Up for adoption is a very old frailer, most likely made in the 1800s but I can't date it exactly. The maker is unknown but all the hardware is high-quality, clean, and complete. The banjo is maple. The fingerboard, frets, and inlay are in good condition. There is a small chip missing from one of the inlays. But the inlays are all mother-of-pearl. It comes with the original tailpiece and original brass plate, the hallmark of an early frailer. The tuners are Peghed tuners and work very well. The nickel-plated brass-clad pot is clean and unblemished. There is a full set of original, old-style round shoes with vintage nuts and hooks that attach via holes in the tension hoop. Strap not included.
Now for a little history. I purchased the banjo in 2010 from Lloyd Blakely (formerly the owner of the "Fancy Banjo" website) after he reconditioned it; applied heat and pressure treatment to reduce a slight twist in the neck; and installed the Peghed tuners at my request. In late 2011 I asked Lew Stern of Little Bear Banjo Hospital in Staunton, Virginia to check it over and dress the frets a bit. Lew suggested we switch to a skin head and I agreed. He found that the pot was slightly out of round but compensated by fashioning a flesh hoop out of brass and neatly mounted the skin head. The frets are original and laid directly into the maple neck. It is strung with Aquila Nylgut strings and comes with a custom bridge made by Steve Davis. The strings are set higher than you would expect on a standard bluegrass banjo to accommodate a vigorous frailer or clawhammer player. I will include a standard design bridge (Grover compensated or equal) in the purchase so you can experiment with the set-up. I will included the Superior brand gig bag shown in the picture. This banjo has a warm, plunky tone but it's not so "woody" that I would call it "soft."
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