Today I bought a 1965 Gibson RB 180 with original case. That makes the 5th long neck I've bought in a year. I've looked at members photos showing numerous banjos proudly displayed. I enjoy every one of mine and consider them investments in my old age enjoyment. The differences enchant me. They all have personality and respond differently to strings, head type, head tension, bridge choice, etc. I can spend a lifetime discovering these nuances. I have one 22 fret Reso-Tone I keep by my recliner. I pick it up about six times a day . . . but when I get serious . . . one of my long necks goes to the front porch with me! That's when my investments pay off! Can't wait to get my RB 180 into the mix!
10 Comments |
 | TonyS says:
8/21/2014 6:52:34 PM
Very cool! Play on gi web
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 | wesrichards says:
8/21/2014 7:00:17 PM
There are several reasons to consider long neck banjos investments. Among them: Justifying how many you have to you wife or significant other... making new friends and discovering new musical wonders... being the only kid on the block with that kind of banjo... having fun... having something relatively easy to tinker with.
But as an "investment" investment it's kind of like collecting restored pre-war Oldsmobiles. There's a market. Chances are you won't lose your shirt as you might in the stock market. But you're not going to going to get on the the Forbes Richest Americans list, either.
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 | calypsojimmy says:
8/21/2014 8:11:50 PM
Quick Answer: No. Caveat: If you can find a clean, all original Vega Pete Seeger Tubaphone, preferably with a wooden dowel stick and an intact yellow label, at an estate sale for less than $2K, you will make some money on that one. Other than that, any other brand, any repro even with a vintage rim, any custom job etc.... it might cost you $2000-2500 up front, and if/when you wish to sell it, you'd be hard pressed to get $1800 for it if you want to sell it in say 4 months.
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 | LJ says:
8/21/2014 8:11:56 PM
giweb,
Congrats on the new purchase. Those RB 180's are pretty rare. Sounds like a good price. With that tone ring in there it will be quite a bit heavier than your RB 175. I sure noticed the difference when I put the Tubaphone ring in mine. I'll be interested to hear how you like it.
Larry
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 | Pauls Pretty Good Stuff says:
8/22/2014 7:03:36 AM
Investment, shimvestment! What else will give you so much enjoyment without costing you a penny in the long run. Buy it for a fair price today (needn't wait for a ganga), and sell it someday for close to what you paid for it. Or less. Or MORE!
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| calypsojimmy says:
8/22/2014 9:03:29 AM
Nice collection, by the way. I am pretty jealous of that 180... I've never played one.
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 | raymond66 says:
8/22/2014 9:59:52 AM
I would think the market for long necks is an ever dwindling one. I bought my Seeger Vega in 1964 for $360. and sold it in 2008 for $4,000. so that was a good investment I suppose. I bought it to play and enjoy...never thinking of its investment value...same as I've done for all the instruments I have purchased over the years. Some are valuable, some are not, I've enjoyed them all.If you really want a long neck..get one and have fun. does it really matter if you'll be able to sell it for more than you paid ? I hope not.
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 | Helix says:
8/24/2014 4:08:46 PM
The investment is in yourself. those guys who went to K-camp with the Kingston Trio all showed up with longneck Vegas, what a waste, no talent, all money, couldn't play crap and had signed banjo heads. I would never buy one of those. I sound critical, but playing banjo made me a better person.
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 | Ken LeVan says:
8/25/2014 1:15:17 PM
It's hard to predict. Everything that goes around, comes around. If I wanted purely an investment, I don't think I'd go with banjos. Having said that, there are very few PSs with dowel sticks that have the serial# stamped in the rim and NO yellow label, I think Vega only made 8 Excels, and the RB-180 is a rare bird, which Gibson gave to a few folksingers (John Stewart, Hedy West to name 2) in the attempt to unseat the PS as the Folksinger's banjo.
To my way of thinking, the best investment would be a very rare model, a one-off, or one associated with a famous player, and in any case, you'd have to have a provenance.
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Banjo Bub says:
9/2/2014 7:48:10 PM
I've got 3 at present, but have owned 6 over 50 years. Never looked at as an investment, just fun to play. I'm going to hold on to my '62 VEGA PS AND MY 62 ODE. I guess my kids will deal with the value some day. Keep picking!
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