2000s Donald Wayne Clampitt Guitar-Shaped 5-String Banjola

My friend Rick found this instrument locally. It's a banjola but one shaped like a guitar rather than a banjo or mandolin. It has the maker's name inside as well as the name of his music store, "Der Baskit Kase," in Jefferson, Texas.

It's solid spruce over solid walnut, ladder-braced, and has a usual Gibson-style 26 3/8" banjo-style scale length. It's a little crude in the build but caringly-done, for sure. Problem areas with the design include not enough back-angle/downpressure at the nut and saddle, but we dealt with that via some downpressure/string tree bars. The top is built light and it has a great, woody sound fingerpicked or frailed.

Work included a fret level/dress, side dots, setup, and some cleaning done by Ancel and general fussing and minor modifications by myself.

I think the builder passed-away about 10 years ago (RIP!), but if that's not the case, please let me know. At any rate, he built a fun, quirky, and endearing instrument and I'm glad it's going to be making some music soon.