A 1979 archtop tenor banjo. Price negotiable (but I'll keep it if it doesn't sell). ★ This is a Gold Star banjo rim (TOKAI brand) originally sold in America, for a 5-string banjo, with a Japanese-made (probably also TOKAI) tenor neck attached. ★ I acquired this banjo, which a professional repairman likely re-necked, and have been playing it as my main instrument recently. I've experimented with different heads and replaced the tailpiece, and it's been producing a really great sound, making it one of my favorites. However, I've bought a new main banjo and can't manage both, so I'm selling this one. ★ I had a neck repair (rod check/reinforcement, repainting) done by a repairman I know well, and the neck is straight. In my opinion, the frets have plenty of life left, so no fret dressing was needed. ★ I used it for Irish music, and it has a loud, sharp sound. I think the sound is better than a Clareen Special / Pearl class banjo. ★ The inlays and the wood grain of the resonator are beautiful. It's a Gibson Mastertone copy, and I think it's one of the best 4-string banjos available in Japan. ★ TOKAI's Gibson copies at the time were made with a passion to surpass the originals, and they were quite popular in America, with the 5-string versions being especially sought after. (4-string versions are rare and hardly ever available.) → They sell for around $2000 (290,000-300,000 yen) overseas. It will be shipped in a hard case for transport. Gibson Clareen Paramount Vega B&D