All the style 500s I've ever seen in pictures, and the two I've seen in person, were Bow Tie models.
I have seen a couple of late model RB800s with Flying Eagle inlays and a fiddle shaped peg head.

There are owners commenting on 500's on that subject in the archives but back a few yrs whether u can connect there ?

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Originally posted by Robby Boone

Has anyone ever seen a Style 500, TB-PB or RB with a double cut peghead and full Flying Eagle inlay?

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Quite possiby!

You tell me what model banjo a Gibson worker is setting up at 15:42 of this 1967 Gibson promotional film rediscovered in 2020. I see flying eagle and double cut. Maybe one-piece flange. Can't tell what color the metal is.

Piggy-backing onto what Mark says, I'm going to wonder out loud if it's possible the RB-500 was a bowties and paddle headstock design and that a factory Gibson with Flying Eagle and double cut in the 1960s was an RB-800.

I suppose in the 60s it would have had one-piece flange. 

I could be wrong.

With Gibson, almost anything is possible! As most of us know, what differentiated the style 500 from the 800 was, the 500 had the "flyswatter" peghead and gold plating with no engraving. In the 60s, the style 800 had engraved gold-plating and the "double cut" peghead with the "flying eagle" style inlay. I believe there may be some examples of the "hearts and flowers" inlay on some of the style 800s. In the 70s, the style 500 mostly went away and the style 800 transitioned to a "fiddle" style peghead shape. It also had the 2-piece flange. In the 60s, all banjo models had the 1-piece flange. Of course, these are just catalog specs and doesn't take in to account custom orders, or factory refits or previous owners switching parts.

I've watched like a hawk for photos of style 500s, and never seen a Flying Eagle double cut peghead. I agree, Gibson "could have" done anything...

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

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Originally posted by Robby Boone

Has anyone ever seen a Style 500, TB-PB or RB with a double cut peghead and full Flying Eagle inlay?

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Quite possiby!

You tell me what model banjo a Gibson worker is setting up at 15:42 of this 1967 Gibson promotional film rediscovered in 2020. I see flying eagle and double cut. Maybe one-piece flange. Can't tell what color the metal is.

 

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I can tell on my monitor that that is a gold plated, opf doublecut. Its also got a couple of tags on it on the headstock that looks to have muliple preprinted areas to fill informaiton. I cant read it, but it looks more like a label they would put on instrument that was sent in for repair or setup work than anything we see in the rest of video on new instruments. I think that might be a prewar in for repair. But that said, its in the section for custom shop. One thing for sure is that its not one of the red 800s they were making in in 1967. 

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

I've watched like a hawk for photos of style 500s, and never seen a Flying Eagle double cut peghead. I agree, Gibson "could have" done anything...

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Dick & Lynwood....

To clarify, this one has a double cut peghead with Flying Eagle inlay but has a Bowtie fretboard. The way I worded it could make a person believe that the entire neck was FE.....the wording was my mistake. This is a one owner, I've known about the banjo for over 40 years kinda thing. It's real, it's right and it's odd. I'm just trying to get an overview of "how" odd.

Robby 

Two questions:

1. What is the serial number and does it have a Made in USA stamp?
2. Are there any signs that it might have gone back to the factory for repairs early in its life??

If there's no sign of a Norlin era serial number, I'd consider it "pretty odd for the period."

But if it originally left the factory after the Norlin takeover, I'd say that compared to some of what I've seen on flattop guitars from that period, it's "not very odd at all."

It's been decades since I worked in a factory, but at least in the old days, leftover parts from discontinued products would eventually be used somewhere, sooner or later.

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Originally posted by rcc56

Two questions:

1. What is the serial number and does it have a Made in USA stamp?
2. Are there any signs that it might have gone back to the factory for repairs early in its life??

If there's no sign of a Norlin era serial number, I'd consider it "pretty odd for the period."

But if it originally left the factory after the Norlin takeover, I'd say that compared to some of what I've seen on flattop guitars from that period, it's "not very odd at all."

It's been decades since I worked in a factory, but at least in the old days, leftover parts from discontinued products would eventually be used somewhere, sooner or later.

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I have the serial number but I'm not ready to divulge that just yet. But I will say that it does not have the Made In USA stamp and that the serial number predates the Norlin era......but just barely as in it being from 1967-1968. As I understand Norlin bought Gibson in 1969. 

As to your second question, I do not know if it was sent back to Gibson for any repairs BEFORE I first saw it 42 years ago. I suppose that it "could" have been as the banjo was 14 or 15 years old when I first saw and played it.......a lot can happen in that amount of time. The original owner and I talked about the banjo many times through the years but nothing ever came up that would lead me to think it had been damaged or repaired in any way........he was very particular and meticulous with his instruments. Sadly the original owner has passed and so has his wife and they had no children, there is no one to ask that would "really" know. The instrument is in the care of family now and they are not instrument people per say and would not know any history of it beyond the very most obvious......."it was my Uncles banjo". I don't say that to be snippy, just trying to speak in actuality. 

It's a quest, a journey to find out what I can and hopefully end up being able to purchase it and if I can't buy it myself, to be able to help with the sale and put it in the right hands. I knew and greatly respected the man that owned it, so the banjo has a certain level of sentimental attachment for me......and it's just cool. What else can I say? 

Robby 

Could it be an rb 800 with a new fretboard? maybe something happened to it and they sent it back and put bowties on it. I have a 1926 mastertone neck with factory bowties.

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Originally posted by kyleb

Could it be an rb 800 with a new fretboard? maybe something happened to it and they sent it back and put bowties on it. I have a 1926 mastertone neck with factory bowties.

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If it was engraved I'd say you're on to something, but it's not.....everything is as smooth as a babies butt. It's most definitely a Style 500, it's just an out of the norm example.

Robby  

The instrument in the Gibson film is an RB 800. Flying Eagle inlays. The modern "wider" double cut peghead. The checkered marquetry of the 1960s-80s RB 800.

You know Gibson Robby..anything anytime anywhere. I know of a local OPF bowtie inlay flyswatter RB 500 all original factory nickel plated...and I believe engraved....and its NOT an RB 800.

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Originally posted by lazyarcher

You know Gibson Robby..anything anytime anywhere. I know of a local OPF bowtie inlay flyswatter RB 500 all original factory nickel plated...and I believe engraved....and its NOT an RB 800.

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In my 61 trips around the sun I have learned a couple things. Don't ever speak in definites about anything. And, never say never with anything that says Gibson on the peghead.   

Robby

Along the same line of thought as Robby's last comment - One thing I have definitely come to a conclusion regarding Gibson, is that there are TWO words one should NOT use when concerning Gibson - Those two words being 1) Never. AND, 2) Always.

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Originally posted by GStump

Along the same line of thought as Robby's last comment - One thing I have definitely come to a conclusion regarding Gibson, is that there are TWO words one should NOT use when concerning Gibson - Those two words being 1) Never. AND, 2) Always.

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My friend Snuffy used to say that "the only thing consistent about Gibson was that they were inconsistent". I could not agree with that more and will add my own assessment of "there is catalog correct, then's there's what they actually did". They were selling instruments.....any way they could with whatever they had to get a unit out the door. I will say that MOST were the before mentioned catalog correct and reasonably consistent....... but it's those odd ones, and there are many, that get my attention. 

Robby