1900s Windsor Model 5 Zither 5-String Banjo

This is a glorious old Windsor zither banjo of the 5-string variety. I haven't had a zither banjo in for a while and it's nice to have such a quality one in the shop. It's also nice to see one without the usual neck-warp trauma that I've come to expect from many of these. This one is straight and feels great even with its long, 27 1/4" scale length.

Zither banjos were meant to be strung with a mix of gut and wire strings but I usually string them with Aquila Nylgut strings as if they were "classic," gut-strung banjos like American instruments from the same 1880s, 1890s, 1900s era. This is kinder to the necks and also gives them a great, punchy, clean sound rather than the raspier, bitier, too-overtone-rich sound that these have when strung with steel sets.

Anyhow, my guy Tim did most of the work on this -- cleaning it and its hardware, giving it a level/dress of the frets, replacing the 5th pip, knocking the neck angle back, and setting it all up. I helped him along here and there -- tweaking the bridge and nut adjustments, and giving him pointers -- but he did a great job with it. It not only looks glorious but it plays spot-on as well.

Neat features of these include 6 tuners for 5 strings -- what can I say, the Brits liked symmetry back in the day! -- and a tunneled 5th string that runs under the fretboard until it emerges at the 5th fret. This gives it a much faster, cleaner, and more balanced feel in the left hand than the usual "American-style" 5-string banjo... you're not encumbered by a tuner sticking-out into your hand as you move up and down the neck and capoing is a little simpler, too.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, much cleaning, shim-back of the neck joint, new 5th string pip, adjustments to the bridge and hardware, and setup-side work.

Weight: 6 lbs 0 oz

Scale length: 27 1/4"

Nut width: 1 5/16"

Neck shape: medium V

Board radius: flat

Head diameter: 8 3/4"

Resonator diameter: 11 1/2”

Depth overall at rim: 2 1/4" + arching to back

Rim wood: rosewood veneer over unknown

Tonering: integral -- zither-style head-mount

Bridge: original maple/ebony

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” overall (spot-on for nylon/Nylgut strings)
String gauges: Aquila Nylgut medium-tension

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-smaller

Condition notes: it's in really good shape and all-original save the 5th string pip and two pearl dots in the fretboard (there was missing inlay in two positions -- we filled the old complicated slots and replaced the inlay with simple pearl dots). The bridge, all the rim hardware, tuners, etc. are all-original. The finish looks good throughout but does have wear and tear here and there, of course, and some weather-checking from age. 

It comes with: sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: P51