Setup

I bought this banjo (slightly) used. It came with light gauge steel strings that sucked badly for it (due to fretlessness). I changed to heavy gauge nylon strings that (for me) are perfect. I love the feel of the nylon strings on this neck.

It had a thick 5/8” bridge that is just right. I played around quite a bit with bridge position to get the best scale length for my hand, and now it fits nicely.

It came with a no-knot tailpiece that works well with this banjo. I can’t imagine that a Waverly style tailpiece would help much, but I have one that I may try at some point. Still…I’m reluctant to fool around with something that sounds so right as is.

It does not have an armrest, but it really needs one because the bracket band and hooks dig into my right arm. I’ve ordered a Chuck Lee wire armrest that I’m hoping will arrive soon.

It came with a renny head that is perfect.

Setup Rating

9

Reliability

It’s not the least bit temperamental weather-wise, which is surprising to me given the 12” pot and nylon strings. Otherwise it’s quite solid, but also really light given the thin pot.

Reliability Rating

10

Components

It’s got nice five-star tuners (I think) and otherwise good hardware – grooved bracket band and “cobra” style bracket hooks.

I’ve never been really impressed with no-knot tailpieces, but it sounds right the way it is.

The neck is really nice – three ply with a strip of ebony in the center (unlike the earlier Student models). Ebony fingerboard, which I don't think is typical for the Student model. Anyhow, it feels great with a vintage Vega-like v-neck that is wide enough (generous even).

This particular banjo came with ebony tuner buttons that I now consider to be an essential upgrade for any OT banjo – it just looks way nicer than the standard plastic buttons on most banjos.

It really REALLY needs a simple armrest!

Components Rating

9

Setup

I bought this Wildwood from Elderly instruments. The set up out of the box was good, and I played it as is for several months before making some adjustments. The nut at the headstock was not well positioned. It was positioned so that the first string was right on the edge of the fingerboard. A slight adjustment to reposition the nut took care of that in about two minutes.

It came with a fiberskin head that I really like. It had a 5/8 bridge that was fine, but I’ve replaced it with a thicker 5/8 bridge. It also came with medium gauge strings that work well for this banjo.

The action was too low out of the box for the kind of playing I like. (There was no buzz or anything.) After consulting Mark Plotkin and the Elderly repair shop, I made a small adjustment to the single coordinator rod which raised the action just enough. It would be possible to get the action very low for up-the-neck playing for melodic clawhammer if that’s what you’re looking for. I wouldn’t mind a bit higher action so that I could play over the neck sometimes, but I’m afraid to push the limits of coordinator rod adjustment. It would be great if Wildwood offered this banjo without the last five frets so that it would be easier to play over the neck (which I do for a couple of songs I like).

Setup Rating

9

Reliability

This Wildwood is a really sturdy banjo. It is not the least bit temperamental (as banjos go) concerning humidity and barometric pressure. Very reliable.

Reliability Rating

10

Components

The hardware is solid. It comes with a Waverly style tailpiece which is perfect for this banjo. The Gotoh tuners are just fine – easily comparable to Five Star. They work well and look good. The brackets etc. are top notch. The 11 in. pot is MASSIVE and heavy and sounds fantastic. The neck feels great – comparable in feel to my vintage Fairbanks Vega. The fret wire is a bit more robust than I’m used to, but after several months I like it just fine. Again, I think the neck could be offered without the last five frets and perhaps a 1/16 in scoop. It is difficult to play over the neck as is – my only complaint.

Components Rating

10