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Oct 4, 2024 - 1:30:59 PM
7 posts since 10/2/2024

Hello!

I'm trying to find more information about this banjo. It belonged to my mother, and she gave it to me when she moved to assisted living. From what I've seen on the Hangout, it appears to be a Gibson RB-350. Is it true that only 28 were made? I couldn't imagine that she would own an instrument like that, but when I asked her, she said that she bought it in DC around when she and my dad were married (which was 1976). She didn't know how to play, so she just picked one that she thought was pretty.

I'm taking lessons now, and I'm really enjoying it! I was just curious to learn a little more about the banjo.

Thanks!

Vickie


Oct 4, 2024 - 2:26:26 PM

15796 posts since 6/2/2008

This discussion from 2013 confirms the prodution quantity of 28: 1 prototype followed by 27 more instruments. Your mother buying it new in 1976 is completely consistent with history since the RB-350 was a Bicentennial version of the RB-250.

Besides a slightly lighter color, the only distinguishing feature of the 350 was the multi-piece wooden inlaid eagle, which many people have since called a chicken.

A neat instrument to own.

Be aware that the 1970s to early 80s RB-250 was the least respected Mastertone in Gibson's history. Many developed problems. But if this one is in good shape after nearly 50 years, with the wood rim not delaminating at the flange tube and binding on the resonator and neck not disintegrating, then you have a good one. And a rare one.

Enjoy!

Oct 4, 2024 - 2:31:47 PM

15796 posts since 6/2/2008

I meant to add:

I'm from the Washington, D.C., area.  All my life except for one 3-year relocation.  In 1976 -- also the year I was married! -- I wasn't going to many jams or meeting musicians outside my band (not bluegrass). So I wouldn't expect I knew your parents. But you never know. Perhaps share their names, if you're comfortable doing that.

Oct 4, 2024 - 3:24:29 PM
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VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

Thanks so much, Ken! That's just wild. She never played it much, because shortly after they bought it, my dad decided it was too nice to practice on, and bought her a cheaper banjo (but I have no idea what it was, and we don't know what happened to it). My dad grew up in Falls Church--his name was Buzz Willis, and my mom is Betty. They lived in Richmond (where I grew up).

Evidently they became friends with an Arthur Rucker, who offered to give them lessons, and that inspired the trip to DC. I think they went to the Washington Music Center to buy it. And then she became pregnant and had me, so she stopped playing and practicing altogether.

It doesn't appear to have any problems like the ones you've mentioned, but I'll definitely be keeping on eye on that to see what develops over time (and with actual use!). Thanks for the heads up! =)

Oct 4, 2024 - 4:02:08 PM
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15796 posts since 6/2/2008

Well, I don't know any of those names except for Washington Music Center.

I used to go in there to ogle the guitars when I was in high school. They moved to that location from inner city DC in 1968. My orthodontist was in the offices upstairs accessed from a side entrance. So I was there every month. Chuck's (the business's nickname) owns the building and took over all the space ages ago. Still there.

I've bought plenty of stuff there over the years, but none of my banjos.

If your banjo hasn't developed those two problems by now, I don't think actual use will make a difference. Your mom got a good one. And maybe those problems plagued the early years and were solved by '76.

Oct 4, 2024 - 5:24:20 PM

2451 posts since 5/19/2018

That’s an awesome instrument. Awesome as it is rare, it’s vintage, and most important, it was your Moms. Enjoy it!!!

Excellent instrument to learn on.

Oct 4, 2024 - 8:49:09 PM

VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

Oh, that's so cool!! I wish my orthodontist had been in an awesome building--he was just in an office space. Much less fun. =)
And that's great to know! Thank you!!
quote:
Originally posted by Old Hickory

Well, I don't know any of those names except for Washington Music Center.

I used to go in there to ogle the guitars when I was in high school. They moved to that location from inner city DC in 1968. My orthodontist was in the offices upstairs accessed from a side entrance. So I was there every month. Chuck's (the business's nickname) owns the building and took over all the space ages ago. Still there.

I've bought plenty of stuff there over the years, but none of my banjos.

If your banjo hasn't developed those two problems by now, I don't think actual use will make a difference. Your mom got a good one. And maybe those problems plagued the early years and were solved by '76.


Oct 4, 2024 - 8:54:16 PM

VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

Thank you!! I keep calling her to tell her things that I'm finding out--she had no idea! And I've really enjoyed hearing her stories about going to buy it with my dad. 
I've only been taking lessons for a couple of weeks, but I love it!! =)
quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Conder

That’s an awesome instrument. Awesome as it is rare, it’s vintage, and most important, it was your Moms. Enjoy it!!!

Excellent instrument to learn on.


Oct 5, 2024 - 3:07:35 AM
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heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

Interesting post , never knew about the 350 ?

Oct 5, 2024 - 6:19:53 AM
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15796 posts since 6/2/2008

quote:
Originally posted by VickieN
Oh, that's so cool!! I wish my orthodontist had been in an awesome building--he was just in an office space. Much less fun. =)

Well it wasn't particularly cool way earlier in the '60s when I started going there! It was a pretty non-description mixed-used low rise building across the road from a regional shopping center and uphill from a hamburger joint. I have no recollection what was in the big ground floor space before Washington Music Center moved in. I assume it wasn't empty all those years. 

Oct 5, 2024 - 8:17:04 AM
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Players Union Member

kwl

USA

660 posts since 3/5/2009

What an interesting story. I lived in DC in 1970s and went with a friend to Washington Music Center to try out banjos. He was in the market for one. After trying several he bought a Fender banjo. I did buy a banjo in 1976 at Veneman's Music but it was an RB250, not at a RB350. I'm glad you are enjoying your mother's banjo.

Oct 5, 2024 - 9:56:49 AM
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15796 posts since 6/2/2008

quote:
Originally posted by kwl

I lived in DC in 1970s and went with a friend to Washington Music Center to try out banjos. He was in the market for one. After trying several he bought a Fender banjo. 


With banjo becoming popular in the 70s, inventory at any shop was hit-or-miss. Stuff sold quick. On a day when I went to Chuck's (Washington Music) to look at banjos, all they had was an RB-800 that the salesman took me down to the basement to see. Too expensive and at the time too gaudy for me. I didn't care for the cherry burst, gold engraved hardware, and I forget what else. Today I might like one.

I ended up having a banjo built in '73. Happy I did and still have it. 

Oct 6, 2024 - 8:07:12 AM
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heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

Also not a fan of the gawdy cherry sunburst Fenders but found one w/o that but still a sunburst --- a tan color .
It's one of my best sounding banjos vehemently exploding w/ that maple sound !




 

Oct 6, 2024 - 2:37:53 PM
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VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

I don't know, Ken. Now that you've mentioned that there was a burger joint down the street, it's sounding even cooler to me! Maybe except for the orthodontist trips, tho! ;) 
quote:
Originally posted by Old Hickory
quote:
Originally posted by VickieN
Oh, that's so cool!! I wish my orthodontist had been in an awesome building--he was just in an office space. Much less fun. =)

Well it wasn't particularly cool way earlier in the '60s when I started going there! It was a pretty non-description mixed-used low rise building across the road from a regional shopping center and uphill from a hamburger joint. I have no recollection what was in the big ground floor space before Washington Music Center moved in. I assume it wasn't empty all those years. 


Oct 6, 2024 - 6:10:39 PM
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15796 posts since 6/2/2008

quote:
Originally posted by VickieN
I don't know, Ken. Now that you've mentioned that there was a burger joint down the street, it's sounding even cooler to me! Maybe except for the orthodontist trips, tho! ;)
 

The burger joint was Little Tavern, sort of the DC-area's local version of White Castle. Not high on the list of cool things. One nickname was "Club LT."  They made tiny burgers that many people called "death burgers" but I liked them a lot.   Open 24 hours.

Between Chuck's and Little Tavern was a Radio Shack in a little brick building that may have originally been a house.

Don't tell me Radio Shack makes it cool!

Oct 7, 2024 - 9:44:05 AM
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15874 posts since 10/30/2008

I'd like to disagree just slightly with Ken N about the 1970s Mastertones being the least regarded of Gibson models. I think that (dis)honor goes to the late 1960s "thin rim" Mastertones where the tone ring hung out in the air when you looked up inside the pot.

The 1970 redesign of Gibson banjos returned to a full thickness rim, even if it was a high number of plies -- after all, at that time Vega and Ode were using around 10 plies. And Gibson made at least a respectable effort to respond to the demand for "pre-war looking" banjos with the fiddle peghead, Style 75 inlay, thinner frets, two piece flange, etc.

Yes, it took Gibson another 10 or 20 years to get back to the old fashioned "3 ply" rim and a better tone ring. But in the 1970s they were at least trying to respond to the market demands.

Vega by Martin also turned out a Bicentennial model, the V-76. Probably similar numbers of them as the RB 350, and they had about the same low impact in the market place. Instead of a chicken, Martin really poured on the patriotism by using little stars for fingerboard inlays.

Oct 8, 2024 - 6:42:06 AM
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4942 posts since 3/28/2008

quote:
Originally posted by The Old Timer


Vega by Martin also turned out a Bicentennial model, the V-76. Probably similar numbers of them as the RB 350, and they had about the same low impact in the market place. Instead of a chicken, Martin really poured on the patriotism by using little stars for fingerboard inlays.


...as they did with the D-76 guitar (essentially a dolled-up D-28 with the star inlays and an eagle on the headstock).

The Bicentennial was a big deal at the time. When I entered college in the fall of 1976, the salt and pepper shakers on the tables in the dining hall bore Bicentennial graphics.  ;^)

Oct 8, 2024 - 10:20:58 AM
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Jbo1

USA

1369 posts since 5/19/2007

Even Kay had a 5-string banjo with an eagle decal on the back. If we can make money off of something, we will.

Oct 8, 2024 - 10:51:02 AM
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banjopaolo

Italy

2059 posts since 11/6/2008

I wish my mother had a Banjo like that!

I had to pay a lot of money to own a Gibson Banjo ;-)

Oct 8, 2024 - 12:24:31 PM

heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

quote:
Originally posted by heavy5

Also not a fan of the gawdy cherry sunburst RB 800's but found one w/o that but still a sunburst --- a tan color .
It's one of my best sounding banjos vehemently exploding w/ that maple sound !


Oct 8, 2024 - 12:28:16 PM

heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

quote:
Originally posted by heavy5

Also not a fan of the gawdy cherry sunburst RB 800's but found one w/o that but still a sunburst --- a tan color .
It's one of my best sounding banjos vehemently exploding w/ that maple sound !


Oct 8, 2024 - 12:30:31 PM

heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

quote:
Originally posted by heavy5

Also not a fan of the gawdy cherry sunburst RB800's but found one w/o that but still a sunburst --- a tan color .
It's one of my best sounding banjos vehemently exploding w/ that maple sound !


Oct 8, 2024 - 12:32:15 PM

heavy5

USA

3258 posts since 11/3/2016

quote:
Originally posted by heavy5

Also not a fan of the gawdy cherry sunburst RB 800's but found one w/o that but still a sunburst --- a tan color .
It's one of my best sounding banjos vehemently exploding w/ that maple sound !


Oct 8, 2024 - 2:40:11 PM

VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

Ohhhh, those sound a little like Crystal burgers here! As a lover of food that is definitely not good for me, I probably would have really liked that place!
Hahaha! Radio Shack is 80s cool. I follow Boston Dynamics on Instagram, and Radio Shack had those great little robotics kits, so maybe it's nerd cool. lol 
 
quote:
Originally posted by Old Hickory
quote:
Originally posted by VickieN
I don't know, Ken. Now that you've mentioned that there was a burger joint down the street, it's sounding even cooler to me! Maybe except for the orthodontist trips, tho! ;)
 

The burger joint was Little Tavern, sort of the DC-area's local version of White Castle. Not high on the list of cool things. One nickname was "Club LT."  They made tiny burgers that many people called "death burgers" but I liked them a lot.   Open 24 hours.

Between Chuck's and Little Tavern was a Radio Shack in a little brick building that may have originally been a house.

Don't tell me Radio Shack makes it cool!


Oct 8, 2024 - 2:50:18 PM

VickieN

USA

7 posts since 10/2/2024

Oh, that's really interesting! I'm going to Google and see if I can find some pictures of the V-76. It sounds like a very mild bicentennial version, at least compared to the big chicken. Ha!
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Timer

I'd like to disagree just slightly with Ken N about the 1970s Mastertones being the least regarded of Gibson models. I think that (dis)honor goes to the late 1960s "thin rim" Mastertones where the tone ring hung out in the air when you looked up inside the pot.

The 1970 redesign of Gibson banjos returned to a full thickness rim, even if it was a high number of plies -- after all, at that time Vega and Ode were using around 10 plies. And Gibson made at least a respectable effort to respond to the demand for "pre-war looking" banjos with the fiddle peghead, Style 75 inlay, thinner frets, two piece flange, etc.

Yes, it took Gibson another 10 or 20 years to get back to the old fashioned "3 ply" rim and a better tone ring. But in the 1970s they were at least trying to respond to the market demands.

Vega by Martin also turned out a Bicentennial model, the V-76. Probably similar numbers of them as the RB 350, and they had about the same low impact in the market place. Instead of a chicken, Martin really poured on the patriotism by using little stars for fingerboard inlays.


Oct 8, 2024 - 3:30:48 PM
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572 posts since 4/27/2020

Oh Lord, Little Tavern. Buy 'em by the bag. Untold nights of quasi-sober undergraduate revelry over decades hinged on those bags. Right across the street on Route 1, if I recall correctly.

And the ice cream store. The UM ice cream store...

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