This traditional fretless model is built along the same lines as the original Camberwell Fretless banjo, with a few notable exceptions. It sports a simple minstrel style headstock with minimal ornamentation and raw brass hardware throughout.
The Freedom Fretless is made from American Black Walnut with sustainable Richlite fingerboard and peghead. The rim is fitted with a simple rolled brass tone ring for added brightness. The vintage-style heel is boldly capped with a raw brass plate, hand-stamped with the word freedom.
A note about sustainability:
I am happy to announce that all of my banjos (starting with this one) will be built with only American-grown hardwoods and sustainable fingerboard and trim materials. I extend my personal gratitude to the owner of this new banjo for allowing me to make the jump to Richlite as a more responsible replacement for imported ebony. Richlite is a manufactured material made from super-compressed paper fibers and resin. It’s designed to be harder, more stable and more dependable than ebony. Richlite is already commonly used on many guitar fingerboards, and is one of the most favored alternatives to ebony for musical instruments moving forward.
The steam-bent rim is 3/8″ thick for lighter weight and a throatier tone – also in keeping with old style models from the late 19th Century.
Three-ply walnut rim
Walnut neck
Fretless Richlite fingerboard and peghead veneer
Frailing scoop
Raw brass heel cap with custom hand-stamped flourish
All-natural tung oil finish
Raw brass hardware with light vintage finish
Old-style round bracket shoes
Gotoh planetary tuners
Rolled brass tone ring
Richlite nut
Richlite dowel stick key
Raw brass 5th string pip
No-knot tailpiece
Natural goatskin head
Aquila Nylgut strings
Handmade bridge
Bad River shop rag
- CategoryRecent Banjos