Baldwin Ode Banjo Serial Numbers

16-08-2021
 |  [RAND-100] - Comments

ARCHIVED TOPIC: Old ODE Banjo Serial Number Question

  1. The other was an intractable conflict with a union. Just as Epiphone had a problem in ’52 when it left New York for Philadelphia to escape labor disagreements, Baldwin moved manufacturing to Arkansas. Eventually it would operate plants in Fayetteville, Booneville (which would handle Gretsch), and DeQueen (which would handle Ode banjos).
  2. 1977 Baldwin Ode/Model#6500 DSR Serial# 7-77-08 I bought this beautiful banjo in the fall of 2011 to replace my old nickel-plated 1972 model D I had played for almost 10 years that was lost in an accident. It took me almost nine months of hunting before I found a Baldwin ODE like my old one.
  3. The very last banjo built at the Nazareth factory was #1969 as documented with a Letter of Authenticity by Martin historian Mike Longworth. But, what about the missing 23 other banjos bearing #1946 through #1968? The BRC has received information on only one Tu-Ba-Phone Deluxe, but its serial number was a duplicate and spurious.

1976 Baldwin Ode banjo June #61 June #74 2001 Flatiron A5 Artist. For some reason, it looks like the original serial number has been covered up by another. May 27, 2011 to Baldwin. (It would be an 'official' ODE - with a dowelstick, stamped with 'ODE Boulder, Colo.' And a serial number in the 19xx to 21xx range.).


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/136924

raypicks5 - Posted - 01/14/2009: 15:21:39

If an ODE model 6500, style D had a serial number 10-62-80, when was it made? Anbody know?
Thanks for any help, Ray

Edited by - raypicks5 on 01/14/2009 15:22:15

sctrms - Posted - 01/14/2009: 16:20:11

First you should check out this long thread about ODEs....its been running for a couple of years.
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...PIC_ID=61043
Second - unless he beats you to this, look on my page and see STANGER -- he and Ed Britt will know everything right down to what the guy at the factory was snacking on when that number was stamped on it..
But, it was probably made in 1980. My student (and she is on my front page AMANDA GOOCH) has a 6500 made in 1979. You can see her photos on her page.
And there is an ODE banjo group on YAHOO if you are interested in joining that. Lots of info and photos on there as well.
Scooter Muse
http://www.myspace.com/scootermuse
http://www.henrisnotions.com

stanger - Posted - 01/14/2009: 17:32:24

Hi, Ray...
I think you have one set of numbers out of order. I'll bet its 10-80-62.
There's a possibility that this number may have been written out of order- I've seen some labels where the person who numbered the label showed some number dyslexia. At the end of a busy day, this can hit most folks once in a while.
Either way, I'm with Scooter- your D was probably made in Oct. of 1980.
This numbering code started in the early 1970's, after Baldwin moved the Ode banjo works to Arkansas from Colorado. There were several earlier numbering systems used before the buyout and the move. This one made the most sense by far... the first 2 numbers are the month, second 2 are the year, and the third 2 numbers are the individual piece. The last numbers are an accumulation of all the banjos made during that month in all configurations and styles.
So far, it's impossible to say just how many of one model were made during a particular year, or how many of one model was made in total. The current databases being compiled are very incomplete. I'm sure there were original documents that detailed all of this info, but they're long gone now.
regards,
Stanger
The pen is mightier than the pigs.

Edited by - stanger on 01/14/2009 17:36:29

renopker - Posted - 01/15/2009: 07:03:06

I waited 1 year when I ordered my D and got it just after the new years S# 1-77-01

BanjoLink - Posted - 01/15/2009: 10:08:07

MIke - there is an old Ode (6500 model, I think - same as Ray's)) on Ebay that has a photo of the following serial number on the label (11-63-80). Would that indicate that the serial number Ray posted is probably correct?

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 01/15/2009: 14:21:34

quote:Originally posted by BanjoLink
MIke - there is an old Ode (6500 model, I think - same as Ray's)) on Ebay that has a photo of the following serial number on the label (11-63-80). Would that indicate that the serial number Ray posted is probably correct?

No... It just means that the SAME NEW-GUY wrote the label for
banjo #62 and in October, and #63 in November, of 1980.
Thanks for pointing that out -- there's an interesting 'pair'.
It *might* show someone was mixed-up for a while, on the order of the numbers.Ode
I've seen a couple others with the numbers swapped. I'll have to see of they are from the same time period...
Best-
Ed Britt
••• A good fiddle tune will bring two or more people together who might otherwise be enemies. •••

Edited by - BrittDLD1 on 01/15/2009 14:43:52

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 01/15/2009: 14:34:50

quote:Originally posted by renopker
I waited 1 year when I ordered my D and got it just after the
new years S# 1-77-01
Baldwin ode banjo serial numbers list printable
Hi Renopkr -
And that's exactly what your serial number shows:
January -- 1977 -- the FIRST banjo done.Baldwin ode banjo serial numbers list printable

Baldwin Ode Banjo Serial Numbers

Best-

Ode Banjo

Ed Britt
PS. Hope you're not not mad at my comments on the
'expensive' topic. Have you got any sound files of

Baldwin Ode Banjo Serial Numbers List Printable


you playing your Baldwin-ODE? You're a good picker!

Baldwin Ode Banjo Serial Numbers List Printable

••• A good fiddle tune will bring two or more people together who might otherwise be enemies. •••Baldwin ode banjo serial numbers list printable

stanger - Posted - 01/16/2009: 01:01:15

Ode Banjo History

Cool, Renopkr!
I wonder how far into the new year your banjo was completed and shipped. As the first finished banjo of the year, it was probably started just before the '76 holidays.
It could have been all done, ready to roll, before the holidays, too... all it needed was a final inspection, setup and a label before shipping. That could have been done on Jan. 2nd.
If neither, I suspect that it was started on the 2nd or 3rd, and completed 2 weeks into the new year- that seems to be the average time needed for most factories back then.
Fun to think about trivia like this...
regards,
Stanger
The pen is mightier than the pigs.