Yellowstone Jewelry banjo #016

Converted from tenor to 5-string by adding walnut molding (wings) to both sides of neck, ¹/₄" fretless walnut fingerboard on top of existing fingerboard, ¹/₄ in deep brass-floored frailing scoop just below octave.

This is a short-scale banjo, since it uses the original tenor neck. Stamped Slingerland Maybelle.

My number #016 stamped on dowel and pot by me. I didn't stamp this one with the Yellowstone brand.

Rosewood violin pegs, Nylgut strings, Yellowstone banjo head. Original star peghead inlay. Grooved, brass brad 5th string nut. Perforated black walnut bridge.

This model banjo came with a nice, solid, 1/4" dia. iron tone ring. I suspended the original tone ring on brads similar to the suspension on my Cole Eclipse.

Finish was in poor shape. I thought the wood was tiger maple, but Slingerland had used a "faux" tiger maple staining technique. I replicated this staining technique in a compatible, dark stain. Finish is multiple coats of thin spar varnish, wiped off between coats, and has a matte, off-gloss appearance. Neck and pot appear to be maple.

Tailpiece is a brass replica of a vintage J. E. Dallas tailpiece.

DIMENSIONS:

Head dia. = 10 ⁷/₈ in.

20 hooks, all but two appear to be original.

Set up w/scale length approx. 20 in.

String span @ nut approx. 1 ³/₁₆ in

String span @ heel approx 1 ¹³/16 in.

Bridge approx ⁷/₈ in. tall

SETUP:

action @ scoop approx. ¹/₂ in.

action @ octave approx. ¹/₄ in.

FLAWS:

Small irregularities in brass frailing scoop floor, shown in pictures. Two small "puckers" in the Yellowstone head as shown (@ 12:20 and 5:00 positions)..... don't affect sound or playability.

Originally came with a bird's-eye maple resonator (simple, round ¹/₄" sheet tacked to rim). I left the tack holes open in the rim..... can probably find the resonator if someone wants it.

The Nylgut 1st string broke. I replaced it with a 30 lb stiff nylon monofilament. I scuff monofilament with #180 sandpaper to improve the feel and to improve the sound. Sounds pretty close to OEM Nylgut.

Normal scuffing due to age.

ON THE PLUS SIDE:

This version of Slingerland's tone ring system is pretty nice. They also used it on the banjos they manufactured for S.S. Stewart in the early 1900's. I priced this banjo a little higher than most of my conversions because it has better-than-average sound.

Sound is a little more treble than some people like. Will ship with an extra bridge or two made of thick walnut for bassier sound.

Mechanically, this banjo is in very nice shape. Neck is multiple laminate. Uses the Vega-style dowel yoke.

SOUND CLIP

Banjo #016 Green Willis

This link opens up a YouTube clip in high-quality stereo (the default YouTube layer is low-quality mono). You can turn the fiddle or banjo tracks up or down.