1920s Unmarked 10" Rim Banjo Ukulele Mod

Overview: This started-off here at the workshop as a banjo-mandolin carcass with just a head, tension hoop, and neck brace plate. I've converted it into a 4-string banjo-ukulele and it's much happier and cozier in this configuration. The neck has just the right shape to suit ukulele chords and it has a lightweight build which is why I thought it would make a good instrument for conversion.

Tone: It's got pretty good volume and a sweet, mellow tone.

Feel: The neck has a medium-heft, C-shaped contour and a flat fretboard -- much like your average uke from the same period. Because the rim has so little heavy hardware, it's more suited to the way one might hold a uke (strapless) as well.

Interesting features: I filled half of the "shoe" holes and so used half of the number of hooks this originally would have had. There's not much of a need for that much tension on an instrument like this and so it lightened the whole thing up. The tuners are right-angle, guitar-style units that are cut-down from mandolin plates. It uses an old 1920s skin head but it's not the original as the original was torn.

Repairs included: A teardown, build-up, fret level/dress, replacement skin head, replacement bridge, replacement tailpiece, and setup work.

• Weight: 2 lbs 4 oz
• Scale length: 13 3/4"
• Nut width: 1 3/16"
• Neck shape: medium C
• Board radius: flat
• Head diameter: 9 7/8"
• Depth overall at rim: 2 1/4"
• Rim wood: maple ply
• Tonering: none
• Bridge: ebony/maple
• Fretboard: ebonized maple
• Neck wood: poplar
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: D'Addario EJ99T fluorocarbon
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: low/small

Condition notes: It's beat-up and modified but in good, sturdy, functional shape. The hooks, nuts, endbolt, and shoes are all non-original and a mix of older and newer parts. The tuners likely belonged to this in the first place but I've modified them. This had no proper neck brace on it so I've used a simple bolt hidden behind the little "neck plate" on the dowel to secure the neck.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: JW