Jim Poulette's Banjos

Huber VRB-G

2005, VGC, and sounds incredible. Hand-built by Steve Huber.
Acquired from the collection of a professional musician during a visit
to Banjo Camp North in Groton, Massachusetts. Good sound and
playability all over the neck, great with a capo or open strings.
The neck is rock hard maple and the vibrations follow all the
way down to your gut - I call it the "Stelling Killer".
Specifications are as follows:

- Huber "vintage flathead" gold plated 20-hole tonering
- 3-ply rock maple rim
- One piece die cast flange
- Waverly V2 tuners
- Curley maple neck, curley maple sunburst resonator
- Rosewood fingerboard w/ flying eagle
- Antique binding
- Heavy gold hardware plating
- Pre-war style engraving
- Wadsworth 5/8 'old piano' bridge
- Clamshell tailpiece
- Spikes at frest 7 & 9
- TKL Hard shell case
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10

Out of production

Yates Rattlesnake

2006, VGC, (serial number #11) with a great mahogany sound.
Recently acquired as new old stock. This was my first banjo
with a radiused neck - very comfortable to play. Rumor has
it this was the banjo of choice by a 2006
Merlefest banjo competition winner and 3 time Georgia
State Flatpick Guitar/Banjo Winner in the Atlanta music store
where it was offered. Set-up was directly as-is from Warren
Yates, a nice guy and a hell of a banjo player.
Specifications are as follows:

- Mahogany neck and resonator
- Rosewood radiused fingerboard w/ Recluse inlay (Yates proprietary)
- Tone ring, 20-hole: Venom (Yates proprietary)
- Heavy nickel plated hardware
- Yates designed radiused bridge & tailpiece
- TKL hardshell case
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10

Out of production

Gibson Blackjack

2004, VGC, with the Gibson Crowe tonering that gives it a
great "cracking" mahogany sound. Having heard several Blackjacks,
some good and some not so good, I believe this is one of the
really good ones. This was my first "New Gibson" banjo, and I probably
played it for several years every night for at least an hour. When
I take this out of the case - I'm good for at least 2 or 3 hours
of serious 'memory lane' picking. The sound is "tubby-tubby-tubby"
My #1 player. Specifications are as follows:

- Mahogany pre-war v-shaped neck
- Mahogany resonator with concentric rings
- Maple 3-ply rim
- Rosewood fingerboard w/ old Gibson Style 3 inlay
- JD Crowe 20-hole old gold plated tone ring
- Old-gold plated hardware (gold over copper flash)
- Gibson hard shell case
- Suuffy Smith 5/8 old-wood bridge (thinned slightly)
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10, bridge up for a tubby sound!

Out of production

Kyle Smith Legend

2007, Mint condition, custom made gold plated maple banjo
hand-built by Kyle Smith (the set-up specialist) of Cherry Plains,
Tennessee. Top quality beautiful bluegrass banjo in all respects,
includes recent set-up by Kyle also. To me, this feels just like
a Granada, but with a much better sound (could be the tone ring/rim
combination) and a slightly more comfortable neck.

- Highly figured curly maple neck
- Highly figured / flamed curly maple resonator
- Pass 600TS rim
- Rosewood fingerboard w/ flying eagle inlays
- Gold plated Tennessee 20 tone ring
- Gold plated hardware
- TKL hard shell case
- Sosebee 5/8 old-wood bridge
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10, bridge up for a tubby sound!
- Recent set up by Kyle Smith also

Custom

Gibson RB-250

1971, VGC, standard completely original Gibson RB-250.
Great playing and sounding banjo. Originally purchased from
a Pastor in North Carolina, the proceeds for which were used
to put a new roof on their church. As they say: "The RB-250
was the workhorse of the Gibson Mastertone line from the 1950s
through the 70s. Includes one of the original Kulesh tone rings."

- Mahogany neck and resonator
- 3-ply rim
- Kulesh tone ring
- Ebony fingerboard w/ standard RB-250 inlay
- Single white binding
- Five Star tuners
- TKL hard shell case
- Snuffy Smith 5/8 old-wood bridge
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10!

In Production

Gibson RB4

1994, VGC, standard completely original Gibson RB4 reiussue.
Great playing and sounding banjo. Originally acquired from
John Drummond on consignment from a long time local bluegrass
picker of over 30 years. This baby's got a lot of miles on it, but
it's also the best sounding banjo I own - a favorite player
with a great sounding 4th string.

- Walnut neck and resonator
- 3-ply maple rim
- Gibson standard tone ring
- Ebony fingerboard w/ flying eagle
- Single white binding
- Waverly tuners
- Custom cedar creek hard shell case
- Snuffy Smith 5/8 old-wood bridge
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10!

Out of Production

Gibson RB75VL

2009, New old stock, standard completely original Gibson RB75 reiussue.
haven't played this too much, but I intend to.
Real photos forthcoming! Presently on loan to a real "roots blues" guy.

- Mahogany neck and resonator
- 3-ply maple rim
- Gibson standard RB75 tone ring
- Rosewood fingerboard w/ flying eagle
- Single white binding
- Waverly V2 tuners
- OHS Gibson case
- Snuffy Smith 5/8 old-wood bridge
- Presently set-up with 10,11,13,20JD,10!

Out of Production, #11 of 15 produced