Artifact from The Great Folk Scare
Circa 1964 Ode 33B Grade 2 long neck flathead banjo.
Serial number 1494

I bought this rare instrument a few years back on Ebay from a guy who had stored it in his damp garage for many years. Some moisture had discolored a small area of the lower inside portion of the aircraft grade polished aluminum rim. There is also some minor discoloration and some minor pitting on the lower lip of the rim and on a small patch of metal on the outer surface of the rim near the arm rest, an area which I did not see when I initially prepared this listing. The discoloration and minor pitting on the inside of the rim cannot be seen while playing the banjo and the small patch of discoloration and pitting on the outside of the rim is difficult to see because of its position near the arm rest but it can be seen from the front of the instrument if one is looking closely for it.
Except for the notations above, the rest of the outside of the rim is highly polished aluminum and has not been affected by the moisture. None of these minor finish flaws affect the structural integrity of the banjo or the playing of the banjo.

When I initiially bought the banjo I took the banjo to my local luthier , Rob Zwalley of StringDoc in Lititz, PA, and he replaced several hooks and the tailpiece and tightened the truss rod to straighten the neck, which had also become a bit out of alignment from the humid garage experience. It has remained true for years. Rob also replaced the broken head with a Fibreskyn Elite head. The banjo has looked and sounded great subsequently for many years.

Several Ode experts have told me that this banjo has a non integral flathead tone ring, which they cite as extremely rare. Most Ode flatheads have “flathead appendages” attached to the top of the aluminum rim. I’m told that this one has an actual discrete tone ring resting on top of the aluminum rim. I took their word for it and have never taken the head off and looked for myself.

The banjo sounds loud and melodious and I must agree that the workmanship on these old Odes rivals or exceeds that of the old Vega Seeger long necks.

Based on photographs I submitted to him, George Gruhn appraised the banjo as having a market value of $2,000.

Banjo comes with a period correct Lifton hardshell case.

Additional information on specifics of Grade 2 Ode banjos from this period can be found here: omebanjos.com/odeinstruments.html