This is an Earl Scruggs Standard Gibson banjo, which is a real treasure. The headstock sticker shows ESS1914, but there is no serial number in the pot, and when the neck was replaced, so went the serial number. It has the autograph by Earl Scruggs as pictured. It comes loaded with great features: D-tuners, “The Gibson” locking hard case with key, 5th-string railroad spikes at the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 12th frets.
The neck is not the original neck; I'm not sure why it was swapped, and there’s a small rough spot on the tip of the resonator, but nothing that affects playability. When it sells, I’ll swap the current wood armrest back to the original metal armrest and include the original tailpiece as well; both show expected wear. There may have been other parts swapped; I just don't know, as I bought it from the son of a player who passed and didn't have much information on it.
I had it professionally set up mid-August, the strings were swapped, and the head was replaced with a Remo Renaissance head that looks and sounds wonderful.
Come give it a try—you’ll love the tone and that unmistakable Gibson “pop”! Will trade in person for a woody banjo, the weight of this banjo is too much for my shoulder.
