1970s Wildwood "Minstrel" 5-String Openback Banjo

It's long been my belief that many old-time banjo players really would like more bluegrass-handling instruments if they just didn't have that dang resonator. My old-time-inundated friend Forrest picked this older, California-made Wildwood banjo (of Mark Platin fame) up for use as a "roving" instrument out west and I had to hide a dumb grin when he described all the features he liked about it that I think of as bluegrassy improvements -- a coordinator rod setup in the rim, a fast, C-shaped neck profile, longish Gibson-like 26 3/8" scale, sliding 5th string capo, adjustable tailpiece, comfortable armrest, and a bigger tonering.

While its aesthetic styling and sort-of-Tubaphone-like tonering suggest a Vega influence in the overall vibe, I really think this thing handles more like a Gibson Mastertone than any of the plentiful varieties of Vega-a-like "boutique" builds I'm used to seeing these days. The Tubaphone-like tonering is only Tubaphone-like to my eyes because it also seems to share some flathead Gibson DNA as well.

As you'd expect, then, it sort-of sounds like a good old 1920s Whyte Laydie Vega in its sustain and ring with a bit more of that Gibson pop and fundamental directness thrown in. The aged-yellow Remo Fiberskyn head does a nice job of mellowing the instrument down (it's still quite bright), but I can imagine this would be a rivet-burster if something like an Elite or frosted-top Remo head was installed.

Work included: a fret level/dress, fill/seal to hairline dryness cracks on the fretboard, teardown and cleaning, new compensated 5/8" bridge, reseating the 5th string peg, and a good setup. It plays perfectly with a straight neck and 1/16" action at the 12th fret and a working truss rod. While the banjo is good to go, I'll also be making a new nut with different spacing before handing it back.

Specs are: ...I forgot to write them down! Suffice to say, the scale is 26 3/8" and it has an 11" head. The rim is block-maple construction rather than ply (spiffy!) and the neck is two-piece flamed maple with an ebony fretboard and multi-layer maple/ebony headstock veneer.

Condition notes: worn-in, yellowed head, some tarnish on hardware, and an over-thick original truss rod cover.

How about that flame, huh?