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Hunting
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Now with Marc in Ontario.
No maker's marks, peghead looks like Buckbee, dowel looks like Dobson. I think this banjo was made by Buckbee after the style of Dobson. Bottom of fingerboard was splintered so I put in some protective brass sheetong, did not carve out a scoop.
Very good mechanical shape, scuffing and wear typical for a vintage banjo. I installed rosewood violin-type pegs, Nylgut "Minstrel" strings, Yellowstone banjo head, & one of my repro brass/hardwood tailpieces.
Neck has a nice, gentle "v" cross-section. I washed the dirt off the pot cladding but didn't polish - still had the "patina".
I bought this one from Al C. in Picture Rocks, PA. Al had a bunch of stringed instruments in his barn and I bought a bunch of them, blogged my adventure:
http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/blog.asp?id=24670&blogid=8679
DIMENSIONS:
Head dia. = 11 1/4 in., 24 hooks.
Scale length = 25 in.
String span @ nut = 1 in
String span @ heel = 1 3/4 in.
Bridge = ~ 3/4 in. tall.
SETUP:
* action @ octave = 3/16 in.
FLAWS:
Brass protective plate at bottom of fingerboard is recent. Very slight rutting @ first 3 frets, picture looks worse than it actually is, will not affect playability.
Uses violin-type tuners ....not really a flaw, but takes some getting used to if you've never used them. These are less precise than geared tuners, and take more attention than geared tuners. The banjo stays in tune.
Normal scuffing due to age. Overall the finish is in good condition.
ON THE PLUS SIDE:
Very nice tone & volume. Playability is very good, overall in good shape. Although plain-looking, this is a very nice, vintage player.
