Here's a sweet 1954 Gibson Mastertone RB-250 in excellent condition that I acquired from it's original owner. When he was in high school, he & his parents drove to Chicago in 1954 & purchased this banjo brand new. It has it's original hang-tag & deluxe plush-lined Faultless case in very good condition. There is typical finish-checking that was common on most all Gibson instruments in the '50's & '60's. Beautiful Brazilian rosewood fingerboard that really sets off the mother-of-pearl bowtie inlays nicely. Original frets in pretty good condition. Neck profile is a pleasure to play...not clubby like some of the latter ones. Original friction 5th-string tuner that works surprisingly well. Kluson stair-step box tuners w/ their original little tulip shaped buttons. 4-hole arch-top tone-ring. At some point these Bowtie 250's were chrome-plated...but this one, like other early ones, is nickel-plated. A few small nicks & blemishes here and there but otherwise a very well cared for instrument. The original owner, like many of his day, fashioned a home-made set of Scruggs style cam-tuners...who didn't want to play those cool "tuner" instrumentals that Earl was so great at! So...there is some "scarring" evidence that this 250 had a clamping device on the peghead years ago. Very comfortable set-up w/ Pre-EPA Remo Weather King head & Huber 5/8" bridge. I'll include a nice Huber 54" strap. Please look over the photos and let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for taking a look.
