Loar-signed mandolin banjo?

**mrmando** · Dec-23-2015, 11:23pm

Look, there are some times when I'm looking for a specific piece of information and the conversation goes off the rails and my question never gets answered, and those times do grate my cheese a little bit. But other times, like this one, I'm just throwing something interesting out for discussion.

**Timbofood** · Dec-24-2015, 12:46am

There's always tons of good information here, some of it isn't always what one might be originally looking for but, then there is all the fun of threads like this, I love all this. The brain is happiest when it's working, I'm usually pretty happy here.
You guys share so much so freely it's just fun to read!
Nice conversation starter Martin.

**slimt** · Jan-07-2016, 12:59am

Originally Posted by mrmando

Seller is claiming that this mando-banjo has Lloyd's signature on the underside of the head!

A photo would be nice. For $2,999 you'd think the seller could manage to document this particular claim.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gibs...AAAOSw~otWcd4A

Not a Loar sig at all.. got the answer required from the banjo seller..

**journeybear** · Jan-07-2016, 1:08am

Dang!

And I was really hoping, too ...

**LazyRiver** · Jan-29-2016, 3:37pm

I have a Gibson Jr mandolin banjo. There's a "signature" (really just script) on the underside of the skin head which says J?? B Rogers Jr (probably Jos B Rogers Jr). Below that in caps and smaller type: UNION BRAND WARRANTED. Both appear to be stamped. I would say it's more a seal of quality approval than anything else. A quick search on Google doesn't turn up very much.

BTW - I really like my MBs. I also have a Vega Little Wonder, which I like a bit better than the Gibson. I'm using ultra light strings on both (.009, .013, .020, .032"). These critters can be played very beautifully. They can also kick butt in a jazz setting with brass instruments. I've tried the Gibson in combo with tenor sax, baritone horn, and drum set. It holds its own very nicely. Another name for these guys is soprano banjo, since the tenor is an evolution of same.

**MikeEdgerton** · Jan-29-2016, 3:44pm

Actually that's the name of the company that made the banjo head. Jos. B. Rogers Company. One of their locations was in Farmingdale, NJ near where I live. They made drum heads and thus banjo heads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Drums