Good question! Does it have a mastertone label? I feel like that would help push the value up towards the style 3 for collectors.

i'm following, i do think it would have more a premium over regular style 2, but possibly less than a mastertone? I really dont know, but I do know that style twos have become more and more desireable, so there is definetly more value you here than other sub mastertone models.

This very type of banjo was discussed with an actual example for sale about a month ago...that banjo had been most recently sold by Leo Coulson at IMGB for $1000 or $1500 over what a nice normal style 2 might go for but a lot less than a TB-3. Not sure what the market decided about it

Thanks guys. It does not have a Mastertone label, although I don't think that would have much to do with value ..... but maybe so. As a conversion banjo, I'm not sure how much value difference over a regular TB-2 it would have, except it would take a flathead conversion ring just like a Mastertone. It, I would think, may have more value to a Gibson collector since it is not only a desirable model, but a very rare Gibson banjo. This lot of TB-2's (of which mine is 824-1) has a highest FON of -13, so there really are not a lot of them out there. This is also the only lots of archtop TB-2s that I could find.

The banjo is in the original Tenor configuration?

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Originally posted by banjopaolo

The banjo is in the original Tenor configuration?

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Yes.  I really don't need it to play, as I have plenty of 5-strings to play, so I have never needed to convert it.

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Originally posted by BanjoLink

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Originally posted by banjopaolo

The banjo is in the original Tenor configuration?

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Yes.  I really don't need it to play, as I have plenty of 5-strings to play, so I have never needed to convert it.

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I was just curios, I'm not an expert in Gibson banjo value, but I own a Gibson tb3 from the late 20' perfectly original... I play it as a tenor and love it! 

Unless you have rock solid provenance going back to Day 1, as time passes you're going to find it mighty hard to get a potential buyer to "believe" in this original arch top ring. That makes it harder to extract even an extra nickel in value, and may in fact work against as someone could think a previous owner cut the original rim to hold an arch top tone ring.

I wouldn't "invest" an extra nickel in such a banjo, barring rock solid provenance.

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

Unless you have rock solid provenance going back to Day 1, as time passes you're going to find it mighty hard to get a potential buyer to "believe" in this original arch top ring. That makes it harder to extract even an extra nickel in value, and may in fact work against as someone could think a previous owner cut the original rim to hold an arch top tone ring.

I wouldn't "invest" an extra nickel in such a banjo, barring rock solid provenance.

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

Unless you have rock solid provenance going back to Day 1, as time passes you're going to find it mighty hard to get a potential buyer to "believe" in this original arch top ring. That makes it harder to extract even an extra nickel in value, and may in fact work against as someone could think a previous owner cut the original rim to hold an arch top tone ring.

I wouldn't "invest" an extra nickel in such a banjo, barring rock solid provenance.

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Dick ........ I think what would be odd is that my banjo would be significantly different than all of the others in the same lot (see Frank's post).  Provenance-wise, I got it from the estate of a little old lady banjo teacher in Delaware (if I remember correctly) with a lot of old music and paraphanalia still in the case.  You have seen a lot of banjos, but there are so few of these I am not surprised that you have never seen one.  I hadn't either.

As long as it stays in its all original condition and is not modified in any way, I.e., not “improved upon” but cutting the rim, converting and all the other things that people do, yes, that TB2 tenor with a 40 hole ring would potentially be worth more to the right collector than a conventional similar style TB2 tenor with the more common hoop. Would it be worth more than a same year TB3? For the right buyer, possibly. There are so few of what you have out there, it is really hard to make that call. 

I can say that all original, good condition post 1927 Gibson tenors are getting hard to find anymore, as most exceptional examples have been converted, cut, parted out and the like. Prices for these seem to be creeping up a bit for exceptional and unusual examples. I can't say if they are selling at these prices.

Very nice and unusual instrument…now if only one slipped out of the factory like that in a five string configuration…

I can't make any statements about the TB 2 that is specific to this thread, but I certainly can attest that I have seen at least 2 original TB 2 Gibson banjos that did in fact have a 40 hole archtop ring that was built that way as factory original. At least one of those banjos had "mastertone" in black stenciled letters at the last or perhaps next to last fret position. I do not know whether either banjo had a "mastertone" label because I did not look under the hood of either banjo. It is my guess that neither banjo did. So yes, these style 2's with an original archtop tone ring, from the factory, do exist. I seem to remember there may be at least two batches of these, if not mistaken.

Gregg ..... you may have seen mine at Banjothon a few years ago, but as I get a tad older banjos are getting heavier, so I am now only taking two! Mine does not have the Mastertone label, nor is it stenciled anywhere. You may remember I had/have a gold pated Recording King with the original tenor neck with a rectangular peral block in the peghead with "Gibson" engraved in it ..... all original. I love these odd ball Gibsons, especially those built during the :floor sweep" era, which I think is the category the TB-2 falls into.

Here are a few photos of said banjo.

Is the number stamp font larger than normal?

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Originally posted by Tim Mullins

Is the number stamp font larger than normal?

 

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I don't think so, but I have never seen another of this banjo lot, so can't say.  I'll compare it to some of my other pre-wars and report back.  Regardless whether it is or not, I don't think affects the authentication of this banjo.

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Originally posted by Tim Mullins

Is the number stamp font larger than normal?

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Tim ......great eye!.. My OPF TB-4 appears to measure about 4/20" (.20) and the TB-2 is about 5/20" (.25).  I have attached some more photos of the TB-2 "eye candy" including the original receipt.

To my novice eye, this appears to be a newer pot and resonator with a vintage neck.

@BanjoLink I see that 824-10 on Greg Earnest's site: http://earnestbanjo.com/wp/gibson-tb-2-824-10/ also has the larger font. I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't authentic. Everything about it looks original and right to me. Cool banjo!

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Originally posted by Tim Mullins

@BanjoLink I see that 824-10 on Greg Earnest's site: http://earnestbanjo.com/wp/gibson-tb-2-824-10/ also has the larger font. I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't authentic. Everything about it looks original and right to me. Cool banjo!

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I know you didn't Tim ...... your keen eye picked up something else that is unusual about this banjo.

That 824-10 could very well be my banjo, as it too was originally destined to be a Mastertone.

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Originally posted by banjoy

To my novice eye, this appears to be a newer pot and resonator with a vintage neck.

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It looks newer Frank because the little ole lady that owned it didn't mess with it like many of the knuckleheads that owned these banjos.

Take a look at this one ....... http://earnestbanjo.com/wp/gibson-tb-2-824-10/

Gorgeous banjo. That rez has great character - I'd love to own one like this.

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Originally posted by Pigeontown Banjo Co

Gorgeous banjo. That rez has great character - I'd love to own one like this.

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Maybe you will have a chance one day, but I have only seen one other one for sale many years ago ........ on EBay, I think.  I traded a #1 B&D Silverbell tenor for this one.  At the time of the trade neither the seller nor I knew that it had a tone ring.  I assumed it was a brass ring like on 11s. 

Does it have a decal in the pot? the number stamps do look odd to me. as does the finish on the rim: edit, nevermind, it looks just like this one.  even has the plug.