C 1925 Fairbanks Tubaphone No. 2 Banjo Pot number 79795 Conversion with John Gough Neck

A Fairbanks Tubaphone No. 2 pot is paired here with a neck by John Gough, another respected name in the world of contemporary banjo making. This is a purposeful combination instrument built for a player who wants vintage tonal character with modern playability.

Build & Materials

• Pot: Fairbanks Tubaphone No. 2, with perforated brass tube tone ring
• Neck: 5-string neck by John Gough — good fretwork, a neck profile suited to extended playing, and the kind of careful setup that vintage pots sometimes lack when they arrive on the market without a proper neck

Sound Profile: The Tubaphone pot is the draw here. The perforated brass tube tone ring gives this design its warm, round, and complex tonal character — distinctly different from the brighter Whyte Laydie, and something many players find more versatile across different old-time musical contexts.

The Details

• Pot built by A.C. Fairbanks (Tubaphone No. 2)
• Serial number: 79795
• Neck built by John Gough, a respected name in contemporary banjo making
• Very good condition
• From the Marvin Rosenberg Collection

The Marvin Rosenberg Collection: This banjo comes from the collection of Marvin Rosenberg — patriarch, attorney, corporate counsel, competitive sports car racer, and lifelong lover of folk and Americana music. For decades, Marvin showed up to jam sessions and bluegrass venues with friends, and that same passion shaped his instrument collection. He sought out player-grade instruments — vintage pieces with real, honest wear from a life of actual use — over pristine collector-shelf pieces, assembling a personal collection of guitars, mandolins, and banjos meant to be enjoyed rather than admired behind glass. Each piece was a tool of a passionate musician, chosen with the discerning eye of someone who understood exactly what made it special.

In stock now at Wood & Wire. A well-considered and musically excellent combination.

* The information presented here was collected from the estate of Marvin Rosenberg and independent research. It is accurate to the best of our ability.