andy perkins traditional instruments

a high-grade modern banjo from Ozark. It has an 11” x ¾” thick 3-ply maple rim with a heavy cast-brass arch-top tone ring & heavy-duty nickel-plated metalwork - 24 brackets and a Clamshell tailpiece. The plating is very good. Fitted with a 5-Star head. The truss rodded 5-piece walnut & maple neck is quite chunky with a bound rosewood fingerboard and very fancy Celtic “Kells-style” inlaid position markers. The scale length is 23” with 19 frets. Modern banjo fretting, very nicely done and hand-dressed for an excellent playing surface. The action is set-up low but is adjustable as required. Fitted with good quality vintage style planetary banjo tuners. The 5-piece walnut & maple neck is finished in clear gloss lacquer which matches the resonator very well - the finish is very good. The resonator is the standard decorated convex type and the flange is cast one-piece style well known from standard "Mastertone-style" models. Overall, this banjo is well built and very good value for money. It has a very bright, very loud tone suitable for either “drop” or standard tuning - though the inlay pattern suggests that it is intended mainly for “Irish“ music. A good Irish banjo which would suit a player of any standard.