RB-180 on eBay? Worth the price?

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Long Neck Banjo

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... for those of us who prefer the tuning and singing differences the LN provides. All questions & help welcome!

273 Members, Created 1/30/2011 -

Administrators: TonyS (owner) , Gary Blanchard , pastorharry , vega long neck

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From Shule Agrah on 4/8/2017 2:57:02 AM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-GIBSON-RB-175-LONG-NECK-BANJO-GREAT-5-STRING-BANJO-ORIGINAL-CASE-/322474541826

Hi! I'm new to Banjo Hangout. I don't own a banjo. Heck, I'm not sure if I've ever even seen one played in person. Nevertheless, I'm dead set on getting a long neck since I fell in love with folk music a few years ago. Pete Seeger is an inspiration.

So I've done a lot of research, and it appears to me that this banjo, listed as an RB-175, is actually an RB-180. Evidence: (1) I asked the seller if the banjo has an original 20-hole Mastertone tonering. He said yes. I've read that the RB-175 has either no tonering or a simple brass hoop. (2) The fretboard appears to be bound. RB-175 fretboard is unbound. (3) The Gibson crown logo is on the head. It could be a decal (as opposed to inlay), but given the condition of the banjo, I doubt a decal would have made it this far.

I've been saving money for a couple years now to buy a banjo, and an RB-175 or RB-180 seems like a good alternative to the Vega models, which I fear I may never be able to afford. So I'm wondering what the experts here think this banjo is worth. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

5 Comments
charliea says: 4/8/2017 2:57:33 AM The instrument in the listing is definitely a 180. A couple of years ago I sold one here on the Hangout for about that price. Ridiculously cheap for the banjo, if you ask me, but Hey! They're really nice banjos, but don't sound at all like a Vega. The tone is sharp with a pop, similar to a bluegrass banjo, while a tubaphone-based Vega is deeper with a lot of sustain. The pot is very deep. Takes some getting used to. Nevertheless, it's a lot of banjo for the BIN.
	wesrichards says: 4/8/2017 4:57:05 AM If I weren't putting all my assets into arthritis strength Tylenol, I'd snap this one up in a heartbeat. You don't see a lot of 180s come up for sale, and not at that asking price. Charliea is right, though, they don't sound like tubaphones. If you're set on that sound you'll eventually find one. Or you can do what probably most of us have done over the years. Buy now (recommended) and keep looking. Eventually -- to the chagrin of our wives and kids -- you'll have two. And then three.
CleitusDELETED says: 4/8/2017 5:02:55 AM or 7 or 8 - LOL
	darwinyarwin says: 4/8/2017 6:27:35 AM To answer your concerns, Shule Agrah - It does look like a 180. In today's soft market for LNs, that is about the "worth" of it. Reverb has one for $1300 right now. Nearly all Gibson LNs are hovering around that 1K price. RB 180s SHOULD sell for much higher, but don't any more. It has a few "non original" issues, (armrest, 5th peg,& capo, replaced tuners) but the seller has priced it exactly right. If you want it, get it. You can't get stuck too badly for that price if you decide to trade up later. (You might not ever want to trade it once you play it and hear what it can do.) Hell, the case alone is worth nearly $200. As a newbie LN player, don't worry about making a bad choice here. That banjo will allow you to play Seeger style - and other folk traditions - as well as any long neck banjo. Judging from the photos, it has served pretty well in that role for a long time. You can certainly make it sound close enough to Pete's banjo, and/or Dave Guard's Vega. Charlie's note about the differences in sound are well taken, but it's more a matter of musicianship and virtuosity, imho. I've played my Odes (better than ANY other long neck :) ) and my RB-175s (can match the range and tones of any folk banjo) to great effect. It's a banjo you could be proud to own.
	john bange says: 4/11/2017 9:40:13 PM Intermountain in SLC has one for 2000...mint but he'll never get that much for it. it is really a buyers market right now on long necks...kinda sad but it brightens my day to find a younger fella wanting one. as was said, you couldn't go wrong at that price. there is an Epiphone Plantation long neck here in the BHO...same banjo(better looking peg head, me thinks) at same price...mint but without a case RB180 is a loud banjo
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