Banjo News
The Pre-War Collection: 6 Tenor Conversions from $3,999 to $11,499
Feb
It took us over a year to assemble this collection.
Six pre-war banjos. Six different personalities. All of them delivering that unmistakable pre-war tone that players spend their whole lives chasing.
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize: you don’t need $50,000 to get pre-war sound. Original 5-string flathead pre-war Mastertones command serious money because they’re rare – Gibson made far more tenors than 5-strings back then. But the pots, the flanges, the resonators – they’re the same. A professional tenor conversion gives you so much of that authentic pre-war character at a fraction of the price.
That’s what this collection is about.
The Collection
1926 Gibson TB-3 Ball-Bearing Conversion – $3,999.99
The oldest banjo in the collection. This 1926 two-piece flange TB-3 features Gibson’s original ball-bearing tone ring – a unique sound you won’t find anywhere else. Frank Neat built the 5-string maple neck with diamonds and squares inlay. Original pot, resonator, and hardware. Came to us from Colombia in excellent condition.
Serial: 8168-12
View the 1926 TB-3 Ball-Bearing →
1930 Gibson TB-4 Mastertone Archtop Conversion – $9,999.99
A 1930 TB-4 Mastertone from Gibson’s golden era. Original rim, original one-piece flange, original archtop tone ring. The walnut resonator and flying eagle inlays make this one a looker. Professional 5-string neck. The original flange is not currently installed on the banjo but will be included with purchase. It requires minor repair.
Serial: 9554-45
View the 1930 TB-4 Mastertone →
1932 Gibson TB-3 Mastertone Conversion – $11,499.99
The crown jewel of the collection. This 1932 TB-3 Mastertone has its original one-piece flange and raised-head archtop tone ring – 93 years of character in one instrument. Frank Neat converted it to 5-string with a mahogany neck featuring flying eagle inlays. Spikes at 7, 8, 9, 10. All original hardware and resonator.
Serial: 115-8
View the 1932 TB-3 Mastertone →
1936 Gibson TB-1 Conversion – $4,999.99
This 1936 TB-1 came to life with a 20-hole flathead professional tone ring. Original pot cut for a flathead ring, original one-piece flange, original maple resonator. The professional conversion neck features stunning Flying Eagle inlays. This one sounds extraordinary across all registers.
Serial: 781-2
1940 Gibson TB-11 “The Willard Brown” – $5,499.99
This TB-11 has a story. Shipped from Gibson on December 10, 1940, it stayed in one family for 73 years before entering the banjo market. Frank Neat did the 5-string conversion with a Tennessee 20 tone ring. The original green pearloid resonator is a head-turner. We call it “The Willard Brown” after its original owner.
Serial: F688-6
Late 1930s Recording King Tenor Conversion – $4,499.99
Here’s a sleeper. This Recording King Model #731 was made by Gibson at Kalamazoo for Montgomery Ward in the late 1930s. Same factory, same craftsmen, different headstock. The Huber HR-30 tone ring makes this one sing, and the original sunburst maple resonator has that pre-war look. The replacement 5-string neck from Don Bryant has a modern truss rod for easy adjustments.
Why Tenor Conversions?
Let’s talk money for a second.
An original 5-string pre-war Gibson Mastertone – if you can find one – will cost you $50,000 or more. That’s because Gibson made far more tenor banjos than 5-strings in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. The tenors were for jazz and orchestras. The 5-strings were niche.
But here’s what matters: the pot, the flange, the resonator – that’s where so much of the pre-war mojo lives. A professional conversion by someone like Frank Neat gives you a proper 5-string neck on an authentic pre-war pot.
As for tone rings – some of these banjos have their original raised-head rings, which sound excellent. Others have been upgraded with modern professional rings like the Tennessee 20 or Huber HR-30. Either way, you’re getting serious tone from an authentic pre-war instrument.
Fraction of the price. Real pre-war craftsmanship.
That’s the value proposition of a tenor conversion.
Questions?
These banjos don’t come around often. It took us over a year to put this collection together. If you’ve been waiting for your shot at a pre-war Gibson, now’s the time.
Call Geoff directly at 404-218-8580 or stop by the shop in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Every banjo ships free to the continental US with a 7-day approval period.
Browse the full Pre-War Collection →
