Gibson TB-4 Tenor Banjo (1923)
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Item #5149
Gibson TB-4 Model Tenor Banjo (1923), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 11861-1, sunburst finish, maple rim, laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
Here's a "Loar Era" Gibson that won't break the bank! This 1923 TB-4 tenor banjo is a particularly lovely instrument, although not the banjo design that Gibson is best remembered for! Nonetheless this "trapdoor" model - built not long before the Mastertone era - has many of the design and construction features that would soon distinguish that celebrated line. With a short-scale neck and smaller diameter rim these earlier Gibson banjos have the feel of having been designed by and for mandolin player - as indeed they were. While never particularly popular among most tenor banjo players, they are beautifully built instruments with an attractive nouveau esthetic all their own.
The narrow short scale neck is a 3-way maple/ebony laminate with a dot-inlayed extended ebony fingerboard bound in grained ivoroid. The single-bound "moccasin" headstock is veneered with ebony and inlayed with a slanted "The Gibson" logo and slotted diamond and fleur-de-lys designs. The heel, rim and "trap door" resonator are flame maple, ivoroid bound and finished in a striking red-brown sunburst typical of this era.
The heel is a beautiful shaded sunburst and the back of the headstock is black with a point faired into the neck's ebony stripe. The tuners are silver plated two-on-a-plate decorated Waverly gears with real pearl buttons, as also seen on style 5 Master Model instruments. The nut is real pearl, characteristic of only top-line Gibsons of this era. All hardware is silver plated; this is only seen on this specific era's Style 4. The rim is red-brown-finished, built of maple capped with ebony and carries the Lloyd Loar designed perforated tubular tone ring resting ball bearings that was used for the earlier Mastertones until 1927. The tube hook/nut bearing used here would become half of the "tube and plate" flange system when the "plate" flange was added. This banjo features the then-new Gibson co-coordinator rod in addition to a wooden dowel stick, a fairly short-lived combination before the double-rod system was adopted.
The flat plate "trap door" resonator is sunburst finishedwith an inlaid wood marquetry ring and celluloid bound edge. This can be opened or closed to alter the tone of the banjo, adding "piquancy" in Gibson's phrasing. Inside the rim is a gold "Gibson Guarantee" label and impressed serial number. The original green-plush lined shaped case is included. This was an expensive($150) instrument in its day, equivalent to the F-4 mandolin and L-4 guitar and indeed was top of the line until the rare Style 5 Master Model line was introduced. A beautiful instrument and as a fine playable piece of 1920's Gibson product this an unequaled bargain for the enthusiast or collector.
Overall length is 29 1/4 in. (74.3 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 19 in. (483 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.). All original and complete; some play wear to neck finish and silver plating has some general tarnish-overall this is an extremely well preserved banjo. Plays perfectly, complete with the original green-lined HSC. Excellent Condition.
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Here's a "Loar Era" Gibson that won't break the bank! This 1923 TB-4 tenor banjo is a particularly lovely instrument, although not the banjo design that Gibson is best remembered for! Nonetheless this "trapdoor" model - built not long before the Mastertone era - has many of the design and construction features that would soon distinguish that celebrated line. With a short-scale neck and smaller diameter rim these earlier Gibson banjos have the feel of having been designed by and for mandolin player - as indeed they were. While never particularly popular among most tenor banjo players, they are beautifully built instruments with an attractive nouveau esthetic all their own.
The narrow short scale neck is a 3-way maple/ebony laminate with a dot-inlayed extended ebony fingerboard bound in grained ivoroid. The single-bound "moccasin" headstock is veneered with ebony and inlayed with a slanted "The Gibson" logo and slotted diamond and fleur-de-lys designs. The heel, rim and "trap door" resonator are flame maple, ivoroid bound and finished in a striking red-brown sunburst typical of this era.
The heel is a beautiful shaded sunburst and the back of the headstock is black with a point faired into the neck's ebony stripe. The tuners are silver plated two-on-a-plate decorated Waverly gears with real pearl buttons, as also seen on style 5 Master Model instruments. The nut is real pearl, characteristic of only top-line Gibsons of this era. All hardware is silver plated; this is only seen on this specific era's Style 4. The rim is red-brown-finished, built of maple capped with ebony and carries the Lloyd Loar designed perforated tubular tone ring resting ball bearings that was used for the earlier Mastertones until 1927. The tube hook/nut bearing used here would become half of the "tube and plate" flange system when the "plate" flange was added. This banjo features the then-new Gibson co-coordinator rod in addition to a wooden dowel stick, a fairly short-lived combination before the double-rod system was adopted.
The flat plate "trap door" resonator is sunburst finishedwith an inlaid wood marquetry ring and celluloid bound edge. This can be opened or closed to alter the tone of the banjo, adding "piquancy" in Gibson's phrasing. Inside the rim is a gold "Gibson Guarantee" label and impressed serial number. The original green-plush lined shaped case is included. This was an expensive($150) instrument in its day, equivalent to the F-4 mandolin and L-4 guitar and indeed was top of the line until the rare Style 5 Master Model line was introduced. A beautiful instrument and as a fine playable piece of 1920's Gibson product this an unequaled bargain for the enthusiast or collector.
Overall length is 29 1/4 in. (74.3 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 19 in. (483 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/16 in. (30 mm.). All original and complete; some play wear to neck finish and silver plating has some general tarnish-overall this is an extremely well preserved banjo. Plays perfectly, complete with the original green-lined HSC. Excellent Condition.