Style 5 BB question

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From loggerhead on 5/18/2015 2:31:56 PM

Did Gibson offer gold plating on the tone ring of the Style 5 ballbearing banjos? Thanks for any info.

5 Comments
	Dave1climber says: 5/18/2015 4:37:41 PM I have three ball bearing banjos, none have gold plated tone rings. Others may know more. Gill, you have gotten my interest in this question.
	dmarcus says: 5/18/2015 5:57:24 PM The tone ring of my 1925 Style 5 is gold plated.
	loggerhead says: 5/18/2015 6:57:50 PM I'm looking at another Style 5, but had never seen a gold-plated BB ring either. Thanks, dmarcus.
	BuckM says: 6/15/2015 8:14:09 PM Wouldn't seem to make sense to put expensive gold plating where it's not going to be seen. Isn't the ring concealed under the skin? My 1926 5 has gold plated and engraved metal parts except for the tone ring, which of course is inside and visible only after the resonator is removed. Though the rods are golden (I assume brass). You might have a look at the Style 5 page at earnestbanjo.com since there are quite a few peeks inside the pots of over a dozen instruments. Many look golden, but is that brass? Greg Earnest also points out that the tone rings inside some of them may not be original.
	loggerhead says: 6/16/2015 5:54:20 AM From what I have seen and read, Gibson was often inconsistent in its production. I have recently viewed two style 5s, and each had gold plating on the tone ring. However, as you suggest, BuckM, the website earnestbanjo.com shows both plated and unplated ones.
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