Im trying to date 2 Gibson instruments – a mandobanjo, trapdoor model and a 5 string that may be Charlie Pooles banjo, can you help?
Here are two sites that will help with the serial numbering questions. Prewar Gibson Serial Numbers and the Gibson Company’s information site. Scroll down to “Gibson Serial Number Information.” You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it, but it is free from the Adobe web site. I don’t know how you would establish the Charlie Poole provenance; perhaps the Country Music Foundation in Nashville could help.
