General Descriptions of Prewar Gibson Banjos



Model Wood Plating Years Specific Features
Style 1 Maple Nickel 1925-1930 Painted Gibson on Peghead, Dot Inlay
Non-Mastertone     1931-1936 Gull Inlay
      1937-1938 Dot Inlay
        Simplified "fiddle" peghead shape even with the 1-piece flange
Style 11   Nickel 1932-1942 Celluliod Covered, Stencilled Inlays
Non-Mastertone       Similar banjos were made under the names Kel Kroyden, Truett and SS Stewart
Style 2 Walnut Nickel 1925-1926 Ribbon Flange
Non-Mastertone     1926-1927 Diamond Flange
      1927-1930 Old Style Gibson Hole Flange
      1930-1937 Celluloid Peghead and Board, Standard 1-piece Flange
        Simplified "fiddle" Peghead shape even with the 1-piece flange
Style 3/75 Maple Nickel 1925-1926 Ball Bearing Tonering
Mastertone Maple Nickel 1927-1932 Archtop Tonering, 2-piece Flange, no rings on resonator
  Mahogany Nickel 1933-1936 Mahogany, 1-piece Flange, Concentric Rings on Resonator
  Mahogany Nickel 1937-1941 Style 75 Introduced--a re-priced version of the Style 3
Style 4 Mahogany Chrome 1925-1926 Ball Bearing Tonering, H&F's Inlay
Mastertone Mahogany Chrome 1927-1932 Mahogany, 2-piece Flange, H&F's Inlay, Concentric Rings on Resonator
  Walnut Chrome 1933-1937 Burled Walnut, 1-piece Flange, late models often had FE Inlay
Style 5 Walnut Engraved Gold 1925-1926 Ball Bearing Tonering, Wreath Inlay
Mastertone     1927-1928 Archtop, 2-piece Flange, Wreath Inlay
Granada Curly Maple Engraved Gold 1928-1932 Archtop, 2-piece Flange, Concentric Rings on Resonator, H&F's Inlay
Mastertone     1932-1937 1-piece Flange, Sunburst Resonator, H&F's and later models with FE Inlays
Style 6 Figured Maple Engraved Gold 1928-1929 Archtop, 2-piece Flange, Checkerboard Binding
Mastertone     1930-1937 2-piece Flange, Checkerboard and Gold Sparkle binding
        (Note: The PT neck and flathead rings on Gold Sparkle models were introduced in 1930)
Bella Voce Choice of Engraved Gold 1927-1929 Archtop, 2-piece Flange, Bella Voce Inlay
Mastertone Carved Woods   1930-1937 Custom order only (not listed in Catalog)
Florentine Choice of Engraved Gold 1927-1937 Illustrated Celluloid Fingerboard
Mastertone Carved Woods      
All American Choice of Engraved Gold 1930-1939 Illustrated Celluloid Fingerboard, Archtop tenor models only
Mastertone Carved Woods      
Style 7 Maple Nickel 1937-1941 Standard Flathead Ring, Special Resonator Construction, Guitar Style
Mastertone       Peghead, Bow-tie Inlay
Style 12 Walnut Chrome 1937-1941 Standard Flathead Ring, Special Resonator Construction, Guitar Style
Mastertone       Peghead, Deco Inlay
Style 18 Curly Maple Engraved Gold 1937-1941 Standard Flathead Ring, Special Resonator Construction, Guitar Style
Mastertone       Peghead, Deco Inlay

Last Updated on 2/13/00
By Tom Biggs
Email: tbiggs@cfl.rr.com