History Part 4 Ome Banjos. Ended up selling the ODE Banjo division, which was part of Baldwin-Gretsch. I should have checked the serial number of that. Click below to view the 'baldwin ode style d' valuation report; including current used pricing and market data* Gather price information about this banjo and many others before you buy, sell or trade If you already have access, please Log In.

Posted -: 19:51:26 Hi Laurence -- 1. What is the SERIAL number on it? It should be stamped into the inside wall of the rim. The serial format should be one of the following: 2SR – xxx 2SR – xxx – G 2SR – xxxx – G 2. Does it have the gear adjustment hole -- in the heel? When Baldwin bought ODE, in 1966 -- they kept using Chuck's original vendors, to make all of the parts.

So, all of the 'ODE' stampings remained on the metal work -- right up until the very end. The aluminum rims were die-cast -- with the molded-in words: ' Boulder -- ODE -- Colorado' along with 'model' and 'Grade' Those words were never eliminated from the mold -- even though the banjos were being made in Arkansas, starting in mid-1968. That has caused a tremendous amount of confusion over the years. (There is an also an apocryphal story circulating -- that the aircraft-grade aluminum, used in the ODE rims was obtained from crashed German Stuka dive bombers!

You're from London. Ever hear of that tale?;-) Since yours has ONLY the 'Baldwin' banner (with no ODE) -- it was made sometime from mid-1966 to '72 or '73. I'm still trying to tie-down a tighter date for the change to 'Baldwin + ODE'. I've documented an original purchase receipt, dated 7/7/71 -- for Baldwin DS--21xx-GE.

Best-- Ed Britt ••• A good fiddle tune will bring two or more people together who might otherwise be enemies. ••• Edited by - BrittDLD1 on 06:53:45. Posted -: 10:14:59 Hi, Laurence. Baldwin never revised the casting mold for the aluminum rims after they bought the Ode Co. The cast ODE, Boulder, Colorado letters have caused endless confusion ever since. Your banjo was made in Arkansas.

Without the hole in the heel, it's early. Your banjo could have been made in early 1969, and not sold until you bought it a couple of years later.

Your banjo is one of the first designs that came from the buyout. Chuck Ogsbury had a bewildering variety of different tone rings available in his aluminum rimmed banjos, and Baldwin eliminated them. They simply used the rim and installed a brass cap on the inner lip, which sounded good and was much easier to produce. The Grade 2 banjos were the first to be made in the Arkansas factory. The Grade 2 banjos were also the most consistent from first to last, with the fewest changes. Baldwin was not in cahoots with Burns guitars- they owned Burns, and adopted the Burns geared truss rod to the banjo line after your banjo was made. The Stuka story came from early Ode catalog's description of the aircraft grade aluminum the used for the rim.

If you think about it, the story really makes no sense, but it's exactly the kind of voodoo that folks like to pass on. Baldwin never changed other parts with Ode stamped on them, even when the banjos only bore the Baldwin ribbon. Anyone's guess is as good as any other as to why they continued to stamp the parts, but eventually, the Baldwin management realized that Ode was a better known name in the banjo community than Baldwin would ever be, so they dropped the Baldwin name. Regards, Stanger The pen is mightier than the pigs. Posted -: 10:56:57 quote: Originally posted by Laurence Diehl Hi Ed - The only serial number to be found is 310. This is not in the format you describe - prehaps I should look again?

And no, there is no hole in the heel. Photo here: Well. CONGRATULATIONS, Laurence!