Fairbanks No. 0 5 String Banjo (1905)
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Item # 12065
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Fairbanks No. 0 Model 5 String Banjo (1905), made in Boston, Mass., natural varnish finish, spunover rim, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
While the Fairbanks company is justly remembered and renowned for the unmatched beauty and craftsmanship of their high-end banjos, even they offered humble beginner models as well. This is a very basic but attractive Fairbanks banjo, with the simplest construction and cosmetics but still a quality instrument. The rim is a standard 19th century spunover style; the mahogany neck has an ebonized fingerboard with plain pearl dot inlay and elegant lines. It is stamped "No. 0" on the dowel by the serial number, designating the lowest-grade model Fairbanks made in this period.
Even well over a century on this banjo retains its lovely original faux ivory friction pegs and tailpiece, and the Style 0 still merited a traditional engraved Fairbanks plaque on dowel stick which thankfully has not been poached. While aesthetically worlds away from the famously super-fancy engraved and pearl-inlaid Electrics, Whyte Laydies and Tu-ba-phones, this simplest of banjos banjo is still built to a high level of workmanship and is an excellent playing and pleasant sounding instrument.
Overall length is 35 1/8 in. (89.2 cm.), 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm.) diameter head, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
For being about 120 years old this humble banjo remains in excellent mostly original condition, and is a lovely little player. There is some minor tarnish to the spunover rim and hoop; all the hooks and nuts are very clean but they do appear more recent. The beautiful Celluloid tailpiece is original, and the metal retaining hook has notable plating loss. The artfully engraved Fairbanks plate and neck-setting screw bracket are still intact on the dowel stick.
The thin varnish neck finish is original with an area worn through in the lower position and some dings, dents and capo wear generally. The headstock is clean except for some wear to the edges and one large scratch across the face running up from the lowest tuner. All the lovely Celluloid pegs are original as well. The neck is nice and straight and the original frets and fingerboard have very little wear; the nut is newer.
Playing this banjo is a sonic trip back over a century; it was never "hogged up" with more modern hardware for steel stringing as so many were from the 1920s through the '70s still retaining its original gut-strung character. It offers a sweet fairly delicate sound set up with a Fiberskyn style head and strung with NylGut strings and resides in a modern HSC with an added artful rope handle. Overall Very Good + Condition.
While the Fairbanks company is justly remembered and renowned for the unmatched beauty and craftsmanship of their high-end banjos, even they offered humble beginner models as well. This is a very basic but attractive Fairbanks banjo, with the simplest construction and cosmetics but still a quality instrument. The rim is a standard 19th century spunover style; the mahogany neck has an ebonized fingerboard with plain pearl dot inlay and elegant lines. It is stamped "No. 0" on the dowel by the serial number, designating the lowest-grade model Fairbanks made in this period.
Even well over a century on this banjo retains its lovely original faux ivory friction pegs and tailpiece, and the Style 0 still merited a traditional engraved Fairbanks plaque on dowel stick which thankfully has not been poached. While aesthetically worlds away from the famously super-fancy engraved and pearl-inlaid Electrics, Whyte Laydies and Tu-ba-phones, this simplest of banjos banjo is still built to a high level of workmanship and is an excellent playing and pleasant sounding instrument.
Overall length is 35 1/8 in. (89.2 cm.), 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm.) diameter head, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
For being about 120 years old this humble banjo remains in excellent mostly original condition, and is a lovely little player. There is some minor tarnish to the spunover rim and hoop; all the hooks and nuts are very clean but they do appear more recent. The beautiful Celluloid tailpiece is original, and the metal retaining hook has notable plating loss. The artfully engraved Fairbanks plate and neck-setting screw bracket are still intact on the dowel stick.
The thin varnish neck finish is original with an area worn through in the lower position and some dings, dents and capo wear generally. The headstock is clean except for some wear to the edges and one large scratch across the face running up from the lowest tuner. All the lovely Celluloid pegs are original as well. The neck is nice and straight and the original frets and fingerboard have very little wear; the nut is newer.
Playing this banjo is a sonic trip back over a century; it was never "hogged up" with more modern hardware for steel stringing as so many were from the 1920s through the '70s still retaining its original gut-strung character. It offers a sweet fairly delicate sound set up with a Fiberskyn style head and strung with NylGut strings and resides in a modern HSC with an added artful rope handle. Overall Very Good + Condition.