1900s/1970s Oscar Schmidt/Japanese 5-String Partser Banjo

I bought a big box of banjo parts recently and set-about making-up some interesting builds from them. This is one of them -- an 1900s-era 5-string neck made, more than likely, by Oscar Schmidt out of New Jersey. At this point in time the one-piece poplar build made sense as it would have been intended for a gut-strung banjo with, very likely, a thin wooden rim with nickel-plated brass cladding.

I thought it was appropriate, then, to fit it to a '70s Japanese aluminum rim which gives a tone very much like the original rim this would have had -- but louder, more poppy, and more direct. I fished antique friction tuners and buttons, a newer No Knot tailpiece, and various other parts from my bins. It was interesting to fit the neck, too, as I had to cut the rim to allow the dowel to pass through and, for those in the know, it's simply not fun working with aluminum despite how soft it is.

The result, however, is just about perfect -- a workmanly, comfortable, lightweight, gut/nylon-strung instrument that sounds like the "minstrel era" it was built at the tail-end of, yet loud-enough to play with jam buddies and a lot more rugged than the old guys, too.

Repairs included: mating parts, a fret level/dress and seating, new nut, new side dots, replacement bridge, replacement tailpiece, some replacement hooks, etc.

Rim wood: aluminum 

Tonering: none (integral)

Bridge: ebony/maple 1/2" with a shim on the foot

Fretboard: poplar (part of the neck)

Neck wood: poplar

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” overall (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: nylgut lights

Neck shape: mediu soft V

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: narrow-low

Scale length: 25 3/4"

Nut width: 1 3/8"

Head diameter: 11” (a bit out-of-round)

Depth overall at rim: 2 3/8"

Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz

Condition notes: it's fairly beat -- the neck finish has been sanded-down at some point and I simply buffed-up the back of the neck to make it smoother but otherwise left it as-is. The rim has a ton of wear and tear to its finish on the inside and various patches of oxidation and small nicks and dings throughout. All of the pegs are 1:1 friction pegs with screw-set tension, just like old-fashioned uke pegs. It takes a little to get used to. I can swap to geared banjo pegs if desired, but there's an almost-$100 upcharge to do it right.

It comes with: sorry, no case.