It's an RB-100 with the resonator removed. The serial nominally dates to 1963, but Gibson serials from the '60s are a mess and it's more reliable to date by features. I'll let the experts chime in on the likely range of dates.

RB170

RB170 

single? coordinator rod, thin-rim, full diameter rolled ring model with Kershner tailpiece upgrade.  And judging by the tailpiece, the neck is cut a little crooked at the heel; apparently this is common. 

I think they can be purchased for $7-1200 depending on the weather.

These are my favorite Gibson banjos.

Ah, I thought the 170 was a long neck. My mistake.

quote:

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Originally posted by OldFrets

Ah, I thought the 170 was a long neck. My mistake.  I think the long neck's are the RB175 and RB180

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https://www.banjohangout.org/archive/334582

quote:

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Originally posted by pinenut

RB170 

single? coordinator rod, thin-rim, full diameter rolled ring model with Kershner tailpiece upgrade.  And judging by the tailpiece, the neck is cut a little crooked at the heel; apparently this is common. 

I think they can be purchased for $7-1200 depending on the weather.

These are my favorite Gibson banjos.

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P.S. 

These were available new from about 1960~1981, roughly.

It looks like the frets may have been swapped out for jumbos?

Yep RB 170 …….. just like the one I bought new ($190) in 1963.

My brother has one. It's a nice, light, old-time-sounding banjo.

Mid-to late 1960's RB-170 banjo

Appears to have the thinner "multi-ply" rim,and not the preferred 3 ply rim

It's got a "flathead" looking brass tone hoop (no actual tone ring), a well -made mahogany neck, with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard, and a maple rim.

Gibson put these out during the '60's, into the very early '70's, in response to the "Folk Music" craze, however, they never really found a niche.....they weren't great sounding open- backs, and they sure as hell weren't Bluegrass banjos !

Some of the first ones from the early '60's, with the 3ply rim, and the arch-top style brass tone hoop were actually pretty decent banjos.

It's a late '63 through '64 RB-170. These are great banjos. And while it's not the very thick rim of the 1960-early '63, it's thicker than the '65 though '81. I have no idea why these don't bring more money. Folks will pay $2-$3K for some modern openback that's no better quality than these. But there ya go...market forces. Steve Martin's first banjo was an early 60's RB-170. There are several photos online. Here are two--one from the early 60s and one from the 70s, same banjo: ODE tailpiece and ODE D-tuners added. There's another photo somewhere online that shows the headstock better with the ODE D-tuners. He still plays that banjo--calls it his "frailing banjo". Anyway, I love my RB-170 and RB-180 banjos, both '62, wouldn't sell them for any amount of money. I've traded hundreds of banjos over the decades and played them all.

The RB175 was a long necked banjo; Gibson's answer to the Vega Pete Seeger style banjo. This is the RB170, the same banjo, but with a regular length neck. They were made in the 1960s but I'm not sure how long.

According to the Banjophiles, the approximate date for this one should be 1963. They were made from 1960 to 1973.

As mentioned above many times, a RB-170. At one point I had three of them. Sold two to members here. I think one wound up in Hawaii- Lucky banjo!

One of the most versatile and under appreciated banjos that Gibson ever made. Excellent values for a players instrument.

The one I kept is a 1960. Years ago, On a whim, I dropped in an old brass hoop that came off of a TB-11. That banjo just sings. My preferred instrument to use when I get to play Round Peak tunes with friends.

Why these instruments are not, or ever have been in crazy demand among traditional players, I will never know. Every one I have ever played has been top notch for sound and playability.

I agree about the EARLY 60s dating. At that time Gibson banjos had a 9/16" rim, which they had pretty much been since Gibson standardized the rim and Doehler one piece flange design in 1930 or so. After 1964 Gibson changed rim suppliers and they could bend only up to 7/16" which remained the standard for the rest of the 60s -- the "thin rim" period. The banjo in the original post would be the "good" 9/16" rim.

The banjo does look much like an RB 100 without flange and resonator, but you can tell the difference by the shoe bolts through the side of the rim of this RB 170.

Frets look "jumbo" because in the 60s Gibson used fat electric guitar frets on their banjos.

These banjos never really caught on with the folkies: new Vega open backs were lighter weight than Gibsons and because of P Seeger the "Vega" name may have been preferred. New Vega open backs were already in music stores in the late 50s when the Kingston Trio kicked off the folk banjo "boom". Gibson was a few years late to the party.

Absolutely agree Alvin Conder !

Later RB-170. Nice. $1000

I had a Vega Folk Wonder at the same time as my 170.  The Vega could never keep up.

Traded them both in on a pretty fancy bucket list banjo.  That's the journey.

Thanks all for all the input. I knew this would be the place for solid information.

We're going to take this info and decide where to go from here.