Hey there, appreciate the comment. I only use my nails for banjo :) I typically play in a clawhammer style as its easier on my joints. What you are seeing on my fingers are just splint rings, a medical device for those of us with weak hypermobile joints, they correct that issue.

I'm all for experiementation swapping bridges around but this bridge is indeed correct. I have another 1800's-1920 zitherbanjo (a george houghton reliance) with a similar bridge but without the ebony cap. Both feature a bridge of similar width and height with no legs. I'm not certain if you already know this or not but my banjo is made entirely of aluminium, with a maple top over the aluminium neck then ebony top over that. There is steel bracing inside the neck every few inches. It can withdstand medium strings just fine. The nut is also made from steel. If ever there was an instrument worthy of experiementing stringwise would be this one. I'm all for seeing what the clifford essex zitherbanjo string set will sound like on it. I did swap over the 5th string to nylon as a small experiment while I wait for the strings to come in, and the result was quite plunky ended up swapping back to the martin. Current gauges are .010, .012, .016, .023, and 5th is .010.The Martin strings are what this banjo was setup with about a week ago when I bought it from previous owner. The sound is quite something in person. I am however waiting on shipment of zitherbanjo strings from clfiford essex; I do have zither banjo strings from clifford essex on my george houghton zitherbanjo.