Details
Gibson's Style 6 Mastertones have always been rare, and the original versions were only in production for about a decade beginning in late 1927. Gibson's reissues of Style 6 were also made in limited numbers, starting in 1995 and disappearing a dozen years later. And this example is even more rare as it has a 40-hole archtop tone ring. (We don't have any production totals for how many of the reissues were done in gold sparkle/Argentine gray sunburst like this one versus those with "checkerboard" binding.) While both the finish and the gold plating on this example are in excellent condition, this banjo did get played, as indicated by the wear to the first 5 frets (there are some shirt button squiggles to the lacquer on resonator). It's original throughout with the exception of the tuners, which have been changed to a new set of Gibson-branded engraved gears (the button on the 5th peg was changed to match the headstock set). FON stamped on the inside of the shell, btw, is 6-9801-1. An excellent sounding Mastertone, and the combination of the gold sparkle binding and dramatic Argentine gray sunburst makes it a banjo that really stands out in a crowd of RB-3s and Earl Scruggs models!
Specs
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Binding
Celluloid
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Fingerboard
Ebony
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Finish
Nitrocellulose Lacquer
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Neck material
Maple
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Nut width
1 3/16"
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Scale length
26 3/16"
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Total frets
22
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Tuners
Gibson
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Year
1998
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Diameter
11"
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Flange
Cast
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Resonator
Yes
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Shell
3-Ply Maple
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Tone ring
Archtop
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Case bag color
Black
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Case type
Hardshell
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Serial number
6-9801-1
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SKU
GIBRB-6698011
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UPC
141934
