O.R. Chase "Apollo" Banjo (1882-1888)

Unusual and well made banjo built in Boston during the "Golden Age" of banjo manufacturing, this Oliver Chase banjo features ~12-1/2" diameter skin head on an all-metal nickel plated rim (see photos) with 54 brackets. The mahogany neck features a nicely carved heal, ebony fretboard with 18 frets, ~29-3/4" scale, pearl dot inlays, later mechanical friction pegs, and a scribed design on the headstock.  The banjo would have originally had gut strings, and the neck has a concave warp (we suggest re-stringing with synthetic or gut strings.  Elite tailpiece. VGC+ except sold AS-IS, this banjo could use a heat press to help straighten the neck, install synthetic or gut strings, consider perhaps a dowel stick reset, remove shim where neck meets body, etc.  There is a brass overlay added after the last fret.  Despite the all metal rim, the sound is surprisingly good, at this time. With gigbag.