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Topic: Any Info on the Gibson BR9??? |
Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2017 10:38 am |
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Hey, gang: Can anyone tell me anything about the early/mid-1940s, black Gibson
BR9? I haven't seen too many around (a lot of BR6s, though...and a few later gold BR9s).
Are they good playing/sounding steels?
Here's a pic of one of the ones I'm looking at:
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Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
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Michael Butler
From:
California, USA
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2017 2:32 pm
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You could have simply looked them up online. There's plenty of info and hundreds of pictures.
And that is a modified BR9. the bridge, pickup surround, controls and possibly the pickup are wrong. It's also been refinished. Most vintage dealers wouldn't touch it; refinishing alone cuts value in half.
It might be worth $100-150 or so if it sounds good, but I certainly wouldn't buy it.
Here's a real one:
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 25 Nov 2017 4:18 pm
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I've had two BR-9s, one new one in 1947.
They are an OK guitar, and were meant as a student model. Production was in the area of 12 to 15 thousand units, from folks have been able to figure out, so if someone on Ebay sez it's "RARE" , that's a lot of crap !! I sold the last one for $125 bucks at a convention..
Don't have a clue about the black one though.... |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2017 4:21 pm
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That's the very first version of the BR-6 in the photo, not a BR-9. The first generation BR-6 was finished in black and was the entry level lap steel from late 1946 until late 1947. It's basically an economy version of the BR-3/BR-4, and is virtually identical structurally and electronically.
Once the new BR-9 entered the picture in late 1947 and claimed the entry level position, the BR-6 was upgraded to a mid-level instrument with top binding and a sunburst finish.
With the exception of the missing plastic bridge cover, it looks totally original to me. I'd buy every one I could find in that condition for between $100.00 and $150.00. Chances are good that it sounds excellent. If it still has the original Klusons (hard to tell in pic), be prepared to replace their white plastic buttons. With new buttons and a new set of strings, it should be good to go for another 70 years or so. |
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