Custom Pisgah 11" Walnut Roscoe 5-String Banjo #4368

Banjo Studio is proud to be a Pisgah dealer. You are viewing the actual banjo that you'll be purchasing.

This Pisgah Roscoe was handmade by Pisgah Banjo Co. in Asheville, North Carolina, and built with our Banjo Studio tweaks. The Roscoe is Pisgah's all-wood old-time openback: a clear walnut rim with a walnut tone rim, a natural cherry neck and the square Roscoe headstock. We ordered this one on a smaller 11" rim instead of the usual 12", and we set it up with low, easy action that makes it a joy to play.

What Makes This Banjo Different

• 11" walnut rim. The standard Roscoe is built on a 12" rim. The 11" pot tightens up the low end and gives a punchier, more focused note that still keeps the Roscoe's dark walnut character, and the banjo is a bit smaller and lighter on your lap.
• Walnut tone rim. Instead of a metal tone ring, the head sits on a walnut tone rim. Wood on wood gives a soft attack, a warm, plunky note and no harsh overtones. It is the sound of a classic old-time banjo.
• Short 25 1/2" scale. The shorter neck puts a little less tension on the strings, so they feel slinky and easy to fret, and the reach to the first frets is shorter. Great for smaller hands and for tuning down to old-time keys.
• Roscoe headstock and Richlite trim. The square "golden rectangle" headstock wears a figured walnut veneer, and the Richlite fingerboard and black Richlite rim cap frame the clear cherry and walnut for a clean, handmade look.

The Sound

Dark, mellow and woody with a clear plunk. The walnut rim and walnut tone rim keep the tone round and warm, the Renaissance head adds a touch of sweetness, and the 11" pot keeps the bass tight instead of boomy. The straight scoop at the end of the fingerboard gives your strumming hand room to frail right over the sweet spot.

Why Banjo Studio Loves This Banjo

• A true old-time voice. Walnut, cherry and an 11" pot are a great recipe for clawhammer, front-porch picking and fiddle tunes.
• Pisgah advantages. All Pisgah banjos have easy truss rod access with a unique truss rod cover held in place with magnets. You also get the frailing notch on the tension hoop for more room at the sweet spot between the neck and the head. A small detail that makes a big difference. Pisgah builds by hand in a solar-powered, net zero carbon shop and backs every banjo with a limited lifetime warranty to the original owner.
• Great value. The Roscoe is Pisgah's most affordable model, so you get a handmade, American-built banjo with Balsam Banjoworks aged brass hardware at a very friendly price.

Comes with a padded Pisgah Access gig bag, PBCO Clawhammer strings and Pisgah's certificate of ownership. Made in U.S.A.

Best for: clawhammer and old-time players who want a warm, dark walnut tone, a focused 11" pot and an easy-playing short scale neck.

Professional Setup and Free Shipping

Every banjo is professionally set up and checked by Banjo Studio before it leaves our shop, so it plays great right out of the box. Shipping is free to the lower 48 states.