1925 Gibson "Shotgun Skirt" TB-3 Ball Bearing Conversion
Factory order #: 8126-36, stamped in rim. Materials: All original nickel parts including ball bearing tone ring, flange, tension hoop, armrest, and Grover Patent Presto tailpiece. Maple resonator, conversion mahogany 5 string neck with ebony fingerboard, diamond inlays, Hardshell case and original tenor neck included.
Notes: Introduced in 1923, Gibson's TB-3 Mastertone was produced until 1937. This early model from 1925 features a fiddle shaped peghead with curlicues and cross inlay, maple resonator with red mahogany
finish, and its original 40 hole archtop ball bearing tone ring. This fine example shows all original nickel hardware, including the Grover Patent Presto tailpiece, tension hoop, flange and armrest. The 22 fret maple five string conversion neck is meticulously inlaid in the vintage correct diamond pattern. Modern tuners and 5th string fingerboard spikes at frets 7, 9 and 10. The original Loar designed tone ring gives the instrument its lovely bell-like voice, with sparkling overtones and sustain. Maintained in fine shape, with a fresh high precision setup, the neck shows no fret or fingerboard wear, just a bit of old buckle wear to back of the resonator, and a bit of spot shellac applied near its edge.
