![history of ode banjos history of ode banjos](https://media.rainpos.com/5741/ode_1322_limited_edition_tuners.jpg)
Use Greg Earnest's INCREDIBLE site as a companion piece, and you will get some very good information on prewar Gibson banjos.Īnd here is some pretty good information on Gibson banjos - post war - Again, serial numbers with some information on how the banjos were constructed. Hidden in the list is also some information in regards to some of the changes Gibson made throughout the years - relative to the serial numbers. Here's a link to serial numbers of prewar Gibson banjos. It provides extensive information (with links to brochures) that tends to be my go-to for information on that era of banjos. Paul Hawthorne has a RIDICULOUS site on 60/70s Asian "master clone" banjos. I've read quite a few BHO threads but was hoping for something more complete.Įdit: for what it's worth, Im currently looking at the 1000-1500 range, but I'm not opposed to buying something much cheaper and then getting my budget to 2500-3000 in a couple years. Something to help me find what I want, and avoid the junk. Knowing how into this stuff some folks get, I assume there's got to be some sort of easy resource, definitive guide, or something like that where I can read about all these differences. I was also looking at Deering Maple Blossoms and Golden Eras, but I noticed that the prices can vary widely on those as well depending on the year. I'm pretty sure I want a mastertone or masterclone, used, but I know there are a lot of different things out there and that the quality varies widely depending on when it was built. I've been playing clawhammer for quite some time now and consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the different brands and types of stuff out there, but I'm clueless about bluegrass banjos. I'm in the market for a bluegrass banjo and I need to get familiar with the eras and nuances and history, etc.