Gibson Style UB Banjo Ukulele (1924)
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Gibson Style UB Model Banjo Ukulele (1924), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 11127A-4, natural lacquer finish, maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This is an aged-in but still nicely original example of a fairly rare Gibson oddity: the 1924-5 "Style UB". This small 4-string instrument was only produced briefly in this period as Gibson's first effort to attract players of the then hugely popular ukulele. It appears to be built from parts designed for the company's earlier 9" rim banjo-mandolin, but fitted out with four gut strings instead of steel. As the 8-string instrument was fading from popularity at the time, this must have seemed a logical move!
The UB has shared many features with Gibson's other early 1920s banjos, most notably the "trap door" resonator and recently developed coordinator rod system. It is very well-made as is standard with 1920s Gibsons, with a relatively heavy maple rim and neck. The fingerboard has quite narrow spacing at the nut, with a feel more like a mandolin than a uke. The instrument is finished in natural maple overall with good quality nickel-plated hardware including the standard vertical uke pegs. This example has the rather boxy slab-sided headstock design used on some of these with an odd multi-colored Stencil "The Gibson" script logo in the center.
By 1926 Gibson introduced a dedicated line of standard ukulele instruments, including four banjo ukes with more conventional 6"-8" rims, and this model "UB" was no more, only having been in production for a year or so. The instrument's mandolin-like neck is very slim and the 9" rim gives a sound both powerful and sweet. The hinged plate resonator on the back can be locked either open or closed and is actually a surprisingly useful feature. In the open position it acts a bit like a monitor, sending some plunking goodness right towards the player's head! The "Style UB" is a fairly obscure piece but remains a unique banjo-uke and a very cool piece of Gibson history, and this is a good player's example.
Overall length is 23 1/4 in. (59.1 cm.), 9 in. (22.9 cm.) diameter head, and 2 7/16 in. (6.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This UB shows general wear overall, but nothing too serious or affecting playability. There is finish checking overall with a general darkening of the varnish (mostly on the rim) and loss to the plating, most heavily on the hooks. The headstock finish has flaked somewhat but the cool multi-colored Gibson logo is still intact. The instrument looks to have been exposed to moisture for a time but there is not too much actual play wear, mostly light finish loss and very small dings in the first position on the back of the neck and a tiny bit of fret wear in the first position from having been steel-strung long ago.
The instrument remains nicely original, with all the hardware intact and set up with a genuine calfskin head, a modern bridge and Nylon strings. This is a fine playing and neat-sounding banjo, sweeter toned than many banjo-ukes. This is still a resolutely cheerful instrument a century along and a cool find in an early style Gibson banjo. It is housed in a modern gig bag, ready to enchant a new generation of flappers! Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is an aged-in but still nicely original example of a fairly rare Gibson oddity: the 1924-5 "Style UB". This small 4-string instrument was only produced briefly in this period as Gibson's first effort to attract players of the then hugely popular ukulele. It appears to be built from parts designed for the company's earlier 9" rim banjo-mandolin, but fitted out with four gut strings instead of steel. As the 8-string instrument was fading from popularity at the time, this must have seemed a logical move!
The UB has shared many features with Gibson's other early 1920s banjos, most notably the "trap door" resonator and recently developed coordinator rod system. It is very well-made as is standard with 1920s Gibsons, with a relatively heavy maple rim and neck. The fingerboard has quite narrow spacing at the nut, with a feel more like a mandolin than a uke. The instrument is finished in natural maple overall with good quality nickel-plated hardware including the standard vertical uke pegs. This example has the rather boxy slab-sided headstock design used on some of these with an odd multi-colored Stencil "The Gibson" script logo in the center.
By 1926 Gibson introduced a dedicated line of standard ukulele instruments, including four banjo ukes with more conventional 6"-8" rims, and this model "UB" was no more, only having been in production for a year or so. The instrument's mandolin-like neck is very slim and the 9" rim gives a sound both powerful and sweet. The hinged plate resonator on the back can be locked either open or closed and is actually a surprisingly useful feature. In the open position it acts a bit like a monitor, sending some plunking goodness right towards the player's head! The "Style UB" is a fairly obscure piece but remains a unique banjo-uke and a very cool piece of Gibson history, and this is a good player's example.
Overall length is 23 1/4 in. (59.1 cm.), 9 in. (22.9 cm.) diameter head, and 2 7/16 in. (6.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This UB shows general wear overall, but nothing too serious or affecting playability. There is finish checking overall with a general darkening of the varnish (mostly on the rim) and loss to the plating, most heavily on the hooks. The headstock finish has flaked somewhat but the cool multi-colored Gibson logo is still intact. The instrument looks to have been exposed to moisture for a time but there is not too much actual play wear, mostly light finish loss and very small dings in the first position on the back of the neck and a tiny bit of fret wear in the first position from having been steel-strung long ago.
The instrument remains nicely original, with all the hardware intact and set up with a genuine calfskin head, a modern bridge and Nylon strings. This is a fine playing and neat-sounding banjo, sweeter toned than many banjo-ukes. This is still a resolutely cheerful instrument a century along and a cool find in an early style Gibson banjo. It is housed in a modern gig bag, ready to enchant a new generation of flappers! Overall Very Good + Condition.