I purchased this 1926 Gibson TB-3 archtop ball-bearing conversion banjo in July 2001 from the Mandolin Brothers shop in Staten Island, NYC, and it remains in excellent original and unaltered condition, the neck notwithstanding.
The serial number stamped into the rim matches the serial number that was chalked into the resonator on the day it left the Gibson factory.
The folks at Mandolin Brothers could not say for sure who did the neck, but the craftsmanship is second to none and it's got that classic Gibson pre-war feel: smooth, comfortable, and responsive.
Back in the early 2000s, I went to a banjo camp in the Santa Cruz mountains and was fortunate to get a few lessons from J.D. Crowe, Ron Block, and Bill Evans. Each of them played this instrument, and J.D. Crowe actually wanted to buy it from me.
But back then, I wasn't selling. Now, though, I am because I'm no longer physically able to play it.
I bought this instrument because I was chasing that Ralph Stanley sound, and this banjo delivers. If you're looking for that pre-War Gibson sound at an affordable price, you've found it. These things don't come on the market every day, and I truly hate to sell it, but I can no longer play it and it deserves a home where it will be appreciated and played often.
Open to reasonable offers. Contact with any questions; I'll do my best to answer them quickly.
