Comment by Steve Harrison on May 13, 2011 at 7:40

I see a slight variation in design regarding the 5th string. Your banjo has the zither system of a 5 peg head with a tunnel for the string and mine has the more conventional 5th peg on the arm. Does anyone out there know when the design changed?

Comment by marc dalmasso on May 13, 2011 at 11:40

I think both models were available from the factory in these periods ( 1920 ) ; same thing later , both models in the thirties but with the strange " art-déco " peghead

Comment by Ray Jones on May 13, 2011 at 21:53

Placing the 5th peg in the centre of the peg head was obviously quite common as you can see from this very old sketch of a banjo from the Victorian Gold Fields Theatre of 1852.

Comment by David Wade on May 17, 2011 at 6:15

Well, not so uncommon - the '33 catalogue which Richard has scanned some pages from ..... Premier and Popular models page 21 bottom left:

"SPECIAL NOTE - All Peg Head Banjos can besupplied with the Octave (5th string) Peg in Centre of Head instead of at side if desired. No extra cost"

Comment by Ray Jones on May 17, 2011 at 7:24

The correct name for a tube style banjo neck with the 5th peg coming out in the centre of the Peg Head is a " Belly Button Banjo ".    Don't you blokes know anything!

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