Rickard Custom Dobson 11" Banjo Walnut with Purfling Band #1897

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The Rickard Custom 11" Walnut Dobson Openback Banjo is a blend of classic 19th-century traditional aesthetics and modern precision engineering. Handcrafted by builder Bill Rickard in Ontario, Canada, it is constructed from premium North American walnut and outfitted with custom-machined hardware. The 11" pot delivers a warm, woody voice with a little more focus and punch than a 12", so every note stays clear and present whether you are playing clawhammer at home or holding your own in an old-time jam.

What makes it unique:

Custom Rickard Bullseye Style Bracket Shoes & Belly Style Tension Nut: These give the exterior of the rim a unique look.

Custom Woodwork: The 1/2" thick walnut rim is detailed with a rim cap and a purfling band. The walnut neck is super-smooth, with a traditional Dobson-style heel and a two-way adjustable truss rod for stability.

Dobson Tone: A custom antiqued brass Dobson tone ring, made in-house by Rickard, gives a resonant, plucky sustain that fills the room without sounding harsh or brassy.

The 11" Rim: Compared to the 12" version, the 11" pot tightens up the low end and gives a crisper, more articulate attack with plenty of projection.

Clawhammer Playability: The 25.5" scale ebony fretboard has an acrylic star inlay and a custom "S" curve frailing scoop, so your thumb can move comfortably up over the neck joint.

Rickard Cyclone 10:1 Tuners: Rickard's patented tuners have a 10:1 turning ratio and faux tortoise buttons for smooth micro-adjustments and stable tuning.

The walnut rim isn't something you see on Rickard very often, and the purfling band around the rim is normally found on the Cherry Little Wonder.

This banjo is fully set up: inspected, tuned and optimized so it is ready to play the moment it arrives.

Specifications

11 Inch Walnut Dobson Banjo

Neck:

Walnut Neck with Two Way Adjustable Truss Rod Dobson Style Heel

Hand Polished Catalyzed Varnish Satin Finish

25.5” Scale Ebony Fretboard with “S” Curve Frailing Scoop Acrylic Dots with Star inlay and Side Dots

Rickard Cyclone 10:1 Ratio Tuners (Antiqued Brass) with Faux Tortoise Buttons

Gold Fretwire

Railroad Spikes on 7th, 9th, 10th

Body:

1/2 inch Thick Walnut Rim with Rim Cap and Purfling Band

All hardware to be antiqued brass including Dobson Tone Ring, 18 Notch Tension Hoop, Rickard Bullseye Style Bracket Shoes, Hooks, Belly-style Nuts, Dowel Stick Hardware and Ferrule

No Knot Tailpiece

Remo Renaissance

String Height set to 3/32” At 12th Fret (Low Action)

5/8” Maple Bridge

Serial: 1897