Just as the stock market crashed in 1929, Gibson was hitting its stride as a maker of "jazz" banjos, and the company did not let up even in the Depression. In addition to making some of the most beautiful banjos of the era, Gibson introduced the flat-head tone ring, considered by most of today's banjo players to be produce the ultimate banjo sound. Style 6 was Gibson's highest numbered style and was available with either gold sparkle or checkered trim. In its original tenor version our converted Style 6 models would have cost the original owners under $300 in 1929.
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JA5775 Gibson TB-6 conversion, 1929, EXC, replica gold-sparkle five-string neck by Frank Neat (original tenor neck and OHC included), set up with original high-profile lightweight flat-head Style 6 tone ring recovered from banjo owned by J.D. Crowe's singer/guitarist Rick Wasson (banjo burned in a fire), HC... $18,500 | |
Full front & back |
Close up of body |
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JA5920 Gibson TB-6 conversion, 1929, EXC, original high-profile lightweight flat-head tone ring (1 lb, 15 oz), gold-sparkle edge trim, fine-quality replica neck with gold-sparkle trim on sides of neck and heel cap (but not on front of fingerboard or peghead), original mute mechanism in case pocket, comes wtih original tenor neck and tuners, HC... $28,500 | |
Full front & back |
Tenor neck |