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tombriarhopper - Posted - 11/04/2025: 12:28:26
Seriously looking for a banjo previously owned by Uncle Dave. Thanks
Alvin Conder - Posted - 11/05/2025: 08:08:20
One was recently for sale…..sold for 50,000 USD.
Owen - Posted - 11/05/2025: 08:14:55
".... I'll have two, please." 
Jon Borcherding - Posted - 11/05/2025: 10:00:03
quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Conder
One was recently for sale…..sold for 50,000 USD.
Yikes!
Is it still flight worthy?
ssduke - Posted - 11/05/2025: 14:05:32
Just to be clear, the banjo was listed for $50,000, we don't know what the buyers paid. It was purchased by descendants of Uncle Dave from George Gruhn, where it had been placed for sale by Earl Scruggs estate. The photo shows the Macon-Doubler family taking possession of an original Uncle Dave Macon banjo at Gruhn Guitars on April 30, 2025. Pictured are (from left to right): Paul Doubler; John Doubler; George Gruhn (owner of Gruhn Guitars; holding his own UDM banjo); Dr. Michael D. Doubler (scholar and author of the biography "Dixie Dewdrop: The Uncle Dave Macon Story") and Capt. Bernie Doubler.
tombriarhopper - Posted - 11/06/2025: 01:35:09
Thanks. That's around the price I was considering.
tombriarhopper - Posted - 11/06/2025: 06:35:38
quote:
Originally posted by Jon Borcherding
quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Conder
One was recently for sale…..sold for 50,000 USD.
Yikes!
Is it still flight worthy?
I'd paid more.
tombriarhopper - Posted - 11/06/2025: 06:37:53
I worked my arse off since I was 10. We saved everything. I can afford the best. I have a pre war Granada. I can afford an Uncle Dave as long as it passes my attorney's review.
jbalch - Posted - 11/06/2025: 14:22:31
Banjos really owned and played by Uncle Dave are VERY rare.
I live near his old homeplace and administered the contests at Uncle Dave Macon Days for 20+years. From time-to-time, folks would claim to have one of Uncle Dave's banjos ... always with a back story of "who bought it from whom ... etc". Most were very questionable.
Uncle Dave had a small number of custom Gibson RB-1 banjos made with dowel sticks rather than single coordinator rods. The wooden dowel stick made it possible for him to do his tricks with the banjo. Those are unique and easy to spot.
Uncle Dave's Gibson's are well documented and probably all accounted for - including the one recently purchased by the Macon-Doubler family. That banjo belonged to Earl Scruggs and was the one played by John McEwen on the circle album version of "Soldiers Joy". George Gruhn has another. The heirs of June Carter Cash have one that Uncle Dave reportedly gave to May Bell Carter. Strigbean had one too. I'm not sure where that one is.
No doubt Uncle Dave had a few other banjos over the years. There are phoros of him holding a Slingerland and maybe one or to more. But the custom Gibsons are the truly desirable instruments because they were used during his professional career and can be definitively linked to Uncle Dave. Most passed through the hands of other prominent music stars after Uncle Dave's death.
Edited by - jbalch on 11/06/2025 14:23:23
