#New Gold Star Banjos Free Inner Lip#

San Francisco, CA, was responsible for the excellent Gold Star banjos, as well as the Kentucky and SagaShop GameStop, the worlds largest retail gaming and trade-in destination for Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo games, systems, consoles & accessories.Gold Star Banjos. After extensive research, and with great attention to every detail, Gold Tone was able to rebirth this classic banjo.Vintage Gold Star - Richard Keldsen of music wholesaler Saga in So. In late 2018, 'Banjo Ben' Clark, Jake Stogdill, and Robby Boone had a concept for replicating one of the most iconic banjos, played by the one of the most iconic banjo players of all time, JD Crowes original RB-3 ('Banger').

Gold Star flathead and 40 hole archtop rings are the same shape as the prewar Gibson rings, which the entire current crop of flathead tone rings (with the notable exceptions of JL Stull #4 and #12, rings supplied in Huber banjos, Woodhill Bell and Burlile) are not. The tone rings were made at the Takeuchi metal works factory, with the possible exception of some JDC's. These banjos have the prewar form factor tone ring with the longer skirt than current USA practice. Richard has an original RB75 from which dimensional data and the tone ring formula for the 1978-86 flathead banjos were taken. Whether your instrument needs a tune-up or an overhaul, our team of world-class luthiers can repair or restore any brand of guitar, bass, banjo, or mandolin.Mastertone style banjos, 1976-86. The list has, in recent years, shrunk appreciably to the point where, in.

New Gold Star Banjos Free Inner Lip

With older models fast becoming collectors items, the Pre-War sound and flathead design will assure these new models will be added to the list Ever since these banjos were discontinued in the late 1980s, they have continued to be topics of discussion for their legendary. See the Tone Bell® write up at Bill Palmer's site.Gold Star banjos are back and represent quality and value more than ever. If you put a JLS ring on a regular height pot, including Asian banjo pots, you get the fit with the free inner lip. This includes McPeake, Huber (rings for the aftermarket, not in Huber banjos), T20, FQMS, Kulesh, Liberty, Bucks County, StewMac/Ryan, N.

Late production was by a small maker (1 or 2 men) with the same metal parts as the Tokai production, since these parts were from a separate vendor. This is why banjos with serial numbers reflecting '82 or '83 very rare. Main production following that up until about late '81 was at the Tokai factory, then difficulties caused an abrupt stoppage of production for about a year+. This sponginess and your braking will deliver new levels of precision.I understand the first ones (76xxx) were made by world class mandolin luthier Sumi. Front Braided Brake Line (Transparent Hose & Stainless Banjos): Brake Cables.

Put another way, please do not ask me to tell you what your Gold Star is worth. Also, due to repeated requests for me appraise player's Gold Star banjos, I need to mention again that I have learned not to value instruments sight unseen and usually not then. The only real source is Richard Keldsen, and he has specifically declined to expound for the public on numerous occasions.This is pretty much all the information I have to offer, and it will allow you to identify and date your banjo. There were a very few top tension models also, the preponderance are regular Mastertone replicas.FURTHER: NONE OF THIS INFO IS DEEMED 100% accurate, being partly assembled from best guesses.And anyone who is living in the delusion that they will ever get the true, full Gold star history here or ANYWHERE is sadly mistaken. Late production is identified by serial numbers indicating 1983 or later.

The shifting value of the yen and the improved quality of Gibsons made the market for Gold Stars shrink dramatically by 1986, and Saga ceased to offer them.82xxxx or 83xxxx serial numbers are very rare in GS flatheads, but they do exist: 1982, 1983. The first digits reflect the year labeled, the following 3 or 4 are in some kind of a sequence I have not figured out yet. The last batches of Gold Stars all seem to have been made about 1984, but bear serial numbers 84xxxx, 85xxxx, and even 86xxxx including at least one JDC that went through Mandolin Bros. It seems the banjos were built in batches, and then numbered in the USA as they were sold. (o:Serial numbers: I believe the serial numbers reflect the approximate date wholesaled by Saga USA. To build a better picture of the marque, especially about 6 string or top tension models, but I will not appraise instruments.

I have seen and played a very early ex-Sumi one owner example, wreath with a fiddle cut headstock with the two lower edges of the fiddle cut brought to a point instead of the usual small flat and no label or serial number. Came in wreath, flying eagles (aka splattered frog, splattered bug, or Reno) and h&f, 2 w/b/w concentric rings on the resonator. 11 - 40 hole archtop, mahogany, two piece flange. May be any of the following:

Came in wreath and h&f, 2 w/b/w concentric rings on the resonator. 12 - Archtop, maple, two piece flange, Saga/ presto old style tailpiece. I almost bought it too, but he reconsidered the sale and decided to keep it.

This group probably started at 810041, 810042 has been verified to have two labels the first batch was 20 banjos for sure. S/N 810041-80 have two labels, one on top of the other: the top one is signed. Crowe models, '34 Granada replica, old cutting figured Michigan maple for the necks for the first 80, old growth more recent cutting Michigan maple for some JDC (still great, tight annular rings wood), and old growth Michigan maple veneer for the resonators from the same mill as Gibson bought from in the 30's, signed by JDC. Same hardware, pot as -11 except for possibly the first Sumi ones (?).

These are 81001 to 810080, there are no 82 or 83 models. Crowe models (the 3 apparent batches, 20/20/40 totalling 80 instruments in 1981) are the best of the best of the Japanese production banjos, which is why I talk about them. The first series of the J.D. There is a cover story on the banjos in BNL in October 82. $1595 plus $100 for the #2903 Superior Case in 1981, $2695 (case?) in 1986.

-85 had only leaves and bows inlay. Non 1981 GF-85 were probably the regular Gold Star pot, but they have a slightly different tone ring that the GF-100 series. Leaves and bows, nominally like Crowe's/ Keldsen's RB75.

100 - Standard mahogany nickel plated flathead, one piece flange. The second and third were recorded with it also because Tony Rice told Crowe to use it because it sounded so good on the first album. FWIW, the first Bluegrass Band album was recorded with Richard Keldsen's RB75, the one that started the whole Gold Star thing, because Crowe had had the neck broken by airline baggage handlers on HIS RB75, and did not want to fly to San Francisco with it where the album was to be recorded.

Has been seen with a date for a serial number. 200 - Nickel plated flathead, one piece flange, UP Michigan maple, resonator veneer from the same mill Gibson used in the 20's and 30's. He is not a tinkerer either, he has said his banjo setup

3/4 GF-85 back, GF-85 front. They are mahogany with leaves and bows as inlays, a one piece flange with a Gold Star manufactured 20 hole flat head long skirt cupric alloy tone ring.Here are some pictures of the first one, #0300001 that was flown over for the January trade show in California. Again calledGF-85, they are visually, materially and dimentionally similar to the old Gold Star GF-85 and/ or 1930's Gibson RB-75/ RB-3 design that those were cloned from exept there are no rings in the resonator as on the 75.

The Korean made instruments have a certain ambiance and someAre good, while some are PR, decoration and hype over performance.