Pulling out all the stops
1928 Gibson Florentine
© Frank Ford, 2002; Photos by FF

Carved, painted, covered in pearloid, gold plated, engraved, and studded with rhinestones, you could't miss this one from the back row of the highest balcony! One of their fanciest custom banjos, the Florentine wasn't the most expensive banjo you could buy in 1928, but it was close.

What was Gibson thinking? Called the "Florentine," this banjo has scenes of Venice all over the fingerboard. And they didn't even make one called "Venetian." What were they thinking? Oh, yeah, I said I'd quit asking that dumb question. . .

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