Mike Ramsey 5 String Fretless Banjo (2000), ser. #1142, black tolex hard shell case.

Mike Ramsey 5 String Fretless Banjo (2000), made in Appomattox, VA, serial # 1142, natural finish, laminated maple rim amd neck, ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.



The late Mike Ramsey was one of the best regarded of modern "vintage old time" banjo makers. He began building in 1986, and in 1990 went into full time banjo production in Lebanon, Ohio. In 1994 he moved his shop to Appomattox, Virginia where this banjo was made, and again in 2005 to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Around 2010 he moved for the final time to Pittsboro, NC and passed away in 2021.

Ramsey's banjos manifest more variety and eccentricity than those of his nearest compatriot/competitor Bart Reiter, and if sometimes slightly less cleanly made are always interesting and worthy instruments. This fretless model is built on a 12" maple rim with quite a thin ply wall for a modern banjo. Topping that is a spun brass hoop tone ring in the 'Little Wonder' mode and pretty standard hardware including a repro "No Knot" tailpiece.

The 26" scale neck is made of two pieces of bookmatched beautifully figured flame maple with a frailing scoop on the smooth heavy ebony fingerboard, which is completely plain except for one charming sailboat inlay at the 5th fret. The headstock has a pearl "Saturn" inlay in the ebony face and geared Planet pegs.

This banjo's design mates the medium scale fretless neck to his preferred larger head so offers a slightly darker, plunkier sound than many frailers while being light and very easy to play. As Mike Ramsey is now gone there will be no more of these made. This is a nice piece of his legacy and a delightful instrument to play, a fairly plain but lovingly made fretless banjo with a distinctive sound.

Overall length is 36 3/4 in. (93.3 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) diameter head, and 2 3/4 in. (7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 in. (660 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/16 in. (33 mm.).

This around 25 year old banjo shows only very light play wear and remains pretty much as Mike Ramsey built it just about a quarter century ago. The nickel plating has some minimal tarnish and there is some very light finish wear, mostly dinks to the rim. The smooth ebony fingerboard shows hardly any wear as well and this is a lovely modern "Old Time" fretless frailer, something that has become more popular in the last decades as younger players investigate more esoteric banjo sounds. This is a lovely find in a vintage-modern instrument complete in what appears to be the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.