US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records CRB 2
- Format
- LP, Album, Box Set · Booklet
Pete SeegerThe Five-String Banjo Instructor
Vinyl pressings
The Five-String Banjo Instructor
by Pete Seeger · 1954
16 pressings3 countriesEducationFolkNon-MusicFolk
The Five-String Banjo Instructor was first pressed on vinyl in 1954. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of The Five-String Banjo Instructor
7 pressings came out in 1954, the album's first year. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records FQ 8203Folkways Records SQ 8203
- Format
- LP, 10" · with booklet
US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records FP 303
- Format
- 10", Album
- Runout / matrix
FP 303 ARunout, Stamped, Side A
FP 303 BRunout, Stamped, Side B
[Ear Symbol]Runout, Stamped, Sides A & B
FP 303 ALabel, Side A
US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records FI 8303Folkways Records FM-8303
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
FM 8303 AxxSide 1
FM 8303 BxxSide 2
US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records FP 303
- Format
- 10", Album · Blue label
- Runout / matrix
FP 303 A 3TRunout, Stamped, Side A
FP 303 B 3TRunout, Stamped, Side B
[Ear Symbol]Runout, Stamped, Sides A & B
FP 303 ALabel, Side A
US
1954- Label and catalog number
- Folkways Records FQ 8203Folkways Records FI 8203
- Format
- LP, 10"
- Runout / matrix
FP 303 A 3TSide A runout
FP 303 B 3T PSide B runout
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 16 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1950s8 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records CRB 2First yearLP, Album, Box Set | LP, Album, Box Set |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FQ 8203 / Folkways Records SQ 8203First yearLP, 10" | LP, 10" |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FP 303First year10", Album | 10", Album |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FI 8303 / Folkways Records FM-8303First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FP 303First year10", Album | 10", Album |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FQ 8203 / Folkways Records FI 8203First yearLP, 10" | LP, 10" |
| 1954 | US | Folkways Records FI 8303 / Folkways Records FM-8303First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1958 | UK | Topic Records 10T2310", Album | 10", Album |
1960s4 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | US | Folkways Records FI 8303 / Folkways Records FI8303LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1968 | US | Folkways Records FTS 38303LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | Folkways Records FI 8303LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1968 | US | Folkways Records FI 8303LP, Album | LP, Album |
1980s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Spain | Dial Discos, S.A. FA 54.9394 / Folkways Records FA 54.9394LP | LP |
Year unknown3 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | US | Folkways Records FP 30312", Album · Colored vinyl | 12", Album · Colored vinyl |
| ? | US | Folkways Records FI 8303LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | US | Folkways Records FI 8303 / Folkways Records FM-8303LP, Album | LP, Album |
Tracklist
- A1A Basic Strum
- A2The Fifth String
- A3'Hammering On'
- A4'Pulling Off'
- A5Double Thumbing
- A6Frailing
- A7Three Finger Picking
- B1A Loud Strum
- B2Three Miscellaneous Postscripts
- B33/4 And 6/8 Time
- B4Blues And Jazz
- B5Spanish And South American Guitar Techniques
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of The Five-String Banjo Instructor are there?
16 vinyl pressings of The Five-String Banjo Instructor are listed here, from 3 countries, released between 1954 and 1986.
When was The Five-String Banjo Instructor first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1954, in US. One of them is Folkways Records CRB 2.
How do I tell if my copy of The Five-String Banjo Instructor is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use CRB 2, FQ 8203, FP 303, FI 8303) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is The Five-String Banjo Instructor on vinyl worth?
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
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