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Originally posted by Pekka

Quite nice to play, heavy and very loud. Any value? (Not selling, just curious).

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It sounds like either the model FB 58 or FB 59. These are the ones that are very heavy. You need to post photos.

Valiue? Of course. Significant value? Unlikely.

I'd guess 500-700 Euros depending on which model. Of course the generally scarcity of banjos in your location and nearby means that there's both less of a market and people looking for something half decent who will pay a reasonable amount.

Photos?

I know nothing about Korean Fenders, but in general a good wood rimmed banjo is worth more than the typical bottle cap metallic rim.

Photos (with dust all over). Crafmanship is flawless anyway...

Well that's of the general Asian class of banjos known as "Masterclones", after the Gibson Mastertone design.

Back when they were made they would have generally been known as "intermediate" banjos, for beginners who had learned enough to be dissatisfied with their "learner's" banjo and looking for something that looked, felt and sounded more like a "real" American bluegrass banjo.

Presuming nothing is broken, repaired, needing repaired or put together loosely, and general condition, it might go for as much as $1000 especially if it has a hardshell case. The current crop of decent intermediate banjos used to sell for around $1000 but inflation and tariffs have pushed them up into the $1500+ price point over the last year or so. Also, one of the leading Chinese makers of good intermediate Masterclones has closed up and declared bankruptcy, which reduces the supply quite a bit.

These banjos (the type) were made in Korea for a little while in the late 90s and early 2000s after the original Japanese manufactured Masterclones got too expensive to make in Japan. After Korea made them for awhile, they again got too expensive and manufacturing moved to China.

These Asian manufacturers tended toward continuous improvement in design and execution over the decades.

Enjoy it.

Thanks everybody! As said, I'm not selling this, it's as good banjo as I need. Enjoy I will!

Fender FB-58, made by Samick in S. Korea. These were later made in China with cheaper plastic inlays. It has a pot metal tone ring and a multi-ply rim, generic but nicely chrome-plated Asian hardware. "Curly" maple neck and resonator jacket, sort of a Cremona brown finish but too much yellow. Somewhat chunky neck and the resonator is a bit deep. Heavy. Head always mounted with the Remo logo visible like that. Geared tuners are sorta cheaper knock-offs of Gotoh, touchy but they hold tension fine. Might benefit from a lighter (Presto) tailpiece. Early-mid 2000s.

I have one, and consider mine worth at least $500, which is surprisingly what I gave for it. Maybe they have gone up some. Very playable. Tone is just okay, nothing special. It's a masterclone banjo, it does the job. I put a Fishman active pickup in mine years ago and it was my amplified banjo before I bought an electric, so the lackluster tone didn't matter as much.