Pisgah Possum 11" 5-String Banjo with Persimmon Tone Ring Walnut Rim and Neck, Persimmon Fretboard

The Pisgah Dobson 11" 5-String Banjo combines 19th-century vintage tone with eco-conscious manufacturing process.

Tonal Foundation: Walnut & The Dobson Tone Ring

• Walnut Neck & Rim: Native Appalachian walnut offers a rich, warm, and mellow fundamental tone with a woody midrange that softens harsh overtones.  This is why it is popular on open back banjos

• Persimmon Tone Ring: A tone ring that creates warm, dry, plunky tone with quick decay.  It is a true unique Tone Ring that is Pisgah Banjos.

Persimmon Fretboard & 11" Rim Platform

• Persimmon Fingerboard: Harvested domestically as a native, sustainable alternative to imported ebony, persimmon is exceptionally hard, smooth under the fingers, and adds quick note attack.  

• 11" Rim Size: The 11-inch pot delivers superior punch, quick response, and tight note separation compared to wider 12-inch rims. It maintains a balanced frequency profile—crisp highs with focused lows—making it versatile for clawhammer, old-time frailing, or fingerstyle playing.

The Pisgah Difference

• Wide Frailing Notch: Pisgah notches the tension hoop near the neck joint and fretboard scoop, giving clawhammer pickers seamless right-hand clearance without hitting their thumb or fingers against metal edges.  

• Sculpted Thumb Rest: A carved contour on the neck profile provides an ergonomic anchor for your thumb when playing higher up the neck while reinforcing the area around the 5th-string tuner.  

• Magnetic Truss Rod Cover: Snaps off magnetically for instant, tool-free access to the two-way adjustable truss rod—eliminating tiny screws and scratched headstock overlays.  

Why Banjo Studio loves this banjo: The Pisgah Possum 11" in walnut is designed for players seeking an authentic, woodsy old-time sound in a lightweight, handcrafted American-made banjo. It has a light weight construction and can be a comfort companion for hours of play time. Take one with you.