Traditional Styles

A personal interest in old timey music led to the birth of the company.  As a frailer, finding a good banjo that was not an expensive vintage instrument was challenging.  It was clear that there was a need for a contemporary line of open back banjos dedicated to the clawhammer/frailing style of playing.   That dedication has never changed.    Special thanks to Art Rosenbaum, John Burke and the many other great frailers who have supported Wildwood over the years.

The traditional open back banjos all feature fancy fiddleback maple necks ( plain maple on Minstrels) and hard rock maple block laminated rims.  All models feature our version of the Tubaphone-style tone ring, some with bracket shoe bands, and all with a dedication to sound and style you expect from Wildwood.

Wildwood Banjos have always used the block laminated rim.  Actually, we helped pioneer this rim back in 1970 with several other custom builders in the Los Angeles area, and have been the only company continuously using this style of rim.  It has become our standard and distinguishes Wildwood Banjos from others. 

The Traditional models are designed around the same basic rim assembly.  The adornment increases with each model such as fancy figured maple, more complex inlays, binding or wood purfling, etc. Standard options for all models include neck scooping (for up the neck frailing), heel carving, specialized inlays, gold plating, and hardware engraving.

Bracket shoe bands are standard on the HEIRLOOM  and BALLADEER  models, but can be added as an addition to any model.  The effect of the bracket shoe band is a “warmer” sound , increased volume, and sustain.  The rim is turned to accept the bracket band much like a flange assembly on a bluegrass rim.  The result is a look typical of the finer vintage banjos.


Click on Peghead To see full image at right.

MINSTREL: Hard rock maple neck, ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl position markers, inlaid ebony peghead.  Standard block laminated rim, Tubaphone-style tone ring, Fiberskin head.
 
 

TROUBADOR: Figured hard maple neck,  ebony fingerboard and peghead,  ivoroid binding & wood purfling on both neck and rim,  abalone inlays on both the neck and peghead.  Standard block laminated rim, Tubaphone-style tone ring, Fiberskin head.
 
 

HEIRLOOM: Fancy curly maple neck, ebony fingerboard and peghead, ivoroid binding & wood purfling on both neck and rim, vintage style engraved mother of pearl inlays on neck and peghead.  Standard block laminated rim, Tubaphone-style tone ring with bracket shoe band\
 
 

BALLADEER: Our best fiddleback maple neck, ebony fingerboard and peghead, binding and wood purfling on both neck and rim, elegant mother of pearl and abalone inlays depicting “the tree of life” pattern.  Standard block laminated rim, Tubaphone-style tone ring with bracket shoe band.

(25 fret long necks are available in all models except the Balladeer
 
  

 
EXOTIC WOOD SERIES

For the past several years Wildwood has offered on a limited basis the Exotic Wood Series Openbacks.  These banjos are built from beautiful exotic woods such as African Wenge, Purple Heart from Costa Rica, Chechen from Mexico, and Rosewood from Honduras.  Most of these woods are sustainably harvested from planned forestry programs.    These instruments are strikingly beautiful, and sound incredible.  The tone ring is turned as an integral part of the rim.  These woods are tonal in their nature and produce a well balanced sound with a character perfect for the frailing/clawhammer style.

All Exotic Wood Series banjos are naturally colorful- no color staining needed.  The rich hues of dark chocolate browns with black grain, the purples, the auburn reddish browns all make these banjos incredibly beautiful.  Neck and rim bindings are hand made from the contrasting colorful woods adding an elegant look.  The fingerboard inlays are simple cut diamonds  in abalone,  combined with the peghead inlays of the Balladeer.  These banjos are finished with multiple coats of tung oil, hand rubbed, and polished to rich luster with wax.  The Exotic Wood Series banjos have their own “flare” , a warm intriguing sound, and look beautiful—a proud addition to our standard line of Traditional Banjos.