Cosmetically, it has the appearance of an RB-3, but without closer pictures from inside the pot of the banjo it is hard to say what you have. The serial number should help determine something but again more pictures are needed. It's not a 4 or 250 though, or at least the neck and resonators not.

Bobby

A 1979 Gibson would have a serial number and MADE IN U.S.A. stamped into the back of the peghead. There would be no number stamped into the rim (which would not be this color). The neck would be three-piece (not counting the peghead ears) with a wide, visible, center strip of non-contrasting mahogany. Inlay in a 1979 mahogany neck (RB-250) would be leaves and bows (ribbons and bows?) and peghead shape would be fiddle.  So this neck is not consistent with Gibson production from that year or era (1970 to at least mid 80s). The ringed resonator and one-piece flange are also not consistent with a 1979 mahogany RB-250.

The number 0818-79 doesn't turn up in any of the listings I can find of Gibson banjo pre-war Factory Order Numbers or post-war serial numbers. Maybe a knowledgeable member will be able to shed light on this number might mean.

In short: These two photos are insufficient to tell us what this is. Even additional photos showing other parts of the banjo closer up and in more detail might not prove anything. Nothing that we see so far proves there is anything genuinely Gibson about this banjo.

Can you share the seller's "good story" about it?

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

A 1979 Gibson would have a serial number and MADE IN U.S.A. stamped into the back of the peghead. There would be no number stamped into the rim (which would not be this color). The neck would be three-piece (not counting the peghead ears) with a wide, visible, center strip of non-contrasting mahogany. Inlay in a 1979 mahogany neck (RB-250) would be leaves and bows (ribbons and bows?) and peghead shape would be fiddle.  So this neck is not consistent with Gibson production from that year or era (1970 to at least mid 80s). The ringed resonator and one-piece flange are also not consistent with a 1979 mahogany RB-250.

The number 0818-79 doesn't turn up in any of the listings I can find of Gibson banjo pre-war Factory Order Numbers or post-war serial numbers. Maybe a knowledgeable member will be able to shed light on this number might mean.

In short: These two photos are insufficient to tell us what this is. Even additional photos showing other parts of the banjo closer up and in more detail might not prove anything. Nothing that we see so far proves there is anything genuinely Gibson about this banjo.

Can you share the seller's "good story" about it?

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Here is the backstory I received:

Far as I know it's original. I bought it from  Hoyt Herbert in 1998. He had a band called Hoyt Herbert and the strings of five and had a few cds produced. He also had a weekly radio show in Statesville. He had the banjo built to his specs in 1979. Snuffy Smith set it up with new head and bridge in 98 before I bought it. 

The banjo may have been built to his specs, but it wasn't built by Gibson. Whoever built it did a nice job, but the inlay on the fifteenth fret would not be original to a Gibson with Hearts and Flowers inlay. The banjo is a copy of an RB3. The RB4 hadn't been made of mahogany since the 1920s. Gibson didn't do any custom banjo work that I'm aware of in the seventies, they were busy concentrating on guitars. Banjo and mandolin production slipped to a low point at that time.

Not being a genuine Gibson doesn't mean it's not a nice banjo of good quality. That being said, any offer made to him should not be based on any banjo Gibson made if the name Gibson is used to promote the sale.

Bobby

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

The banjo may have been built to his specs, but it wasn't built by Gibson. Whoever built it did a nice job, but the inlay on the fifteenth fret would not be original to a Gibson with Hearts and Flowers inlay. The banjo is a copy of an RB3. The RB4 hadn't been made of mahogany since the 1920s. Gibson didn't do any custom banjo work that I'm aware of in the seventies, they were busy concentrating on guitars. Banjo and mandolin production slipped to a low point at that time.

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What price would be reasonable for this?

>>What price would be reasonable for this?<<

Check the BHO adds here for 1970s Gibson 250s and see what they are running. Then based on the fact that those are the real deal and this one doesn't appear to be, I would guess around 60% of that, if not less, IF everything else checks out as to the overall playing condition of the banjo. I would shoot for $1K if you really like it and everything checks out.
Unfortunately, if he's convinced its Gibson, that might be a hard sell.

Bobby

Gibson didn't make any banjos in the late 1970's that looked like that one.

RB4's were made of walnut, with coencentric rings of wood purfling.

That banjo looks to me like mahogany, with ivoroid rings.

RB4's have the flying eagle peghead/fingerboard (except for the short run of "Retro 4's", but the Retro's don't look like that.

RB4 serial numbers are in the format of
4-9611-23
(style-year/month-ranking)
Not like the serial on that banjo.

I agree with Culloden. The banjo may be nice, but it's not a Gibson.

IF it's well-made and in excellent condition, might actually be worth a bit more than 1,000.
Say, $1,500 -- but it would have to be exceptional.

I strongly suggest that  you cool your jets on this one, and try to resist "excitement". Especially if you REALLY want a REAL Gibson.