2002 Gibson RB-3 Mastertone Banjo

The Gibson Mastertone is the superlative resonator banjo design. Since Gibson set the standard for banjos in late '20s, the Mastertone has been copied by private luthiers and commercial manufacturers alike. For some bluegrass banjo players, a Mastertone is the only instrument they will play. For others, the image is so strong that they feel they are not really rendering a certain musical style unless they are playing it on a Gibson. The 1930 Gibson catalog touted the RB-3 as having “tone of recording quality” and “volume more than ample for all playing conditions.” It went on to describe it as “unusually responsive" and "beautifully finished." But for whatever reason, it wasn't until the 1934 catalog that Gibson literature pointed out the most important feature that had standard equipment on five-string Mastertones beginning in 1929: the flathead tone ring. Often simply called a "Mastertone" tone ring, this heavy cast-bronze ring is what drives the sound of the banjo. It gives a crisp,