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Scottymcknight - Posted - 09/30/2019: 12:11:50
I recently got this banjo that I love but it is a mix up of parts. It has a Rich and Taylor pot and 20 hole tone ring. It has an Epiphone neck from a MB-100 1979 model, but I am trying to identify the resonator. It has a gold back with an eagle and a painting on back in color. I can't seem to find the exact one. It is older, I can tell from the checking in the finish and the binding discoloration.
banjo-joe - Posted - 09/30/2019: 13:11:23
Does the Reso look like this?
beegee - Posted - 09/30/2019: 13:27:02
Pictures would really be helpful.
RioStat - Posted - 09/30/2019: 13:53:14
These are from the OP's homepage.......
Alex Z - Posted - 09/30/2019: 14:25:16
These are two different resonators, from the eagle on the back, but there are similarities.
1. No color, eagle facing to the right.
2. Color, eagle facing to the left on front and back, wings different front and back.
3. Except for the color and the way the eagle is facing, the picture from banjo-joe and from the OP's home page are similar, yet don't appear as if simply reversed.
Maybe it was someone's add-on drawing project, copying a picture from . . . . ? 
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 05:21:20
Did my pics not show up like they should? I have never posted here before always been on as a guest. I assume it could have been hand made to look similar to the old gibson tenors on cream city music website. They are similar. I do believe its an Epi or Gibson reso but not sure about that.
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 05:39:36
RioStat I don't know how to add photos to my post so thank you for that.
beegee - Posted - 10/01/2019: 08:11:26
How do you know it's an R&T pot?
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 08:26:58
beegee it still has the label inside. It is a JD Crowe.
Edited by - Scottymcknight on 10/01/2019 08:29:18
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 08:32:46
Found these decals as well. Pretty sure now that is what's going on here.
beegee - Posted - 10/01/2019: 09:28:12
Based on what I see in the pictures, I think you have an R&T rim which is carrying the balance of an Epiphone banjo. Are there any markings at all on the tone ring or any of the hardware? It looks like chrome and not nickel. R&T used the Tennessee 20(if not other)tone rings.
Give it a thorough set-up. You can remove the colored decal and spray over the interior eagle....unless you are just in love with it. It should be a decent player.
Edited by - beegee on 10/01/2019 09:28:59
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 09:40:14
beegee It sounds amazing. I was just trying to figure out all the parts on it. The guy I got it from was from Mount Juliet, where R&T was made. He didn't know anything about it but my assumption was that someone liked the Epi neck and used the parts they liked to make a custom banjo specifically for theirself. Early R&T mostly had the 10 hole Kulesh tone ring. I could be wrong but I am thinking this is the 20 hole Tennessee tone ring. Either way I have no complaints about the sound and playability of this banjo.
Edited by - Scottymcknight on 10/01/2019 09:45:14
Scottymcknight - Posted - 10/01/2019: 09:55:42
Oh and beegee the colored eagle is actually underneath the finish. So if it is a decal, someone took some time to clearcoat it.
