Built during the late Baldwin era, this 1980 ODE Style D\u00a0 Model 6500\u00a0 is a high-appointment, Mastertone-style 5-string resonator banjo aimed squarely at bluegrass players who wanted a powerful flathead banjo with premium cosmetics.<\/p>\n
ODE began in Boulder, Colorado under Chuck Ogsbury. In a Banjo Newsletter interview, Ogsbury describes 1965 as the point where the company shifted into a new \u201cwood rim\u201d line, developing bluegrass models with a one-piece cast-brass resonator flange and settling on a cast bell-bronze flathead design for the tone ring. In the same interview, he states that he also designed the ODE Style \u201cD\u201d inlay pattern during this ramp-up, and that the resulting B, C, and D models became the foundation for what later sold as Baldwin ODE banjos.<\/p>\n
Ogsbury sold ODE to Baldwin in 1966. He notes that Baldwin kept banjo production in Boulder for about two years before moving it to DeQueen, Arkansas in 1968, and he also describes the peghead branding progression from \u201cBaldwin\u201d to \u201cBaldwin ODE\u201d to \u201cODE\u201d alone, including examples made by Baldwin around 1980 carrying only the ODE name.<\/p>\n
Within the Baldwin-era lineup, the Style D is widely regarded as the top-tier model, combining the most elaborate inlay work with gold-plated hardware and engraved metalwork. This banjo shows the expected Style D look: extensive pearl inlay on the fingerboard and peghead, a gold one-piece flange, and engraved armrest and tailpiece.<\/p>\n
This bajo is in overall great condition. Original frets are all there, there is some minor binding rot on the neck, standard playwear and no breaks. Gold plating is in good condition overall. Includes a TKL hard case, likely the original.<\/p>\n
SPECIFICATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n Built during the late Baldwin era, this 1980 ODE Style D\u00a0 Model 6500\u00a0 is a high-appointment, Mastertone-style 5-string resonator banjo aimed squarely at bluegrass players who wanted a powerful flathead banjo with premium cosmetics. ODE began in Boulder, Colorado under Chuck Ogsbury. In a Banjo Newsletter interview, Ogsbury describes 1965 as the point where the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":49684,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[215],"product_tag":[],"class_list":["post-49683","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-banjo","brand-ode","first","instock","shipping-taxable","purchasable","product-type-simple"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n