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The Old Timer - Posted - 09/18/2021: 13:23:04
A young banjo pickin' friend of mine in Ottawa Canada (it's their nation's capital, you know...) is really getting into old time. All of a sudden he sends me a video and photos of a REAL old one, not the usual Vega he has been playing (Tu Ba Phone). He's got this old one strung with nylon/nylgut/whatever and it sound great (plastic head).
He asked me if I could ID it. 38 brackets. Hopefully the photos, especially the peghead, heel and dowel stick, will tell the tale. There's an "8" or maybe "3" stamped in the inner rim.
Can anyone tell what this is, and rough age?
Thanks in advance. If we do this right, I'm confident it could lead to re-opening the border.
Andy FitzGibbon - Posted - 09/18/2021: 13:24:34
Buckbee, or early Rettberg & Lange.
Joel Hooks - Posted - 09/18/2021: 15:01:06
Only banjos stamped with one of the various Dobson names are “Dobson”. A Buckbee can be a Dobson only if stamped as such.
Joel Hooks - Posted - 09/18/2021: 15:05:25
That said, with some research, some effort to duplicate the font and size, and less than $100, someone could hop on Etsy and have a stamp made. Then the could turn all the Buckbees they could get their hands on into the Dobson of their choice.
Bill Rogers - Posted - 09/18/2021: 15:26:55
Joel's point is clear: Often the only difference between a given Dobson and a Buckbee is the Dobson stamp. Of course many Dobsons have no matches among unlabeled Buckbees.
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 09/19/2021 00:56:40
The Old Timer - Posted - 09/18/2021: 21:05:37
Thank you Joel.
This banjo does not have a Dobson stamp. The numeral stamped near the dowel stick is "2".
TriMD180 - Posted - 09/18/2021: 22:45:11
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Timer
Can anyone tell what this is, and rough age?
Thanks in advance. If we do this right, I'm confident it could lead to re-opening the border.
Buckbee, rough age - 1890ish
The Old Timer - Posted - 09/19/2021: 06:55:38
Thanks Willie. I wondered if perhaps that "old fashioned" cut out in the neck heel might indicate an even older vintage.
Edited by - The Old Timer on 09/19/2021 06:55:58
kyleb - Posted - 09/20/2021: 03:37:04
quote:
Originally posted by Joel Hooks
Only banjos stamped with one of the various Dobson names are “Dobson”. A Buckbee can be a Dobson only if stamped as such.
Reminds me of standardized tests back in elementary school. All buckbees and dobsons are banjos, all Dobson are buckbees. Are all buckbees Dobson's?
TriMD180 - Posted - 09/20/2021: 06:20:58
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Timer
Thanks Willie. I wondered if perhaps that "old fashioned" cut out in the neck heel might indicate an even older vintage.
I have one that has that cut out and the exact same banjo is also in the 1890 Tonk Brothers catalog for $4.75!
The Old Timer - Posted - 09/20/2021: 06:28:42
Thanks Willie. 1890 it is!
Is there a proper term for that cut out at the heel?
