The "Artist" model Bluegrass banjo pictured above was included in our very first order.  It features Wildwood's signature rim, constructed from solid blocks of eastern hard maple.  The rims are lathe turned to exact specs to insure that the tone ring fits tightly.  Mark believes that the block laminate rim is a stronger, denser, more stable configuration (and it simply sounds better). It is not easy to make, but well worth the extra effort!

       The powerful bass and clear treble of the Artist are in large part due to Wildwood's precision machined classic flat head tone ring which is cast with "pre-war" alloys. A cast one piece flange and a 3 ply solid maple core resonator veneered with either fancy curly maple or curly figured American black walnut complete the pot assembly. 

        All necks feature ebony peghead veneers, fingerboards and heel caps.  The Artist fingerboard highlights newly designed inlays featuring mother-of-pearl inlaid into red abalone. This is extremely technically challenging but appears much closer to the older traditional bluegrass inlays of the 1950’s.

Link to feature on Wildwood Troubador open back banjo

Link to feature on Wildwood Paragon Rosewood banjo
 

Back to "What's New" Menu

Back to the "Vintage/Used" page