Serial Numbers Consecutive?

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Ramsey Banjo Owners

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A group for those who own one of Mike Ramsey's wonderful banjos!

165 Members, Created 10/28/2011 -

Administrators: Castania (owner)

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From davidwigal on 4/20/2014 8:30:49 PM

I was wondering if anyone knows how Mike Ramsey's numbering system works? Does the serial number stamped on the dowel-stick means that this was the say, 500th banjo made; or does it mean that this was the 500th Standard, or Woody, or Electric, etc... ?

4 Comments
	Castania says: 4/20/2014 10:59:33 PM I'll ask . . .
	Castania says: 4/21/2014 7:22:06 AM David: Here's the response I received from Zepp: "Mike's numbers are purely sequential and not at all model dependent. (Good thing, too, considering how variable his Banjos are!) He has, though, withheld some special numbers for his own later use, e.g. #1000, which was skipped when it came up. I have sold enough of his instruments to be able to date them, at least since 1998." I would suggest asking Zepp here on BHO directly if you have additional questions. Ken
	davidwigal says: 4/21/2014 10:30:34 AM Thank Ken, and thanks Zepp; I have a an "Electric" model with the #591, does anyone out there have a lower number?
	ZEPP says: 4/22/2014 7:18:14 AM I just now joined this group, which I didn't know existed--thanks, Ken! I am in regular contact with Mike--we were friends before I was in this business), and can usually get good answers from him. Mine Electric is no. 508. It's the prototype for his "Fairbanks Electric" model, which he based on photos and measurements of my 1908 Fairbanks Imperial Electric no. 0 (zeppmusic.com/ramelec.htm). I believe Mike had built some custom banjos using the StewMac tone ring before deciding to offer this "regular" model, but I don't think those should count. :-) BTW, regarding his numbering sequence: As I recall, he reserved the number 500 for a banjo he was building for himself or Patty (his wife at the time), but as I recall, he later sold it. It, too, was built "out of sequence." Cheers, ZEPP
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