Gibson PB-4 #9639-5
1934 is a special year to prewar banjo fans, since it was this year that saw the production of the Granadas made famous by Earl Scruggs and Sonny Osborne. A little later that same year, Gibson made a small lot of flathead style 4 Mastertone banjos, batch number 9639, which included the RB-4 played by three-finger pioneer Snuffy Jenkins (#9639-1) as well as this beautiful plectrum banjo. In keeping with standard specifications for the style 4 of the period, the wood is walnut and the hardware is chrome-plated, giving the metal a bluish appearance as opposed to the more commonly used nickel plating. The back of the resonator features dramatic burl grain and two rings of multicolored marquetry. The flange is one-piece and the tone ring is an original high-profile flathead. The peghead is double-cut and the inlay pattern is hearts and flowers, although most style 4 banjos of the period had the flying eagle pattern as seen on #9554-5. The placement of the inlays on this instrument is also unusual, with the Mastertone block at the fifteenth fret as on the small run of wreath-inlay style 3 banjos such as #9528-3.
This banjo is in fully original, excellent condition. The original owner's name and address are written on the uncut Mastertone label, and the instrument is accompanied by its original case, maintenance instruction sheet, and price tag.
Photos courtesy of Elderly Instruments and Kendall Marquardt.
