Zither: no tunnel

[Malachy Robinson]

Hello folks. I have acquired a zither banjo with a 5 peg headstock and no tunnel. There's a pip on the 5th fret but it's not clear to me how the 5th should travel beyond that. The nut is only 4 strings: does the 5th just run alongside the neck after the pip? Has anyone seen this type of neck? (It's needing repair of course, the back is off, strings and bridge gone, but neck seems original and non-slotted headstock and tuners look like Windsor) Thank you!

[Malachy Robinson]

[Steve Harrison]

I've owned this banjo for many years, and have been unable to find the maker but as you can see from the picture, it has the 5th. string running along side the neck. When I first got it, I initially thought it might have been a 4 string conversion but on closer examination this is not the case, the fret board and neck have been shaped to accommodate this...Steve.

[Malachy Robinson]

Thank you! I still don't understand how my one was supposed to work, but maybe I'll add a second side pip like this 

[Steve Harrison]

Hi Malachy, the fitting on the side of the neck that takes the 5th string is a very small eyelet through which the string is threaded. You may have problems finding one so small but it would be possible to make one from light gauge wire...Steve. 

Malachy Robinson said:

Thank you! I still don't understand how my one was supposed to work, but maybe I'll add a second side pip like this 

[Richard William Ineson]

There was a banjo maker in Glasgow called Buchanan who made 5 stringed banjos without a 'tunnel' for the 5th string but which connected with a peg in the head. The 5th string went over a pip in the fingerboard and then followed a groove in the side of the  neck up to the tuning peg. You will probably be able to find a photograph of one of Bunchanan's banjo if you search under 'Buchanan's Patent'.

[Malachy Robinson]

Thank you! This is what I found, and it seems like a good solution for me, (although in the absence of the second side-pip I don't know how my one originally worked!)