Gibson TB-2 #8439-83, the "Edgar G. Scott"
In the 1920s, style 2 was the fanciest non-Mastertone in the Gibson banjo line. This circa 1926 example has an eleven-inch maple rim with bracket shoes and a flange with diamond-shaped openings. The presence of a veneer on the bottom edge of the rim indicates that the rim is likely constructed of blocks rather than the more commonly seen three plies. The hardware is nickel-plated and the wood is maple, with attractive figure in the resonator back. The tone ring is a simple tubular design and the tailpiece is the Grover Presto model that was also used on the lower-priced Mastertone models. The peghead shape is unique to style 2 and the fingerboard inlays were also used on Gibson's Nick Lucas Special flattop guitar of the period. The original owner of #8439-83 was Edgar G. Scott, a resident and one-time mayor of Shickshinny, Pennsylvania.
Photos courtesy of
Kelly Sullivan.
