I'm looking for a late 1960's Gibson banjo neck (or reproduction), with the bowtie inlay and fiddle shaped peg head. With Gibson in Block letters and "pinecone" in the peghead like the RB-250 of that era. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 02/23/2023 11:59:15
Ron Coleman and Hunter Lemon both make great reproduction necks and are active members here.
Get one the excellent neck builders, that we are currently blessed with, to make one for you.
The neck you describe was used on 68-69 RB 250's, but i doubt that there are "orphan" necks out there, or that many reproductions were ever made.
It seems I have seen bowtie headstocks recut to a fiddle shape. I have never tried it, but expect it is possible, even if wood was added to top or sides. Just in case you find a bowtie neck.
Great thanks, Nic Pennsylvania for the kind words.
flange5string Email me and I can give you a detailed quote on this project.
Well another option might be to find a fiddle head RB100 neck and change the dot inlays to bowtie
Thanks for all the good advice.....I'm still looking!
quote:
Originally posted by lightgaugeIt seems I have seen bowtie headstocks recut to a fiddle shape. I have never tried it, but expect it is possible, even if wood was added to top or sides. Just in case you find a bowtie neck.
I bought an old banjo from a widow lady up in Virginia last year that the previous owner had taken the banjo to a local luthier and had the bow tie neck cut to the fiddle head peghead and an ebony fingerboard with RB3 Wreath inlay installed. Why ? I have no idea except the owner just wanted it like that. It looks professionally done. They did a good job doing it. Personally I would have left it the fly swatter peghead. But its still a great sounding banjo and looks pretty good.
quote:
Originally posted by Nic PennsylvaniaRon Coleman and Hunter Lemon both make great reproduction necks and are active members here.
I have a Ron Coleman neck on one of my banjos and it's a dandy.
Back about 1971 I had my 1963 bowtie peghead cut into a fiddle shape that I copied from Bill Porter's patterns. It "almost" fit the bowtie peghead -- probably 98%. Just a mite short at the pointed tip of the fiddle peghead and along the very widest parts of the top and bottom "lobes" of the peghead. As I remember, part of the problem is the flyswatter peghead edges are sawn perpendicular to the peghead, where a fiddle shape is cut perpendicular to the fingerboard. So on the back side of the peghead you're a little short of wood.
It ended up looking OK.
Be careful if you use a xerox copy of a fiddle peghead. As I remember at least in the older days, xeroxes reduce the image 2% without telling you! So your template comes out a bit small. Maybe that's just what's needed to cut a flyswatter peghead though?
Also had an ebony fingerboard added with hearts & flowers inlay done by a very talented friend.
Edited by - The Old Timer on 03/02/2023 09:34:45
