DESCRIPTION:
Built during the late part of 2002 at Appomattox VA, this Mike Ramsey Electric 5 String Open Back Banjo was recently set up at The Twelfth Fret and is in great playing condition. It was originally sold at Chanterelle Banjos in Appomattox VA during February of 2003.
Based on the 1980 Fairbanks Electric model, this lovely banjo is built with Maple pot and a Cherry neck with Ebony fingerboard, frailing scoop and an engraved Mother of Pearl inlay set. This banjo also features the distinctive "Electric" scalloped tone ring and no metal bracket band, the brackets mount directly to the pot. The 'No Knot' tailpiece is original. A 'Smile' bridge has been installed.
Wear is as expected for a 23 year old instrument that's been used as intended. The black finish on the pot is worn from clothing contact, while the neck has finish wear and a few small pressure marks.
Fret wear is light to moderate and heavy on a couple of lower frets. The fingerboard appears to have been constructed using a Gibson style process where the board was slotted and inlaid, the frailing scoop formed, then fretted and the fret ends trimmed flush to the board edge. Then, the binding is installed and once dry the board is glued to the neck. Finally the binding is shaped down to follow the edge of the board and the fret ends. This provides the binding 'nub' characteristic of Gibson instruments, which is very often lost during a re-fret; this loss however provides a wider fret playing surface.
Sold with a hard shell case.
The Fairbanks Electric models were the top of the Fairbanks line, and in 1901 the "Whyte Laydie" model used the same tone ring, but added a heavier brass bracket band, along with Maple construction and natural finish which provided the "Whyte" part of the name. Unfortunately, in 1904 a devastating fire destroyed the Fairbanks facility, and the remains of the company were sold to Vega on March 21, for $925 plus $1 for rights to four patents.
Mike Ramsey died June 25, 2021 at Appomattox, Virginia. He had been a well known and respected figure in the old-time banjo world for some time and a very nice memorial article can be read here.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: 'Electric' 5-string Open Back Banjo
- Instrument Manufacturer: Mike Ramsey
- Instrument year: 2002
- Instrument Finish: Black Pot, Cherry Stain Neck
- Instrument Class: 5-String Open Back Frailing Banjo
- Instrument serial number: 1362, built late 2002 at Appomattox VA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Playing Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 6.88 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 3.04 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 25.709 in
- Scale Length Metric: 653 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.308 in
- Nut Width Metric: 33.24 mm
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: No
- Case Type: Hard
- Items in Case: N/A
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190396
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |