Gibson Banjo Authentication

[Matt Haugen]

I know very little about banjos, but have been offered one for $100.00 and am thinking I would like to learn to play. My concern is that the banjo I have been offered is a Gibson, but it seems fishy. I only have a pic of the headstock, but was wondering what some thoughts are on it based on this photo alone. The things I have noticed is that there is no truss rod. The cuts on either side of the head stock look like they have burn marks and are not well finished. Perhaps I do not have enough of a photo resource for any answers, but I thought I would try. Thank you.

ps. I know that if it sounds good and is fun to play the name brand doesn't matter, but I figure it would be good to know the facts.

[Tim Mace]

I'm guessing not made by Gibson mainly because of the side cuts which I've never seen before The pot may be but where is it?Frank will probably know.

[Ron Frazier]

I would need to know a lot more about it. More pictures . The notches could have been cut as ahanger or some thing. There is no dot over the i in Gibson and what happened to the ebony fingerboard?

The neck can replaced but what about the pot? To many unanswered Questions.

Ron

[Tom Krebs]

Does not look correct for a Gibson. Those notches look like a home made hack job ... but for $100 bucks; if it tunes and plays okay. Pick and grin.

[Frank Ford]

As a fan of the Magliozzi brothers, all I can say is "BO-O-O-O-O-GUS." That said, you can't get much of any banjo for a hundred bucks, so if it works, it's probably OK. to start . .