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jbalch - Posted - 05/04/2012: 14:48:44
This is an interesting old banjo on ebaY. ebay.com/itm/A-RARE-ANTIQUE-7-...893bf654e
The piece if skin added to the head under the tailpiece caught my eye. I wonder if it was just decoration or had some purpose (a repair maybe). Any ideas?
tdennis - Posted - 05/04/2012: 15:12:15
I would think this was designed to reinforce that area where the tailpiece/looped string may have touched the head, or even to slightly lift the tailpiece from the vulnerable head. I have some old banjos that required some lifting & protection in this area, & have used some thin felt under the tailpiece to do the job.
jbalch - Posted - 05/04/2012: 18:15:05
I considered that. I think it is a cool look. I like the shape of the cut.
Ho C Ying - Posted - 05/04/2012: 18:58:53
How to play a 7 string banjo?
pastorharry - Posted - 05/04/2012: 19:09:45
Looks like a cross between a Johannes Bonefaas and a Mike Gregory. 
goldtopia - Posted - 05/05/2012: 06:33:12
Ha, hmm. well. It looks pretty old and may even have antique value. Well worth investigating, but I don't think it would play as well as Mike Gregory's square Eel banjos.
What was that ?
You have never heard of Mike Gregory ?
Bill.O
motleyminstrels.co.uk
Edited by - goldtopia on 05/05/2012 06:35:35
dbrooks - Posted - 05/05/2012: 07:04:18
What a great-looking banjo. Lots of attention was paid to the design and execution, so you have to think that the extra layer of skin was seen as a feature or enhancement. The inlays, side dots for fretting locations, 7 strings, etc., are all new to me. I wonder if this could be played as a guitar-banjo or 5-string or plectrum, etc. I hope it finds a good home.
David
GSCarson - Posted - 05/05/2012: 09:45:30
Neat old banjo John. Don't know about the head (but that is kind of neat), but really like the metal peghead and fingerboard. I've been working on one somewhat like that for myself for quite a while with the old wriggle engraving and such, and appreciated seeing it. Thanks for sharing. Glenn C.
