I need help identifying this Alvarez banjo, inside the resonator the only number I can find is 23089…. Thanks in advance
This looks like one of the later models that was made in Korea or China, not one of the older models made in Japan. The number is a serial number but it's pretty meaningless for identification.
Ding dang ok… any round about worth of it? As I’m lookin to sell it
More photos are needed. Rim side and inside. Can't tell if it has a flathead tone ring and one/two piece flnge or something more basic.
Here
As far as I can tell it's not a 70s made in Japan model (made by Kasuga). So I'm guessing it's probably a made in Korea model by Samick. I've seen some of the decoration - peghead and resonator back inlays - on a less good model from the late 1980s. Models get trickier to identify post Japan as there are catalogues from that period. But it is decent quality. I can't tell if the rim is 3 ply (considered a good thing) or 7 ply which depends how those thing layers are counted but still ok. It has a flathead tone ring. I've seen Alvarez banjos with similar specs listed for somewhat silly prices below $400. I'd say between $400 and $600. The question I would ask if buying is is the tone ring brass.
I agree entirely with Graham about the price range. $400 might get you a quick sale. $375 would be a bargain to any buyer. You could very well get $600, but you'd probably have to advertise for more and negotiate down to that.
I have posted several times my reasoning for this, but I don't mind repeating myself. Besides believing $400-$600 is a range I've seen advertised I believe all the Masterclones -- this and others -- top out below the starting price for used RK-35 (which is a better banjo). That's about $800. I think if someone were willing to pay $650-$700 for a lesser Masterclone, they're getting too close the price of what I think is a demonstrably banjo.
I know there are people aggressively pricing all sorts of lesser but Japanese, Korean and Chinese banjos with multi-ply rims and possibly pot-metal tone rings at $900 - $1000 and sometimes more. I think they're wrong. Of course, I could be wrong.
Interesting construction detail I've only ever seen on the California Fenders and the Salstroms they were before that line was acquired by Fender.
Referring to how the flange is L-shaped in cross section with it's shorter leg wrapping the lower portion of the rim. Also, there's something going on with philips head screws on the underside of the flange I can't immediately figure out.
