| CHARLES Z FISH'S PRE-WAR GIBSON BANJOS |
| RB-1 |
| The RB-1 was introduced in 1922 and last shipped in 1940. |
| The neck and resonator are a dark-finished maple. |
| This is a later model, with the serial number FA-5088, which is stamped on the back of the peghead. |
| "5088" is also written in chalk inside the resonator. |
| Higher end Gibsons of this era, the Mastertones, had switched to a double-cut peghead shape, but the style 1 retained the fiddle-shaped peghead. A minor modification is the absence of the two small indentations along the sides of the peghead below the first- and fourth-string tuners. The peghead is inlaid in mother of pearl with the Gibson logo and an "inverted bud." |
| From approximately 1931-1936, the fingerboard, which is rosewood, was inlaid with a fleur-de-lis pattern, also referred to as "bats," "gulls" or "flying birds," as seen on this TB-1 neck. |
| In 1937, Gibson returned to the simple dot inlay of this RB-1. |
| Like the Mastertones of the 1930's, this banjo has a 3-ply maple rim and a white, or "pot" metal, one-piece flange. The tension hoop is notched, and the brackets are rounded. The tuners and Grover tailpiece are original. The hardware is nickel plated. |
| The neck and both edges of the resonator have a white celluloid binding. |
| Style 1 banjos, being non-Mastertone models, do not have a true tone ring, only a small diameter brass hoop on top of the rim. This banjo has a single coordinator rod and a neck fastening nut. There is an oval "The Gibson" label inside the rim. |
