Since I loved the custom banjo that Mark Hickler initially built me, I asked him to build another. This is it. The plan was to use it at school (I teach Montessori elementary) but that never materialized. It has been played occasionally since 2011 and remains in mint condition.
This beautiful banjo has a wonderful tone (see video link in discussion URL). If you enter Mark's website below and explore under knowledge base you will discover that he has extensively tested the tonal qualities of various wood rims.
hicklerbanjo.com/Home.html
African blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) is extremely fine grained, hard, and dense; which contributes to its clear, resonant, and rich tonal qualities. It is the wood of choice for fine quality clarinets and oboes. Unfortunately, this grenadilla wood, the national tree of Tanzania, takes 75 to 100 years to mature. Its trade is now restricted dues to overexploitation.
I recommend searching Hickler within Banjo Hangout discussion forums to verify the quality of his work throughout the decades.
Banjo attributes:
African Blackwood tone ring
Mahogany rim
Peghead - inlaid ammonite fossil replaced with pyrite - Mesozoic Era
Keith D tuners
Waverly tuners
Goldtone graphite neck - consistent sound up and down neck - easily stays in tune
no truss rod adjustment needed - 5th string capo spikes at 7th, 8th, 9th frets
Purcell bridge
Gold plated hardware
Arm rest- Hickler custom engraved
Tailpiece - Fults 1934 gold plated
Banjo care: The banjo has lived in a hardshell case. My son recently moved to Europe, and I gifted the case to him because he liked all the stickers. He also has a Hickler custom banjo.
Due to the density of the blackwood rim, this banjo is not as light weight as some woody bluegrass banjos.
Shipping: Mark Hicker will package the banjo. No case included.
His band, Cisco and the Racecars, is worth a listen.
