The photo of the inspection tag provides a lot of information.  The banjo is a Gibson "Earl Scruggs Standard" dated year 2000. 
 

It's a quality instrument, fairly valuable.  Roughly in the $4000-5000 range depending on condition 

Will let others more versed in the current market opine on a reasonable selling price. 

There are 4 or 5 listed in the classifieds for between $3000 and $6000. Several have been there for quite a long time.

The pics show some white hazing on the metal parts that could be cleaned up before selling to get the best price.

Since you are inexperienced in selling a banjo, you might consider consigning it with a music dealer such as Elderly Instruments (Lansing, MI) or Morgan Music (Lebanon, MO). Perhaps even Ceres Banjo Works (Lebanon, TN). They all advertise here on the BHO and can help you find an appropriate selling price and provide any setup or cleaning work that they feel would help with a sale.

Best of luck to you!

What Alex said. Not only valuable but also desirable. (Which I suppose is what makes it valuable) You should have no trouble selling it. You might even luck out and find a local buyer, or one within a few hours driving distance, so you don't have to deal with shipping.

If you prefer for any reason not to handle the sale yourself, there are several reputable used instrument dealers who will do that for you -- but I believe they'll take upwards of 30%.  So if you go that route, compare compare compare!

Edited to add: Have to admit I'm surprised at some hanging around the Classifieds unsold. I do see that some listed as "Earl Scruggs Standard" are not that model at all, but the original honey colored one with the undersized headstock and mostly Stew-Mac parts. Still very good genuine Gibson banjos endorsed by Earl. But not as desirable or considered as good as the renamed Earl Scruggs Standard.

Yes, so I'm taking it in tomorrow for a proper cleaning and new strings. I prefer to have the professionals do this before selling and before I take pictures.
Such great advice, thank you!
I have a great camera so the pictures will be honest and accurate.
Just looking forward to her finding a happy home where she's actually being played and not sitting collecting dust!
It's so pretty and I have always Loved the sound of a banjo. This one sounds amazing. Wish I had time to learn
I am musically inclined !
Thanks so much

Also, everything is original...should I have new stings put on or keep original?
They may have been played maybe 10 times before I put it away back then.
Thanks so much,
Christina

New strings, definitely. Routine. Six bucks.

Old strings, yuk!   

You can safely throw the old strings into the bin

Learning so thanks!
I will have strings replaced tomorrow during proper cleaning!
Everyone is incredible!
Thanks so much,
Christina

quote:

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Originally posted by martyjoe

You can safely throw the old strings into the bin

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Thanks for properly and Kindly telling me how to dispose of the rubbish ??

Where are you taking it?

Gold Tone is just up the road from you in Titusville. I imagine their shop can do setups on other brands of banjos.

Adding to Ken’s point—it’s important that you take iy to a shop that normally stocks and services banjos, not a store that has a couple and tells you they can work with yours.

Don't get ripped off on the "cleaning" price! "Proper" cleaning means complete disassembly and then reassembly. That is slow careful work. Not to be done by the guitar hacks at Guitar Center.

Most experienced banjo players know how to live with or deal with "haze" on the metal parts.

T'were it me, I wouldn't clean the metal, mostly because 1) it won't be cheap if it's a good job, and 2) complete disassembly will change the factory set up of the parts.

If you want to sell it fast, set a low-ish price. My observations show the break point between "average" and "low" asking price for this model, to be around $4000.

I agree with Dick Bowden that unless you are bringing it to a dedicated banjo shop, they will not know how to disassemble and reassemble a banjo properly. I have undone so much incompetent banjo repair in my 50+ year career from guitar shops that think "oh, it's a banjo. how hard can it be?"Much better to just install a new set of strings so your buyer can get a good idea of the tone and let them enjoy the disassembly and cleaning. 50 years ago that was a great Saturday night for me! Take apart a banjo for the fun of it.

Good luck finding the new home for your banjo.

Bob Smakula

Agree. Most players will want to determine for themselves what and how much cleaning is needed— and what sort of setup (if any) is needed.

quote:

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

Don't get ripped off on the "cleaning" price! "Proper" cleaning means complete disassembly and then reassembly. That is slow careful work. Not to be done by the guitar hacks at Guitar Center.

Most experienced banjo players know how to live with or deal with "haze" on the metal parts.

T'were it me, I wouldn't clean the metal, mostly because 1) it won't be cheap if it's a good job, and 2) complete disassembly will change the factory set up of the parts.

If you want to sell it fast, set a low-ish price. My observations show the break point between "average" and "low" asking price for this model, to be around $4000.

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Dick is absolutely right.  Everyone on here that is interested in buying that banjo knows what it is and it won't matter to them if it has new strings and a dull haze ...... as long as it is not corrosion, which I doubt.  It would be good if you could sell it locally, so the perspective buyer could look at it before purchasing.  If I were going to buy iy I would not want a guitar store, or other music store messing with it.

Thank you All !!
You all have been extremely helpful with your experienced advice!
Selling locally would be pretty hard to do seeing I live on Merritt Island, FL...not much of a market here.
I will find a shop that deals with banjos and have it lightly cleaned, not disassembled! It really is in excellent condition so it won't take much to shine again!
I'll have it tuned and post a video of someone who can actually play it so people can hear it. It's such a beautiful sound.
One more question...should I sell on this site or any suggestions where online I should sell??
Thanks again everyone!

By all means, put a classified on here on the Hangout. It's the best place to go because we are all banjo pickers and many of us are collectors or just love to look at and/or buy beautiful banjos.

Since you are a new member, you may have some skeptics that will want to verify that you're legit and not a scammer. That's normal here because we do get a lot of scam ads. Shouldn't be much of a problem for you since you've posted this thread first.

I'll add that guitar shops and "luthiers" will lie. They will claim to have banjo knowledge (after all it is the same as a guitar right) when they do not.

My advice, don't bother with paying anyone to do anything to it. Just sell it as is.

Ah, great point Sherry!
When I do post I'll put in there that I'll do a Zoom or Meets session with any potential buyers...that way they can see that I'm a real human being hahaha and it's a real banjo!
And they can hear it too... although I can't play. I might remember how to play Boil that Cabbage Down haha

Don't make fun of me. Ha
Thanks so much

Yeah, Joel...from what everyone is saying and due to my lack of knowledge...I think I'm just going to wipe it down with a microfiber cloth and call it a day
A potential buyer here will know how take care of a banjo! I'll leave it to them
Can't thank you guys enough!

Yikes! You set off a dream frenzy

Trust and continue to confer with Sherry, she is a guardian of good, not everyone lies

As you navigate, enjoy the voyage, you deserve the best.

quote:

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Originally posted by Helix

Yikes! You set off a dream frenzy

Trust and continue to confer with Sherry, she is a guardian of good, not everyone lies

As you navigate, enjoy the voyage, you deserve the best.

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Thanks Larry!

I know I'm a new member so I just want people to take me seriously as a seller so I really appreciated her advice.

Being from East Tennessee and living in Texas for many years, bluegrass has been all around me all of the time. I love the sound of a banjo and really wish I had the musical talent to play it. I tried. I was terrible haha. 

But I have the utmost respect for all of you pickers. It's so hard to play! 

Also, when is the best time to post in the classified to get the most eyes on it, the most traction?
Weekends, maybe?

There's no good or bad time to post a classified. People who are looking for what you're buying will be checking the classifieds daily for new and used buys. Post when you feel you are ready to answer questions and have a firm price in mind.

Be sure to post lots of pictures with your ad: front, back, headstock and neck, note any blemishes, dings, dents or cracks. I'm sure others may have better ideas what to post than I do, so read and consider what others say.

I think you have a gem here that won't last long once you put it up for sale. If I was in the maket for a Gibson.... that would be one of my first picks.

Good luck with whatever you do.

quote:

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Originally posted by Texasbanjo

There's no good or bad time to post a classified. People who are looking for what you're buying will be checking the classifieds daily for new and used buys. Post when you feel you are ready to answer questions and have a firm price in mind.

Be sure to post lots of pictures with your ad: front, back, headstock and neck, note any blemishes, dings, dents or cracks. I'm sure others may have better ideas what to post than I do, so read and consider what others say.

I think you have a gem here that won't last long once you put it up for sale. If I was in the maket for a Gibson.... that would be one of my first picks.

Good luck with whatever you do.

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Wow Sherry! Thanks!

I personally think it's a gem and is why I've held on to it so long. But realistically, I'm never going to pick it and it deserves a home that will

Photography, in the bag. That is something I do well haha So yes, for sure, I will be very thorough and detailed!

This is such an awesome community...you all are almost making me Not want to sell hahaha

Thank you Sherry!