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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/322028
Retro - Posted - 08/24/2016: 15:01:22
I just acquired a 1967 Gold Plated Engraved Concert Tone Five string. What was the first Year Fender started making Banjos.This one is Completely original right down to the strings.
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 08/24/2016 23:40:24
rbfour5 - Posted - 08/24/2016: 15:40:47
Congratulations! I used to own a '73 Concertone Custom, (my Hangout avatar) which had hand carved eagle on the back of the resonator, around the sides of the resonator, heel of the neck, and back of the peg head. Great banjos- enjoy it!!
mikehalloran - Posted - 08/24/2016: 17:50:00
If you send me a message with your email address, I can reply with a PDF of the 1969 catalog.
Retro - Posted - 08/25/2016: 14:20:25
It sat for at least 40 years, still has the original strings on it..I have to take it easy bringing it back to life.
Retro - Posted - 08/25/2016: 14:50:10
Serial number 1-00133. Very Early Fender Concert Tone. Resurrection
Retro - Posted - 08/25/2016: 16:05:52
Brazilian Rosewood Concert Tone Fingerboard. Looks kind of dark. I want to lighten it up some to show the grain.any suggestions?
Retro - Posted - 08/25/2016: 17:31:28
I have it set-up for right now Light gauge strings and head at A flat.5/8 original Snuffy Bridge. I used to own an early Artist.. which had a freakishly thin neck, the Concert Tone has a really nice feeling neck just enough wood to feel solid not clubby. I'm surprised, the Artist had a somewhat loud bright tone( most likely the Chrome plating)The Concert Tone has the opposite tone, sweet and somewhat deeper and richer. Any experienced Fender owners out there please share any set up tips/specs you have for me about these extremely well made Vintage Banjos,Would be helpful. Thanks
mikehalloran - Posted - 08/25/2016: 19:26:05
quote:
Originally posted by deestexas
Try this: www2.fender.com/support/articl...-dating/#
That's the first listing I've ever seen that acknowledged the Harmony made Fender banjos: F1080 and F1085. They are not listed in the banjo catalog.
Fender owned Regal which was a distribution company at the time. They sold a lot of Harmony instruments after the 1968? bankruptcy. Most went out under the Harmony and Regal brands but there were others including a 5 string and a tenor.
I've seen a few of the banjos over the years but never any lit or ephemera on them. There was an old thread on these but I can't find it nor any pictures online.
rbfour5 - Posted - 08/26/2016: 08:12:47
The Custom which I owned had a nice neck- not as thin as the Artists I've owned over the years. How is the action with the 5/8"? With the standard 5/8" bridge on mine, the action was very comfortable. As far as set up, G# (or Ab) was a great head tension on mine; the Oettinger tail piece was fabulous to set individual string tension- play with it and see what noticeable changes (good and bad) you can detect. The mistake I made, was putting an 11/16" bridge on it, then using the coordinator rods to adjust the action. Oh sure, I got the action where I wanted it- but it flattened the flange at the heel/ rim connection and eventually a slight crack in the finish on the bottom of the rim. If I had it to do over again, I would not have out the 11/16" bridge on it. If you decide you want a taller bridge, then I would have the heel re-cut to accommodate the taller bridge; leave the coordinator rods neutral, just tight enough to secure the neck to the pot. Other than that- have fun!
Fud - Posted - 08/26/2016: 12:15:59
I have this model in a tenor. I've had it about a year, and I'm still fussing with the set-up, so I don't think I can be helpful in that regard. However, yours has such beautiful and unmarked gold plate I want to warn you that the plating is very thin. It will flake off with not much handling at all. Otherwise, great banjos altogether, with a sustain you won't find anywhere else.
Larry
Mike Johnson - Posted - 08/27/2016: 17:42:00
quote:
Originally posted by Mango
Brazilian Rosewood Concert Tone Fingerboard. Looks kind of dark. I want to lighten it up some to show the grain.any suggestions?
Yes,Leave it alone.
desert rose - Posted - 08/27/2016: 17:46:51
I HIGHLY second the suggestion, leav
Scott it alone. What makes you think its Brazilian?
Retro - Posted - 08/28/2016: 12:57:06
quote:
Originally posted by desert rose
I HIGHLY second the suggestion, leav
Scott it alone. What makes you think its Brazilian?
Because I have seen several fingerboards on various instruments that the luthiers that were building them called it Brazilian Rosewood and it looks exactly the same.
desert rose - Posted - 08/29/2016: 02:15:37
Brazilian Rosewood was not something that we kept in the factory for any reason, especially for something like banjos. In fact during my time there there were orders never to use it for any reason
Scott
Retro - Posted - 08/29/2016: 18:40:44
quote:
Originally posted by desert rose
Brazilian Rosewood was not something that we kept in the factory for any reason, especially for something like banjos. In fact during my time there there were orders never to use it for any reason
Scott
Were you there in 1966 building Banjos?
desert rose - Posted - 08/29/2016: 20:57:10
No but my very good friends were there in charge of banjo building, I was in R and D and very connected to the policy makers.
Bottom line looks mean nothing, especially on such an old instrument
Scott
csacwp - Posted - 08/30/2016: 05:02:45
Mango, that is not a Brazilian Rosewood board.... it looks nothing like Brazilian rosewood.
southerndrifter - Posted - 08/30/2016: 09:40:42
A Martin rep once told me that the only sure way of identifying Brazilian Rosewood was to sand it. Brazilian Rosewood, when sanded, produces a sweet odor. Indian Rosewood (which can sometimes look ALOT like Brazilian), does not produce this sweet odor when sanded.
The Old Timer - Posted - 08/30/2016: 13:40:19
I've only seen a few, later, Concertones. The engraving on this one looks extra nice, perhaps even a different pattern from what I remember? Different or not, it's beautiful. If I could ever get a Concertone with the gold plate intact (at least on the later ones, it's MIGHTY thin and vulnerable to rubbing off), I'd be sorely tempted.
Fud - Posted - 08/30/2016: 18:01:32
Agree with Dick Bowden, above. My tenor Concert Tone has a different engraving pattern, exactly like the 1968 catalog (supplied by Mike Halloran). It is also different from the Concert Tone Deluxe, currently for sale in the classifieds.
Larry
Retro - Posted - 08/30/2016: 18:40:48
Check this thread .. this is for all you wood experts out there banjohangout.org/topic/322195
mikehalloran - Posted - 09/13/2016: 08:19:27
It's the age old difference between intrinsic value and market value.
The intrinsic value is what an accurate reproduction would cost if made by the same company—that is not likely to ever happen but it could (BRW aside). Since it is unlikely, one can only guess based on similarly featured instruments from Ome, Deering and Stelling—won't be cheap. The current Concert Tone is nowhere near the same banjo nor did Fender really make the attempt.
We know the intrinsic value of a Vega Pete Seeger because Deering makes a reasonably accurate repro (with better woods, a true bracket band and no Allen screws) so it's easy to place it north of $4,000 since that's what dealers get.
Market value is what people are willing to pay. Based on that, vintage Concert Tones, Artists and Allegros are a bargain. So are vintage Pete Seeger Vegas since they run closer to $3K nowadays with the Martin Vega running around $2K (if you can get used to the late '60s headstock it sports).
I used to ask Gibson when they would reissue their great oval hole A mandolins. The answer was always the same: whenever the prices on vintage mandolins got high enough for new ones to be attractive at the prices they would have to charge. Unlike the F models, this never happened.
Could Ome reissue the aluminum rimmed banjos of the '60s? Not while the old ones are selling between $750–$1,500 (if the seller is lucky).
Antiques are defined by US Customs as being over 100 years old. There's no duty on a true antique.
Edited by - mikehalloran on 09/13/2016 08:28:39
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