So! I bought a Greenop banjo last year (yes, "Skeleton Dance" Greenop). Almost identical to this one at ZitherBanjo.org. My question: steel or nylon strings? The several spare strings in the case were metal, and the one at the link is strung with metal. I have it strung with metal now, but I obviously want to do right by it. His patent for this design was dated 1926, so it could go either way.

When I couldn't find the vellum I wanted locally, I turned to Elderly Instruments in the States (I ordered from them for years when I was there). I kept the total under £18 so the Customs man wasn't interested and I've just received the order, 16 days after I placed it (9 days after they emailed to say it had shipped). That's a vellum head (about £5.50), a bridge and some picks and things. Shipping was $10 (about…

There's an auction in Ireland tomorrow that's got a Riley-Baker patent zither banjo in it, guide price £252 - £288. That's the one with the all-aluminium pot and neck (the fingerboard is wood). Here are some good pictures of another example from somebody's blog: http://ning.it/jjyOmt



The auction thing is kind of interesting. You can sign up online, watch in realtime and bid. Unfortunately, you have to make arrangements for somebody to pick things…

Two weeks ago, I'd never heard of a zither banjo. I spotted one in the window of an auction house and thought, "what the heck...?" So I Googled around until I learned a bit more.

Had. To. Have. One.

As luck would have it, when I tried the keywords on eBay, there was only one listed -- and the auction was just closing, and it was a beauty. Nipped in and got it (at a very good price, I think) and it arrived this morning.

So...who the heck made…