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/396022
JD-RB5 - Posted - 02/28/2024: 06:21:33
I’ve recently had the opportunity to weigh several prewar flathead Gibson rings. The weights vary as I’m sure that the turnings were hand done to fit not to make a specific weight. I’ve seen a low of 2lb 14oz (46 ounces) to a high of 3lb 2 oz (50 ounces)
Small sample size so I’m curious to try to figure out what a low end and a high end might be.
Would certainly appreciate your contribution to the research.
bullseye1130 - Posted - 02/28/2024: 07:30:08
Good morning! Ring weights were definitely varied. Most commonly, you would see within the 3 lb to 3 lb 2 Oz range.
I've heard of rings being as low as 2 lb 15 ounces and I've actually seen one as heavy as 3 lb 6 or 3 lb 7 in a very late (1944) TB75.
Most rings in the 1930s were fairly consistent around 3 lb 1 Oz from my own research, and once you got to the late 30s and war time years, anything goes. It all depended on who turned the rings.
I've owned two flathead 75s out of the F5637 batch. One, -2, has a weight of 3 lb 0.9 Oz. The other, -4, weighed 3 lb 2.9 Oz and featured a prominent "bull nose" cut on the inside face which is where the extra two ounces would come from Most likely.
StudioKing - Posted - 03/01/2024: 09:31:25
I have a wartime Gibson employee RB with a flathead ring that weighs about 3# 1 oz; also have a prewar flathead ring that was installed in a 1949 RB-150 (that was verified as prewar by Curtis McPeake) that weighs 3# 2.8 oz.
The wartime flathead ring has the bullnose cut; the other one does not
Edited by - StudioKing on 03/01/2024 09:32:30
'I'm Liberated!' 1 hr
'Mahog bow tie.' 13 hrs
