This antique banjo is a Rettberg & Lange made "jobber" banjo from the first quarter of the 20th century. I bought it from a seller on craigslist who was parting ways with a small collection of banjos. He was not able to tell me much about its history. It has no brand marking or serial number anywhere on the instrument. I have spent a good deal of time researching it, including contacting various vintage instrument dealers who helped confirm what I thought and gave me additional information. However, big thanks to fellow Banjo Hangout member Joel H. who was able to confidently identify it from the photos in the ad and correct me where I was informed. Further online research has verified his input.
It has beautiful inlay work and an ornate heel carving as you will see in the pictures. The neck is 19" and the rim is 11". It has 30 brackets and an Elite tailpiece. It currently has an 11/16" Grover bridge.
For its age, this banjo is in impressive condition. It plays and sounds great. I've shared a YouTube video for an example. The audio was recorded on a Zoom H1 Handy Recorder. It has friction tuners which are a bit high maintenance if you're not used to them but they hold quite well once you get it in tune. Currently strung with Aquila Nylgut strings.
It comes with the pictured chipboard case which is a Gibson. Note that the case has plenty of wear, the cover for the center compartment has detached and one of 3 buckles is broken but it still does offer a basic level of protection. I will pack and ship it with great care.
I am a new seller on Banjo Hangout but I have a well-reviewed Reverb page that I've sold from for many years and can provide further references as well.
