1890’s New York School Pony Banjo, Project
1890’s New York School Pony Banjo, Project. A mini banjo worthy of your attention to get it back into playing condition. Having features of late Buckbee and early Rettberg & Lange instruments, but no identifying makers stamp, our pedigree conclusion is it was made in New York City in the 1890’s. The neck is made of cherry. The ebonized maple fretboard fell off at some time in the past. Original fretboard scale length was probably 19” to 20”. The ebonized maple peghead overlay and heel cap are both disintegrating and should be replaced. 7-15/16” is the rim diameter. It is a nice condition maple rim with a full nickel-silver spinover with a steel wire hoops at top and bottom. All 16 hooks, nuts, and shoes have defied the odds of being lost down a heating register during a disassembly for cleaning some time in the last 130 years and are in place. The dowelstick end-screw is designed to have a tail loop fastener for the tailpiece. To put this instrument back together I recommend a new fingerboard (fretted or fretless), peghead overlay, heel cap, tailpiece, violin style tuning pegs, nut, and bridge as well as a set of strings to suit your playing style. This banjo will be a gem when the careful reconstruction is complete. Price is $300 and a lightweight gigbag is included.