SOLD Wunderlich Boucher style minstrel banjo

Price: $250.00 USD

Boucher style banjo custom built for me by George Wunderlich in the 1990's. I used this banjo, and one other, exclusively for twenty years performing with
the Camptown Shakers band, including three CD recordings. There are lots of audio and video samples of this banjo being played on the internet, just search
“Camptown Shakers”. Pretty much anything in the key of D or G is played on this one.

This banjo has a 13” steam bent rim, a 25” scale, a Boucher style peghead and double ogee neck with a figured peghead and fingerboard veneer. The hardware
consists of six hand fabricated brass ring-shaped shoes, brass hooks, and brass hex nuts. There is a signed Wunder Banjo Co. label pasted to the inside of the
rim documenting it as the 40th built and the last one made in St. Louis (before George moved east).Its set up with a hide head and nylgut strings. I always used
gut when I was performing with it but I think the sound is pretty close with the nylguts.

The banjo has a lot of patina having been used a lot and has some pretty dark fingerboard staining in the first position but I don't see much in the way of wear
there. I have noticed for years that the rim has “taco'd” a bit, meaning that it is no longer completely flat on the edges. Unfortunately this is a common problem
with this type rim construction and I may have hastened it by my desire to keep the head on the tight side for playing to a large audience. It didn't affect my
playing since I prefer a high action anyway for clarity and volume. I have noticed the same problem starting on my current banjo.

I have a pretty aggressive style and when playing stroke I was having trouble keeping the strings in the nut gooves so I added four small staples made from
u-shape bent copper wire. These were placed just behind the nut, the string passes underneath. The copper has darkened to the point they are barely noticeable.
See, the original Boucher banjos had little or no back tilt to the peghead and this mod was my way of dealing with what I felt was a fault of the original design.
The other work-around typically employed is a tall deeply grooved nut which does the same thing.

I'm selling this banjo for $250 plus shipping, a low price due to its well used condition and not-flat rim. I think that George has stopped banjo production so
this is a rare opportunity to collect one of his banjos at a pretty low price.

Shipping: Shipping via US Postal Service buyer to pay postage

Posted By: dculgan
United States, West Grove, PA, 19390

Condition of Banjo: Used - Good Condition

Type: 5-String Openback, Brand: Wunder

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