watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/16/2025:  12:49:27

I am a novice banjoist but have been given the banjo in the picture and would like some help please
1.I am told its a Gibson RB100 is it? Picture 1
2.Its serial number is 18121 but i dont know what that indicates.
3. Is this back as it should because be my current one looks like a dish. Picture 2
Please help me if you can. I called Gibson but they said they couldnt help

Texasbanjo - Posted - 08/16/2025:  14:02:42

Pictures are on is home page.

Bob Smakula - Posted - 08/16/2025:  14:12:32

watsonjoewatson

I recommend you post the pictures directly to this forum. Though they are on your media page, making them easily accessible on this page will get you more replies.

When you (and only you) view this page, you can scroll down to an attachments box that has your media photos. click on each one and they will appear in "your attachments" box. Then click post reply.

Very simple and much more convenient for us that have sucky internet connections.

Bob Smakula

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/16/2025:  14:16:11

Hi Joe,
I don't know much about Gibson banjos - but if you edit this and put Gibson in the title you'll get answers from real experts. They will want better photos I'm sure.
I'm mostly replying because I used to live and work very close to Tenbury and have fond memories. And our house flooded several times- one of the reasons we moved. Good luck with the banjo!

gtani7 - Posted - 08/16/2025:  14:18:34

The 2nd pic looks exactly like late 50's/early 60's Rb100's I have seen, does the case have bright yellow or purple lining?



the first pic is an odd modification, i think they call them half resonators or s.t. like that.



There's a few places to research serial numbers but good start: banjophiles.com/SerNumData/Pos...Table.htm

Edited by - gtani7 on 08/16/2025 14:19:50

Culloden - Posted - 08/16/2025:  14:39:32

It's not an RB100, it's an RB170. It was made as an open back. The internal resonator has been added by someone in the past; it didn't come from the factory that way. The serial number places its date of manufacture in 1961, according to Banjo Philes.
Gibson had introduced the RB175 which was a long scale folk banjo like the Pete Seeger model made by Vega. The RB170 was the same banjo except that it had a standard-length neck.

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/16/2025:  15:33:40

quote:

---

Originally posted by Culloden

It's not an RB100, it's an RB170. It was made as an open back. The internal resonator has been added by someone in the past; it didn't come from the factory that way. The serial number places its date of manufacture in 1961, according to Banjo Philes.

Gibson had introduced the RB175 which was a long scale folk banjo like the Pete Seeger model made by Vega. The RB170 was the same banjo except that it had a standard-length neck.

---

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/16/2025:  15:35:13

Many thanks for your reply. both in the identification of the banjo and the serial number , Kind regards,

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/16/2025:  15:36:11

quote:

---

Originally posted by Andyrhydycreuau

Hi Joe,

I don't know much about Gibson banjos - but if you edit this and put Gibson in the title you'll get answers from real experts. They will want better photos I'm sure.

I'm mostly replying because I used to live and work very close to Tenbury and have fond memories. And our house flooded several times- one of the reasons we moved. Good luck with the banjo!

---

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/16/2025:  15:39:36

What a surprise i never thought i would hear from anyone who knew Tenbury. Not sure when you left but we still suffer from terrible flooding during the winter, A wall was going to be built but there is no money. Do you still keep in contact with the folks here?

Alvin Conder - Posted - 08/16/2025:  15:58:33

Culloden nailed it. Gibson RB170 with some sort of aftermarket Baconesque style internal resonator.

RB170’s are exceptional instruments. Very versatile and good quality. 1961 is a very good year of manufacture, so you have a quality instrument to get from Novice to the next level. Enjoy it!

Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 08/17/2025:  01:09:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by watsonjoewatson

What a surprise i never thought i would hear from anyone who knew Tenbury. Not sure when you left but we still suffer from terrible flooding during the winter, A wall was going to be built but there is no money. Do you still keep in contact with the folks here?

---

I'll DM a reply to this. 

Andy

Joe Connor - Posted - 08/17/2025:  11:29:18

An RB-170 was Steve Martin's first banjo. 

mikehalloran - Posted - 08/17/2025:  13:12:32

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joe Connor

An RB-170 was Steve Martin's first banjo. 

---

Not so sure if it was his first. Martin has said that he and high school buddy John McEuen had scored Bella Voces from pawn shops while teenagers.

Steve Martin definitely played an RB-170 early in his professional career, however. Note the round rod on the inner edge of the full thickness rim making it an archtop, Scruggs cam-style tuners and Ode tailpiece. Looks like a Kroll 5th peg but the picture isn't clear enough.

I wonder if he still has this?

Edited by - mikehalloran on 08/17/2025 13:16:25

 

Joe Connor - Posted - 08/17/2025:  13:17:26

Mike, apparently Steve still has that RB-170.

Steve Martin

mikehalloran - Posted - 08/17/2025:  13:30:00

quote:

---

Originally posted by watsonjoewatson

I am a novice banjoist but have been given the banjo in the picture and would like some help please

1.I am told its a Gibson RB100 is it? Picture 1

2.Its serial number is 18121 but i dont know what that indicates.

3. Is this back as it should because be my current one looks like a dish. Picture 2

Please help me if you can. I called Gibson but they said they couldnt help

---

Besides what you've already been told, you have a Waverly Presto style tailpiece often found on higher end Vega banjos in the 1960s. 

Although Gibson did use Waverly tailpieces from the 1920s to the '60s on many banjos, they didn't use this one.

Like Steve Martin's RB-170, yours is also an archtop and has a Kroll geared 5th peg  (could be original—no one will know). Gibson used a 1/4" round rod on the inner lip of the rim to make the tone brighter. This banjo can be easily converted to a flat top by buying an 11" round rod from StewMac or elsewhere plus an 11" high crown head.

Other than a banjo bracket wrench, no tools are necessary as the head keeps the rod in place. The additional surface area of the head will bring out more bass resulting in a deeper tone. Completely reversible on yours.

Here is your banjp.

Edited by - mikehalloran on 08/17/2025 13:35:45

 

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 08/18/2025:  02:06:00

Thank you for your reply. I cannot beleive as a novice the knowledge that you have concerning my banjo. Many thanks for taking the tome to reply with so much detail.

watsonjoewatson - Posted - 10/30/2025:  12:20:45

Thank you to all who replied to my earlier request for inormationi. One further question i want to sell the Gibson RB-170 ( 1963) but have no idea as to its value. Could you advise me of a reputable valuer that might help ( i am willing to pay) Regards to all. Joe