Up for sale, a circa 1974 Gibson RB-250 Mastertone five-string banjo in near-mint condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. Crafted at the Kalamazoo, MI factory, the ‘70s flathead Gibson banjos are prized as some of the best workhorse banjos the company ever produced; this Mastertone features a laminated mahogany resonator, flathead tone ring, one-piece zinc flange, clamshell tailpiece, and an ebony fingerboard.

This banjo has considerable presence and power, with cutting projection and pointed note attack, and there’s an underlying airy warmth to the low end (attributable to the mahogany construction) that provides excellent counterpoint to the overall punchiness of the instrument. That balance ensures that this banjo is equally well-suited to fingerstyle rolls and cutting clawhammer strums, with plenty of crispness and immediate snap. This RB-250 Mastertone weighs 10lbs, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar 23-10 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: U, measuring .730” 1st fret, .920” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony, pearl “bowtie” inlays (“Mastertone” inlay at 21st fret)
-Frets: Slender, faint wear on frets 1-7
-Scale Length: 26 1/4”
-Nut: 1.19”
-Tuners: 12:1 ratio, pearloid button
-Serialization: Six-digit stamp dates to 1974/75

Body Specs:

-Wood: Mahogany (resonator)
-Tone Ring: Flathead
-Hardware: Maple bridge with ebony top (replacement), clamshell tailpiece, zinc flange (one-piece), arm rest (nickel-plated), mounting lug x4
-Head: American Made Banjo Co. (Remo-made)
-Label: Kalamazoo, MI (inside resonator)

Extremely well-preserved, the gloss Walnut nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, and cosmetic wear is limited to light buckle rash central to the back and a few small dings along the rim. The nitro gloss on the neck profile is smooth and clean.

A black tolex hardshell case is included.