Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/13/2026:  18:12:26

quote:

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Originally posted by jimbowilly1960

I'm surprised this banjo hasn't sold? Especially with the cooperation expressed, within the ad, by the seller.

The seller's background. Where it appears to have been stored.



I've worked in the transportation industry for 40+ yrs. From what I see in the pictures and what is being offered by the seller. Unless you can hear parts moving around when the package is being handled? There is more of a chance that nothing is damaged. And it's just the model and year that is holding buyers back from making a purchase.



I love a bit of adventure with a good story behind it. Definitely a conversation piece at jams.



I just hope the transaction is recorded for all of us to see and read about.



Any interested buyers had better not wait too long. As far as I'm concerned, this is a very special banjo.

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What i interpret you trying to express......

You'd like to observe how this story plays out; you'd appreciate seeing the drama unfold...

Just as long as.....it's not your money at risk....not your resources on the gambling table. As long as you have nothing to lose this would be quite enjoyable to watch.....LOL 

So....where is that person willing to throw caution to the wind? It's only $5,500!

TScottHilton - Posted - 02/13/2026:  19:43:47

quote:

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Originally posted by Marion

Many thanks for all of the positive thoughts. I have been sidetracked this week with other items that needed attention.

I will reread all the posts, speak with some knowledgable players, and make a decision on what i am going to do.

One thing is certain-i will video the opening and share with all of you.

Thanks,

Have a safe weekend.

Marion

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Definitely take a video! I think we're all pretty invested in it. Even if it turns out to be in bad shape... Sometimes that's just as interesting.

There's a gentleman on YouTube who buys military rations from WW2 specifically to open them and have a taste. But that's sort of the intrigue of the whole thing: sometimes it's absolutely pristine, like it was packaged just yesterday, and sometimes it looks like something you'd drag out of the lake. Either way, it makes for a good watch.

Dale Diehl - Posted - 02/14/2026:  11:12:18

I own a Scruggs Standard, built 9/28/2000. When it was new I was told by knowledgeable pros that it "was a keeper,a once in a lifetime instrument". Alas, it fell and the neck was broken. It sounds pretty good with the replacement, but nothing like the original. I didn't know about all the variations of this model or the history. It's not my bag. But I hope somebody gets the banjo of their dreams and Marion gets his price. Maybe some day we'll hear it on a recording or see it played in person to learn the "rest of the story."

HarleyQ - Posted - 02/14/2026:  19:55:01

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Douglas

quote:

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Originally posted by jimbowilly1960

I'm surprised this banjo hasn't sold? Especially with the cooperation expressed, within the ad, by the seller.

The seller's background. Where it appears to have been stored.



I've worked in the transportation industry for 40+ yrs. From what I see in the pictures and what is being offered by the seller. Unless you can hear parts moving around when the package is being handled? There is more of a chance that nothing is damaged. And it's just the model and year that is holding buyers back from making a purchase.



I love a bit of adventure with a good story behind it. Definitely a conversation piece at jams.



I just hope the transaction is recorded for all of us to see and read about.



Any interested buyers had better not wait too long. As far as I'm concerned, this is a very special banjo.

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What i interpret you trying to express......

 

You'd like to observe how this story plays out; you'd appreciate seeing the drama unfold...

Just as long as.....it's not your money at risk....not your resources on the gambling table. As long as you have nothing to lose this would be quite enjoyable to watch.....LOL 

So....where is that person willing to throw caution to the wind? It's only $5,500!

 

 

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Mark, you remind me of a good friend I had some years back. He worried himself to death, LITERALLY!!

Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/15/2026:  07:43:37

quote:

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Originally posted by HarleyQ

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Douglas

quote:

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Originally posted by jimbowilly1960

I'm surprised this banjo hasn't sold? Especially with the cooperation expressed, within the ad, by the seller.

The seller's background. Where it appears to have been stored.



 

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Mark, you remind me of a good friend I had some years back. He worried himself to death, LITERALLY!!

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Oh, my goodness.....didn't you advise him to stop worrying so much? Or perhaps you weren't such a good and helpful friend! LOL....

Maybe you were too busy riding that Harley Davidson?

Edited by - Mark Douglas on 02/15/2026 07:51:22

banjoy - Posted - 02/15/2026:  10:01:47

I have no real opinion on this one way or another. I don't quite understand the animus shown towards the seller though...



In any event, an idea that popped in my head worth sharing, is there is a wonderful YouTube Channel called Trogly's Guitar Show where the YouTuber is a Gibson fanatic. His channel often features unboxings and his recent acquisitions -- all guitars of course. It seems to me that this opportunity might be of interest to him and definitely right up his alley. $5k is not that big a deal to this YouTuber, and it's an interesting channel worth checking out. Maybe the seller can finagle a deal to sell the banjo and unbox it on YouTube for all the world to see. It's a Gibson, after all, so that might be enough to catch his interest, seeing that he loves all things Gibson.



Just another nutty idea of mine LOL. I have no pony in this race, but wish I did!



youtube.com/@Trog

Edited by - banjoy on 02/15/2026 10:03:46

banjoy - Posted - 02/15/2026:  10:05:56

And one more post to point out ... that this BHO thread can be, and already is, part of this banjo's provenance...

GrizClaw - Posted - 02/16/2026:  11:11:09

The banjo story is very interesting and as always somewhat controversial, but that’s ok as long as folks are respectful. What I find equally as interesting is the story of Mr Hollaway’ music store. Thought you all might enjoy that story as well.
charlotteobserver.com/entertai...4554.html

GrizClaw - Posted - 02/16/2026:  11:43:11

quote:

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Originally posted by GrizClaw

The banjo story is very interesting and as always somewhat controversial, but that’s ok as long as folks are respectful. What I find equally as interesting is the story of Mr Hollaway’ music store. Thought you all might enjoy that story as well.

charlotteobserver.com/entertai...4554.html

PS.....I can just envision that banjo box lost in the beautiful clutter of that old music store for all those years, just like the music stores I loved so much, as a kid, 65+ years ago!

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HarleyQ - Posted - 02/16/2026:  19:20:12

quote:

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Originally posted by GrizClaw

The banjo story is very interesting and as always somewhat controversial, but that’s ok as long as folks are respectful. What I find equally as interesting is the story of Mr Hollaway’ music store. Thought you all might enjoy that story as well.

charlotteobserver.com/entertai...4554.html

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WOW, so Marion is for real!! Great read I hope it brings $20K.

kaydee - Posted - 02/19/2026:  13:56:03

Is £4,000 a good price for a banjo like this,as a bit of a banjo virgin I haven’t the foggiest how much one of these was worth when they came out,let alone how much a used one would cost today.
Can someone enlighten me please,just curious
Thank you

jimbowilly1960 - Posted - 02/21/2026:  12:48:15

From what I have found. This banjo is worth between $3500 and $5600.
This is based upon current listing of this model. There seems to have been a large number
of these banjos produced by Gibson. And there have been several recently sold which are still in the original packaging.

Pete Wernick - Posted - 02/21/2026:  17:10:25

<This is based upon current listing of this model. There seems to have been a large number of these banjos produced by Gibson. And there have been several recently sold which are still in the original packaging.>>



Going by current listings can be misleading.... It's quite relevant this this is not a typical "Scruggs model". It's rarer because it's one of the first made and manufactured differently than the very many subsequent Scruggs models. And it's clearly never been played. And it's **not as good a banjo** (see Joe Z's post early in this thread) because it's before they started making a large number of the excellent versions that gave the late-80s and 90s Scruggs models their excellent reputation as some of the best banjos of post-war years.



I wouldn't claim to know what this particular banjo is worth, but remember, it's totally *unplayed*, and both rarer and not as good an instrument as the more typical Scruggs models your research references. As a number of people have said, its provenance and collectability are its strong suits.

Edited by - Pete Wernick on 02/21/2026 17:15:38

The Old Timer - Posted - 02/22/2026:  07:26:41

It just hit me how this banjo might/should(?) end up -- in a museum with a mind-blowing custom made moving display (behind glass) of a device that opens the box, draws the case out of the box, and opens the case, and lifts up and turns the banjo, displaying the (still) unplayed banjo to the wondering masses. Then the device puts the banjo back in the case and closes it, slides it back into the carton, and closes the flaps (with some sort of hidden dot of adhesive to hold it closed).

That way it remains UNPLAYED and theoretically in factory-new condition, in its original packaging.

Does Gibson have a museum? Would they deign to display a Gibson banjo? Earl Scruggs museum? IBMM in Owensboro? The Banjo Museum in Oklahoma? Perhaps they could have unpaid interns take the place of the custom-made device, and would do unveilings by appointment? Or have some mechanical engineering/robotics college students create the device for course credit?

But the museum would HAVE to draw the line at display only, NEVER to be played.

The mind boggles...

jimbowilly1960 - Posted - 02/22/2026:  08:51:42

I remain baffled that this banjo is still for sale...? I recently purchase a 2019 Stelling Virginian.
So, unless I want to hear what my wife has to say about me buying another banjo? I guess I'll just have
to watch and see what happens to this fine instrument...?

GrizClaw - Posted - 02/23/2026:  14:21:25

Me too! I don’t have that kind of money but if I did I might buy it. Maybe it’s not the best banjo Gibson ever made but I’ll bet it’s a lot better than my skills deserve! What intrigues me is that no one has ever touched it since it left the Gibson factory.

Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/25/2026:  15:27:22

quote:

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Originally posted by GrizClaw

Me too! I don’t have that kind of money but if I did I might buy it. Maybe it’s not the best banjo Gibson ever made but I’ll bet it’s a lot better than my skills deserve! What intrigues me is that no one has ever touched it since it left the Gibson factory.

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It's like an old bottle of wine....

Once the cork has been popped,

the mystique and intrigue are gone!

The elation would be extraordinary

but fleeting!

The Old Timer - Posted - 02/25/2026:  20:01:53

Ah! The comparison with ancient wine is perfect!! I remember reading about a stash of Thomas Jefferson's French wine purchase that was discovered sometime since 2000. To drink or not to drink?

desert rose - Posted - 02/25/2026:  21:03:28

Good point Mark, and worth mentioning that the big worry with vintage wine is if its turned to vinegar, worthless.

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 02/26/2026:  03:55:21

But there is a chance this banjo is and can stay pristine and stand for a period of time.
ken

Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/26/2026:  05:05:52

I really don’t think it will be a bad sounding banjo….
However, it’s unlikely to have the magic those later models encapsulated!

Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/26/2026:  08:04:49

Just wondering…..

If there are no buyers, will the price be gradually reduced?

I’ll just bet this would sell PDQ
at $4500!

Just sayin’.

Marion - Posted - 02/26/2026:  08:40:07

Great afternoon to all....Local banjo instructor Steve Hicks, from Dockwood Music is coming here next Tuesday and we will video him opening the box and playing the banjo. I hope to share this with you either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Mark Douglas - Posted - 02/26/2026:  13:10:30

Is there a chance you could livestream that?

I’m sure there would be interest and appreciation!

Marion - Posted - 02/26/2026:  14:03:58

i wish i could..dont know how and his schedule is not set in stone...thanks though..that would be fun for sure...

KCJones - Posted - 02/26/2026:  15:55:03

Bummer! I was hoping it would remain unopened. It's certainly worth more sealed, the value will drop when you open the box. Something to consider.

Marion - Posted - 02/26/2026:  16:36:52

I had a gentleman from California who offered to purchase it as is, however I felt in all fairness it would need to be checked out. I don't anticipate any problem though....I'm at the stage in life where the herd needs to be thinned...at least that is what my sweet wife tells me....and like the old E. F. Hutton ads, when she talks, I listen...

randybartlett - Posted - 02/26/2026:  17:00:13

In 2018, I got a 1978 Craftsman Jointer still in the original box from an estate sale. I regret not making a video of an unboxing. It was made in Taiwan, a behemoth of 126# of cast iron covered in some kind of wax paper and grease combination. It was made by Emerson electric before they lost the Craftsman woodworking tools contract and the designs became the "Ridgid" woodworking tools for Home Depot.

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 02/26/2026:  17:48:10

Marion,

thanks for bringing this to our attention. It has been fun and interesting.This is the BHO version of Geraldo Rivera & Al Capone's vault. The vault was supposed to have been sealed for many years and Rivera went into it. They turned the vault's opening  into a TV show special. There was a ton of hype which was fun, but when they went in, there was nothing in there. I am sure our version will end much better because there will be something in the box. But..how will the neck be? how will the head be? Will it be pristine or will it be moldy? Will they be able to play it a bit within minutes of opening it. Will there be sequel with set up and play on it? Will there be any surprises as it has unique qualities. This will be fun.

Thanks,

Ken

ps here is Geraldo's show.  youtube.com/watch?v=jUEYhIp5SG0

Edited by - From Greylock to Bean Blossom on 02/26/2026 17:49:36

J.Albert - Posted - 02/28/2026:  13:07:05

After 41 years, better have a fresh set of strings handy when you do the opening video...

kayakeradam - Posted - 03/05/2026:  16:19:03

Soooooo? Did you open it yet? Did you video record it?

BanjoLink - Posted - 03/06/2026:  05:49:40

Interesting thread ...... many here got the point and many others not so much. It is largely not so much about the playability of the banjo as the collectibility of the banjo. I see this all the time in gun collecting. Look on Gunbroker.com or Gins International and you will see dozens of say Colt Single Action Army pistols, much older than this banjo for sale, that are NIB ..... New in the Box ..... never fired. When there are way more Colt Single Action Army pistols that can be bought that have been used, why in the world would someone play a premium for one new in the box? Mainly they buy it to collect as they probably have another one, two, or ten, just like it that they regularly shoot. They don't need it to shoot. So I guess as these guns are passed down through the ages you really don't know if they will actually shoot. But then again that's not the point.

Ralph Stanley legend - Posted - 03/06/2026:  23:21:48

When is this saga going to come to a conclusion ?

desert rose - Posted - 03/07/2026:  17:53:41

Maybe it has, and the results were notworth the hype.

Marion - Posted - 03/08/2026:  14:05:27

Many thanks for everyone’s patience. I had our local banjo instructor come to my home and video the opening and playing what turned out to be a fantastic experience. The banjo was pristine and sounds great.
The videos are in three segments. The first two are together, and the third is in the space below the first two.
This was the first time videoing and posting and it took a while.
Let me know your thoughts and if you’re interested, text me at 704 607-0568.
It’s been a great experience for me and I hope you as well.
Marion

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/08/2026:  14:09:44

I think most of us would love to see those videos. How do we get to them? They aren't on your post or your home page.

Marion - Posted - 03/08/2026:  14:34:49

We thought we had transferred all three to my adv.
let me see if I can find where they are, and if I have to do something else. Hang on…i may have to go see her tomorrow. M

Marion - Posted - 03/08/2026:  14:40:05

Here are the links..

youtu.be/qXa9WO0qBIA?feature=shared

youtu.be/q_gt65y4A-4?feature=shared

youtu.be/46978uMavbo?feature=shared

Fultoncreek - Posted - 03/08/2026:  15:01:23

I appreciate your posting these links, Mr. Holloway. I've really enjoyed this discussion thread, and the wonderful opening video topped it all off. Thanks for letting folks enjoy this rare moment with you.

Edited by - Fultoncreek on 03/08/2026 15:03:14

Marion - Posted - 03/08/2026:  16:54:53

Thanks for watching and your kind words.

The Old Timer - Posted - 03/08/2026:  20:31:11

Thank you for sharing the videos! I was perhaps most impressed by 1) Gibson's shrink plastic wrapping holding the banjo immobile inside the carton, and 2) the pleasing SHINE on the metal and varnished wood! Pretty much MINT.

Again thanks!

Marion - Posted - 03/08/2026:  20:49:10

They really did a great job with the packing for sure. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.

kayakeradam - Posted - 03/09/2026:  06:04:17

So fun to watch! Thanks for posting!

Marion - Posted - 03/09/2026:  07:50:09

Thanks…it was an interesting experience.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/09/2026:  08:14:26

All I can say is....WOW! Looks good, sounds good, amazing.

GrizClaw - Posted - 03/09/2026:  09:03:19

What a treat….thanks for sharing and I hope it sells soon. Someone will get a beautiful banjo, great story and videos to boot!

Realbluegrassfan - Posted - 03/09/2026:  09:13:03

Thank you for posting the information and videos Mr. Holloway. It has been interesting folllowing this thread.

Marion - Posted - 03/09/2026:  12:36:09

Our pleasure. Thanks for following our odyssey.

Marion - Posted - 03/09/2026:  12:37:28

quote:

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Originally posted by GrizClaw

What a treat….thanks for sharing and I hope it sells soon. Someone will get a beautiful banjo, great story and videos to boot!

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