Picked this up the other day for fun. Looks to be an original Gibson neck with numbers 154669. But what is the rest of it? Home made?
Whatcha think?
That's wild!
I play an RB-180, their 60s long neck with the mastertone tone ring along with a Vega and an ODE. That's definitely and RB-180 neck with the MOP logo and shield and bound fretboard; the RB-175 neck has the gold screened logo and no binding on the fretboard. It's pretty cool that you have a perfect 180 neck! Usually, It's the long necks that get pulverized and folks are left with a pot. The logic of this banjo is baffling--in a great way!
Cheers!
Mark
Decatur, Georgia
I appears that the peghead has binding, indicating that the neck came from the Kalamazoo factory as a Gibson RB-180. That model was equipped with a flat head Mastertone tonering. And like Gibson Mastertone 4-string banjos, the RB-180 is popular for conversions to a more traditional length 5-string.
The new rim design is rather clever. I have seen many creative home-made pots, but this one with the tube screwed to the metal rim is a first for me. It put a functional extra long neck back on a rim and hopefully at a bargain price.
Bob Smakula
smakulafrettedinstruments.com
Perhaps someone took the original Gibson pot for another use and then built a pot for the orphaned neck. I have something similar (an older custom build) listed here on the hangout. These are a fun and affordable way to have a long neck. Congrats!
Interesting rim design! I'd be real curious to hear what it sounds like.
Wow. Some clever design and execution on that pot.
I have a 60's era Gibson wood rim with a brass hoop, spanner band, and all the hooks and elbows. It has been patiently looking for it's own long neck for about 25 years here in Hawaii. :)
Thanks for all the great replies! I’ll get a video done…
I own a '60s Epiphone version of an RB-180 (Mastertone tonering) with a repaired neck. The pot would work nicely on your neck. Interested? Paul
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