1970s GTR Florentine Special 5-String Banjo, Mahogany, Gruhn Taylor Wood

This is a vintage GTR Florentine Special, the fancy-inlay model from one of the most storied names in the vintage banjo world. GTR stands for George Gruhn, Tut Taylor, and Randy Wood, three of the most knowledgeable people in the banjo business, who had these instruments built to their own specifications by the Iida factory in Japan between 1974 and 1978. Only a few hundred GTR banjos were ever made.

These are true lawsuit-era instruments, built in the classic Gibson "Mastertone" style with a 20-hole flathead tone ring, a two-piece flange, and a multi-ply maple rim, and by all accounts they went over very well. GTR banjos came from the factory only in dark mahogany, and this one wears the elaborate Florentine Special inlay: ornate mother-of-pearl scrollwork across the ebony fingerboard and the peghead, with the GTR monogram up top. Like all GTR banjos, it has the ornate double-cut, fiddle-cut peghead, and the chrome came out beautifully on this model.

It is an honest vintage instrument that has been played, and you can hear it. There is some discoloration and light scratching in the finish on the resonator, and some honest wear to the chrome. A serial number was hand-engraved on the inside of the rim at some point, which was not done at the factory. The frets have been freshly dressed and there are some signs of wear on the fingerboard.

Before it ships, this banjo receives a complete professional setup by our banjo tech Tara at Banjo Warehouse in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

• GTR Florentine Special, vintage Japanese, made between 1974 and 1978
• Built for George Gruhn, Tut Taylor, and Randy Wood by the Iida factory in Japan
• One of only a few hundred GTR banjos ever made; a true lawsuit-era instrument
• Mahogany neck and resonator (GTR only came in dark mahogany)
• Elaborate Florentine Special inlay on the ebony fingerboard and peghead, with the GTR monogram
• Ornate double-cut fiddle-cut peghead (shared across GTR models)
• 20-hole flathead tone ring, two-piece flange, multi-ply maple rim, in the Gibson style
• Chrome hardware, which came out very nice on this model
• Honest condition: some resonator finish discoloration and scratching, honest chrome wear, fingerboard wear; frets freshly dressed
• A serial number was hand-engraved inside the rim, not original to the factory
• Right-handed. Made in Japan

Geoff Hohwald has been evaluating and selling vintage Japanese banjos for over 40 years and knows exactly what these instruments are. He is the author of The Banjo Primer, the number one rated beginner banjo method, and has been selling fine banjos since 1980, now based in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Free shipping. 7-day satisfaction guarantee. Call Geoff at (404) 218-8580.

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