Banjos > Other > Long-Neck

LONG-NECK 5-STRING

     In the late 1950’s, well known folk musician Pete Seeger added three extra frets to his 5-string open-back banjo to expand its playing range. This worked well for Pete and when he used this instrument while playing with the very popular Weavers folk group, other musicians such as the Kingston Trio, The Brothers Four, Peter Paul and Mary, The Limelighters, The Chad Mitchel Trio, and the New Christy Minstrels all started using this unusual looking 5-string banjo.

     Overnight the long neck banjo became a folk icon of that era and demand for this instrument soared. At that time, the original Vega company was the only builder of the Long Neck 5-string which was high priced and of marginal quality. This inspired the founder-owner of OME to start building these banjos under the name ODE, which were produced from 1960 to 1966. OME still offers these Long Neck banjos on special order. They have 25 frets, 31.19” scale, and are available in both open-back and resonator Professional and Custom Series models.

SWEETGRASS LONGNECK FEATURES INCLUDE:

NECK

Select Curly Maple, Walnut, or Mahogany neck
31.19” scale & 1.28” nut width
25 Fret Ivoroid bound ebony fingerboard
Two-way adjustable truss rod
Sweetgrass MOP & Abalone shell inlays
Double cut peghead with ebony overlay
Boat shaped ebony capped heel
Inlayed front and side position markers
Hardened nickel-silver frets and bone string nut
Capo spikes at 7th and 9th frets
OME Planetary tuners with amber knobs
Polished lacquer finish

BODY

11” 2-ply maple rim with Vintage or Silverspun tone ring
Ebonite capped and Iviroid bound rim
24/11” or 26/12” rim brackets & Sweetone tailpiece
Heavy notched tension hoop & Renaissance head
Two adjustable brass rim rods
Polished lacquer finish
Rosewood armrest & Trillium bridge
Nickel, Chrome, or Gold Hardware
Deluxe hard-shell, plush-lined case
Optional Megatone, Tubaphone, or 12” Silverspun Tone Rings