Rare opportunity to obtain what is likely an original pre war full weight high profile gibson mastertone tone ring. It weighs 3.325lbs, rings at Eb+10 cents when tapped with overtones at C+25, and is a long skirt. Still retains traces of white buffing compound from the factory on the inside.
I’ve had this tone ring for quite a few years now. It originally came in a Banjo that was much discussed on the hangout seven or eight years ago. Because of a distinctive number seven stamped inside the tone ring next to the leg hole (see pics), this to ring has affectionately come to be known as “ole number 7”! The Banjo was an early 1949 Post war bowtie resembling an RB 150 in appointments, But it appeared to have, from the factory, a flat head tone ring, a leftover Style 75 resonator but finished the early postwar sunburst style. It also had dual coordinator rods as well as other pre war features. The Banjo was taken to Curtis McPeake a number of years ago (not exactly sure when—maybe seven or eight years ago) who examined it and speculated that it was either a Gibson salesman Banjo or a prototype. Curtis said that the tone ring was absolutely a pre war, flathead tone ring. There is a distinctive identification mark on this tone ring. That is also puzzling… Inside the skirt next to the lag hole there is a number seven stamped into the ring. One theory is that it may have been stamped there so factory workers could quickly tell that it was intended for a Style 7 which were nickel plated vs. a Style 12 which were chrome plated. This Mark, however, does prove to be a distinctive identifier for this individual tone ring.

I have no documentation of this other than the verbal communication. I realize that this will impact its saleability. For this reason, I am offering this ring as a “Best offer” listing.

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