Radio Star 5 String Banjo w/ hard case - As Is

"Radio Star" is a stencil or house brand name — the kind of label that appeared on instruments sold through department stores, music catalogs, and regional dealers throughout the 1920s and 1930s, applied by the retailer or distributor rather than the manufacturer. The actual builder is unknown, which is true of the majority of instruments from this era sold under trade names. What you're looking at is the physical banjo itself: a five-string resonator with a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, original tone ring, and a 23" scale at 1-1/8" nut width — dimensions consistent with the working professional instruments of the period.

This is an as-is sale, but there are no major/devastating issues with the instrument. The nut appears to be replaced, and there is no 5th string nut at the 5th fret position. The tuners and bridge are reproductions. The head will likely need replacement. There are lifting frets that need to be addressed before the instrument plays reliably. The fretboard needs conditioning. The whole instrument needs a deep cleaning and full setup before it's playable at any serious level. The non-original but period correct hardshell case is included - something that adds some value as it might be useful for a more expensive banjo.

What this is, honestly, is a project for someone who works on banjos or wants to — a 90-plus-year-old instrument with original structural components intact, sold transparently at a price that reflects what it needs. The neck, the tone ring, the resonator, the pot — the bones are there. The work required to bring it to playable condition is real and should be budgeted accordingly.

Mahar's Vintage Guitars is a brick-and-mortar and web-based retailer. We are happy to talk with you before you make a purchase.   Please reach out if you feel so inclined! We cross market our items here and on our own site, so items are subject to sale elsewhere at any time (however we will never cancel a sale if it happens here first). See our profile here, our Google reviews as well as our 100% positive Reverb feedback. Also, Reverb limits us to only 25 pictures of our items. There is a good chance we have more. Contact us if you’d like to see them.

No sales tax for direct sale customers outside California. Reverb sales are always taxed.

SPECS:

• Weight: 8lbs 5.5oz
• Tone Ring: Original
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fretboard: Rosewood 
• Inlays: Dot
• Frets: Original
• Fret Count: 19
• Nut: Looks Replaced. No nut for 5th string @ 5th fret.
• Nut Width: 1-1/8"
• Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .86"
• Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: 1.01"
• Total Length: 38-5/8"
• Head Diameter: 11"
• Resonator Depth: 1-1/2"
• Bridge: Grover Repro
• Tuners: Repro/Replaced
• Case: Non Orginal HSC
• Notes:

Shipping policy:

There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site.  Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver.  For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for Eastern states - customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air.  Otherwise, ground shipping will be used.  Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to .  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.