So, what makes this a "minstrel banjo"?

And why is that a minstrel banjo more so than this?
 

I thought the banjo was interesting until I saw the Remo logo on the head.

Bob Smakula

Provenance beyond poorly informed guesswork would be helpful.

It is pretty obvious that the "inexplicable" holes are the original friction peg holes for the second and third strings and that the guitar tuners have been added at some later time (though perhaps not that later).

These unique banjos often make me wonder if they were not a product of some "mechanic" with time on their hands and the idea that they could make something better than store bought.

The plastic head does not offend me that much, but the bridge feels egregous to me.

The hook shoes are interesting. They're bolted to the rim but also have a little tab that extends under the bottom edge. The bottom edge of the rim is notched for each shoe tab. Never seen that before.

Looks like a well executed instrument by someone who knew what they were doing. Condition is excellent, esp if it is truly a 19th C build. Nice case!

As normal, the head and bridge are easily changed. I think the asking price is ~$3k too high.

I think this thing is super cool but Retrofret (as always) is so top of the market it makes me wonder (as always) how they ever sell anything!

Don’t get me wrong, it is pretty cool and does look well made, and it was very likely used in minstrelsy (professional or amateur), but so were ukuleles, tenor banjos and arch top guitars.

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

 

These unique banjos often make me wonder if they were not a product of some "mechanic" with time on their hands and the idea that they could make something better than store bought.

Definitely... banjos, more than many other instruments, seem to attract the inveterate tinkerer. I have worked on many home-built/modified banjos with added features that obviously took a lot of time, and are often very well done, but are completely inscrutable to anyone but the responsible party.

Add in the fact that having such items custom made locally (or making them yourself) was far more common back then than it is now.

I agree that it likely started with friction pegs, hence the "inexplicable" holes and the creative mounting of the 5th string tuner.