Ome Deluxe Juniper 12" Old Time Model 5 String Banjo (2005), made in Boulder, Colorado, serial # 4912, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple rim, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This openback Deluxe Juniper 12" model frailer's banjo is one of Ome's standard products, a very well built and great sounding example of this style of instrument. The large 12" laminated maple rim is capped on the bottom with tortoise binding and carries a simple "Little Wonder" style tone ring, the head secured with 26 Vega-style brackets. The rim is fitted with Gibson-style coordinator rods instead of the more traditional wooden dowel, making for convenient neck adjustment. The tailpiece is a repro No-knot.
The fingerboard on the one-piece maple neck has frailing scoop; it is inlaid with very attractive shaped abalone manifesting a beautiful greenish glowing look, carried over to the rosewood-faced headstock. The banjo is finished in a light shaded maple overall, the hardware is chrome plated. This is a truly superb playing and sounding modern frailing banjo, a bit less "old timey" traditional looking than say, a Bart Reiter or a Ramsey but an equally high quality instrument.
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) diameter head, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 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.).
This 20 year-old banjo shows only very light handling wear and looks really very little played. It is fitted with a fairly heavy genuine skin head that definitely adds a more vintage, old-timey sound to this otherwise modern openback. It plays perfectly and resides in the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
