From our friends over at Hickory Street Banjos (Dave Frenzel & John Dennis), who've built a small number of high-grade, custom banjos over the last twenty years just around the corner. Their new "Turtleback" features an eight-piece shell-like back of the rim assembly, with a circular (5.5" diameter) cutout; the 12" diameter rim was built using fabled 2-ply rim stock from renowned maker of studio art furniture...and banjos, our friend Richard S. Newman, and is of curly cherry, with thick ebony binding, vertical lines of holly segmenting the Turtleback and dowel stick, with rolled brass tonering; equipped with Rickard metal hardware (Pisgah Hawk tailpiece), Balch head, and moon bridge. The 26-1/4" scale length neck is of gorgeous wavy Cherry with a scooped ebony fingerboard, carved fifth string accent, popsicle peghead shape, volute, multiple piece construction with holly veneer triangulating on peghead; equipped with gold plated Rickard 10:1 Cyclone tuners, with Gototh geared fifth; pearl position dots. This banjo comes to us new from the builders with very low play time on it and includes a new gig bag.