Vintage Recording King Lined Fretless Open-Back Banjo

Brand: Recording King

Type: 5-String Open-Back Banjo

Fingerboard Type: Lined Fretless (Inlaid maple fret lines for perfect pitch placement)

Condition: Fair (Vintage Used / Needs standard setup)

Functional Status: Playable, but benefits significantly from a tech tune-up.

Up for sale is a wonderful slice of old-time string band history: a Vintage Recording King Lined Fretless Banjo. Originally an historic house brand for Montgomery Ward in the 1930s (and famously revived with pre-war specs), Recording King instruments are highly revered for their woody, organic acoustic projection.

This specific model features a lined fretless fingerboard, giving you the ultra-smooth, slide-friendly, and warm old-time old clawhammer tone of a fretless banjo, combined with the helpful visual aid of inlaid wooden fret lines so you never lose your intonation.

Condition & Setup Report (Please Read Carefully)

• Fair Vintage Condition: This banjo is intact, stable, and ready to play right out of the box, but it is a true vintage instrument showing its age gracefully through standard finish checking, minor oxidation on the metal brackets, and normal play wear.
• Neck Adjustment Recommended: The neck could definitely use a fair adjustment (action height tweaks via the coordinator rod or a slight shim) to dial it into optimal, low-action playing specifications.
• Fretboard Hydration: The wood on the fingerboard is structurally solid but quite dry. It would highly benefit from a standard application of lemon oil or fretboard conditioner to enrich the wood grain and bring back its deep, sleek luster.
• Overall Status: Aside from these basic, standard setup preferences, the body pot, rim, and hardware are in good shape with zero structural cracks or open separation.

Why Choose a Lined Fretless?

• The Best of Both Worlds: Standard fretless banjos can be incredibly intimidating for beginners or performance players because there are no markers for your fingers. The flush, inlaid wood lines on this neck give you the seamless sliding capabilities of a true old-time clawhammer setup while keeping your pitch perfectly accurate.

What’s Included

• Vintage Recording King Lined Fretless Banjo Only
• Note: Does not include a case, gig bag, tuning wrench, or extra accessories.

Standard Reverb Shipping & Vintage Item Guidelines

• Packaging: Because vintage wood requires specialized care, the neck will be entirely immobilized and padded to alleviate pressure during transit. The entire instrument will be wrapped heavily in multiple layers of thick bubble wrap and suspended securely in a rugged guitar box packed with protective materials.
• Shipping: Ships promptly with tracking. Please check our feedback and buy with confidence!

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