This is a very neat old 70s (1973?) Gibson RB250 Mastertone Banjo. It appears to be all original from the Gibson Tuners to the Gibson tailpiece and armrest. It has had a clean neck break professionally repaired as you can see from the photos. It includes the original Gibson hard case shown and weighs in at a hefty 11 lbs 8.13 oz. It has an archtop tone ring, and appears to have come from ‘George’s Music’ out of Kansas City at one point. It looks and plays great and would be an excellent addition to any collection. Serial number 00201609. We’ve been told it is most likely a 1973 because the blue case was used 71-76, and the serial number puts it at a 73 according to Banjophiles.

First introduced in 1923, the Gibson Mastertone series of banjos have become some of revered bluegrass instruments of the 20th century, and set the standard for banjo making at the time. This 1973 Gibson RB-250 Mastertone 5 String Banjo is a good example of a Mastertone, but still possesses many of the design qualities of those early instruments.

Constructed from a Mahogany neck and resonator body, this RB-250 features a 3 ply rim, 2 piece flange, and a single bound ebony fingerboard. As with other Mastertone models, the neck is decorated with a patterned pearloid inlay and ‘Mastertone’ inlaid where the neck meets the resonator. The headstock is the classic unbound fiddle shape, and features an inlaid vintage style script Gibson logo.