2010s Enoch Tradesman 12" Rim Fretless 5-String Banjo

Overview: This is a moderately-used, somewhat-older, Tradesman-model banjo. Kevin Enoch built this line to be an entry-level, American-made, quality old-time set of instruments. This particular one has a big old 12" rim, fretless neck, and is built from nice materials and has a good, sweet, warm sound.

Interesting features: The rim is built like late-1800s ones -- thin and with no metal tonering and fewer "hooks per inch" than you'd expect for the size. This gives it that open, woody tone that folks are searching-for these days, though it does make the rim more susceptible to weather-changes than a big, thick, ply one would. I love the Buckbee-like "boat heel" shape to the neck.

Repairs included: I gave it a glorified setup -- adjusted the truss rod, knocked the neck angle back a bit with shims, adjusted the bridge, and set it up. It's currently running 10s and is playing spot-on and ready to go. I set the bridge for a specific scale length so that the 5th string "pip" lines up as where the "5th fret" would be on a normal-playing banjo for easier finger-reference, though the player can put the bridge wherever they like, of course.

• Weight: 4 lbs 3 oz
• Scale length: 25 1/8"
• Nut width: 1 1/4"
• Neck shape: medium-deeper soft V
• Board radius: flat
• Depth at first fret: 57/64"
• Depth at seventh fret: 61/64"
• Head diameter: 12"
• Depth overall at rim: 2 5/8"
• Rim wood: walnut?
• Tonering: none
• Bridge: maple/ebony
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: walnut
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable (buried at heel)
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: none

Condition notes: It's a little grungy in the head, for sure, and shows some wear to the hardware's plating and some definite wear on the rim's edges and a little finish muck near the dowel/tailpiece area at the inside of the rim from where a pickup was presumably mounted. The neck is fairly clean, though.

It comes with: It has a gigbag.

Consignor tag: DAAN