralph mentioned he traded off his first Mastertone to some guy for a rifle, and what all else.

Anyone care to comment on this?  I'd never heard of this fate for Ralph's 1950s Mastertone that looked sort of like a 1925 RB 4 with no shotgun holes in the tone ring skirt with a notched (not grooved) tension hoop.  Alternatively looked like a 1927-29 RB 4 with a 1925 peghead inlaid MASTERTONE.

 

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Very interesting.  I have been interested in this banjo too, as 2 years ago year I bought a TB-4 tenor that matches exactly your description of Ralph's.  Never saw another BB with the notched hoop and round hooks.

goldsparkle - Posted - 07/01/2015:  12:39:27

I saw that RB-4. It was purchased by Carl Chatzky, a mandolin player who had been playing with Ralph's band, and played with our band, the Dulaney Valley Boys around Baltimore. It was a mix having started as a 1925 RB-4, but having later characteristics of notched tension hoop, no holes. I never saw the the tone ring. This was not uncommon in 4's or 5's. I have an early 1928 RB-4 which has an area in the peghead where Mastertone block letters either had been inlayed, or were going to be. It was filled in, and the Mastertone block is in the fretboard. I have a 5 Plectrum with a 1925 neck and flange and fittings with later '29 engravings, notched tension hoop, and 40 hole archtop ring. So the story goes when the owner wanted to learn 5-string, he sent it back to the factory in 1939, where it was converted to 5-string.....everything about the job looks right. Anyway, I remember Carl telling me that Ralph liked thin necks, and he had personally filed some wood off the back of the neck. I remember loving the looks of that old banjo. I don't know about Don Stover's role here, but at the time he was working on a lot of banjos in the Baltimore, Washington area.

Banjorb3 - Posted - 07/02/2015:  10:36:25

quote:

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Originally posted by goldsparkle

 

I saw that RB-4. It was purchased by Carl Chatzky, a mandolin player who had been playing with Ralph's band, and played with our band, the Dulaney Valley Boys around Baltimore. It was a mix having started as a 1925 RB-4, but having later characteristics of notched tension hoop, no holes. I never saw the the tone ring. This was not uncommon in 4's or 5's. I have an early 1928 RB-4 which has an area in the peghead where Mastertone block letters either had been inlayed, or were going to be. It was filled in, and the Mastertone block is in the fretboard. I have a 5 Plectrum with a 1925 neck and flange and fittings with later '29 engravings, notched tension hoop, and 40 hole archtop ring. So the story goes when the owner wanted to learn 5-string, he sent it back to the factory in 1939, where it was converted to 5-string.....everything about the job looks right. Anyway, I remember Carl telling me that Ralph liked thin necks, and he had personally filed some wood off the back of the neck. I remember loving the looks of that old banjo. I don't know about Don Stover's role here, but at the time he was working on a lot of banjos in the Baltimore, Washington area.

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Is Carl still alive and does he still own that banjo?  It would be interesting to see if it and my banjo are littermates.