Hello All.
First time poster so I hope I am doing this correctly. If not, please let me know.
I have most of an AC Fairbanks banjo I got from my aunt many years ago. It has AC Fairbanks Maker and the word Electric stamped into the wood of the rod attaching the neck to the rim. It also has the number 499 stamped into the rod and the inside of the rim. It has a 26.5” scale length and what looks like a 11.5” OD rim.
I have all the rim hardware except one washer for one of the shoes. One of the hook has its end snapped off. The tail piece is metal and has “Elite” on it. I have the flesh hoop and hold down ring. I am missing head, bridge, nut and all the tuners. There was not much inlay and most of it is gone. The neck is straight. Peg holes have a slight taper.
Is this an instrument is worth restoring or is it a better candidate for making playable and passing on to some young banjo player. Is there a place I can go to research what the original tuners were photos of the original inlays?
Thank you in advance. I want to do right by this instrument.
You might check out this thread that's also about Fairbanks banjos. Go here banjohangout.org/topic/409524
Restoration for sure. Where are you?
I am in the northeast Ohio area
Early Fairbankses had friction pegs like violin pegs. Ebony (live violin pegs) for lower level banjos. Celluloid/ivoroid for higher models.
Measure your peg holes VERY accurately with micrometer/calipers on front and back (to establish the taper). Same for the 5th string peg. You can buy violin style pegs new or used. Likewise there were metal-bodied friction pegs too which might be even easier to find.
Don't worry about a vintage washer. Either do without if the shoe doesn't fit so loose it rattles, or use any washer you can find that looks close.
Measure the head diameter (inner diameter of tension hoop) to find the diameter of a new head. Measure in 4 places and average the result to the nearest 1/16" inch.
An Electric was a pretty good model back in the day.
If missing inlays cause difficult fingering, use scissors to cut out some makeshirt filler pieces out of well-rinsed Clorox bleach bottle or the like. Glue with a dab of gorrilla glue.
You can make a nut from hard wood like an ebony piano key or a piece of dry cow bone. Or buy a piece from Stewart MacDonald.
Hook the thing up and pick it!
Edited by - The Old Timer on 07/26/2026 17:52:27
Thanks for the responses. I really appreciate them.
Is smakulafrettedinstruments.com/ still around? banjered
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