New. Highly figured Maple neck and solid carved "massif" resonator. Multiple white/black/white & Marquetry bindings on resonator and neck. Radiused Ebony fingerboard with Abalone inlays. Vintage style Gotoh tuners with cream plastic buttons. R.R. spikes installed by Prucha at A, Bb, B & C positions for 5th-string capo'ing. Prucha's own Diamond Point inlays in neck and peghead. Nice mixture of Gold and Nickel hardware make this a very stylish banjo that is not overstated.
      The usual high-grade workmanship and materials you expect from Mr Prucha, and the sound that we've come to expect over the years. This is definitely a great banjo for sound, playabilty and collectability.

     Exceptional condition... and with good history, too. There are just 4 small rounded dings around resonator sidewall. No marks on back of resonator or on back of neck. Frets show only very slight wear - no "v"-dents.
     Nicely figured maple neck and resonator. Beautiful amber sunburst that really shows off the Maple figure. Radiused Rosewood fingerboard with cut diamond inlays. Traditional "Double-cut" peghead with pearl JPrucha logo and nice flourish inlay in center. Very well "dressed", with multiple ivoroid bindings on resonator and along fingerboard. On the resonator, the multiple binding lines can be seen from top or back, or from the sides. Main tuners are Ptacek 2-band pre-war style offset tuners. Schaller 5th tuner. All tuners with matching ivoroid buttons. R.R. spikes installed by Prucha at A, Bb, B and C position for 5th string capo'ing. Clamshell tailpiece. Set-up with Remo Renaissance head.
     This is a fine banjo. Good enough, in fact, thatr Noam Pickelny played it on a tour of Japan. It has lots of power and tone.
 

     New. Top Tension. Maple banjo with Matte Nickel hardware (frosted). Radiused Ebony fingerboard with abalone "Bat" inlays. Solid carved 'Massif' resonator. Multiple tortoise bindings that are "back-lit" with white binding layer beneath tortoise. Wooden marquetry purflings seen on sides of resonator and fingerboard. "Prucha" 1-pc pot metal flange.
       If you are used to seeing Prucha banjos, then this one may not surprise you, as you are used to seeing the high level of craftsmanship mated with elegant beauty in his instruments. If you are relatively new to Prucha banjos, then click on these photos and have fun!
      This banjoarrived Feb 24th with Jaroslav Prucha to our store booth at the WinterGrass Festival in Bellevue, WA.
    

     New. Maple Top Tension. Handmade by Jaroslav Prucha and his son, John.
     Jaroslav Prucha has only made a few "Diamond Point" models that were made as a Top Tension banjo. In fact, any of his Top Tension banjos fall into a category you could label as "rare", as only about 10 to 20 have ever been produced to date.
     Beautiful Maple neck and solid carved and voiced "massif" resonator. Radiused Ebony fingerboard. Ivoroid multiple bound resonator and fingerboard - on the resonator you see the black line on top, back and sides. Abalone inlays. Nickel hardware. Modified Kerschner (Prucha) tailpiece. Gotoh main tuners with Schaller 5th tuning peg, all with matching ivoroid buttons.
     Prucha's Top Tension banjos always get real close attention and real favorable comments when at our store or at a show... and this one is right there with the ones that came before it. Very nice wood, extremely high level of craftsmanship, and big beautiful expressive tone with a great attack.
     * If you are unfamiliar with the Top Tension concept, call me and I'll be happy to discuss their special aspects in more detail.
   

2-pickup. Cut Diamond Inlays in radiused fingerboard. One Humbucking p/u beneath head under strings, and one Prucha magnetic p/u under bridge. Just arrived - call for more details. Photos below are of an earlier banjo, to give you an idea of the "look". $2950 w/ case.
* Please call for availability.

     Newest Top Tension from Prucha. All of Mr Prucha's Top Tension banjos have been in demand for several years now. Grained Ivoriod/black/white binding on neck and resonator. Abalone "Falling Leaves" inlayed in Radiused Ebony fingerboard. Custom resonator with wood inlayed Marquetry binding. "Speed Neck" meaning that the area on back of neck is finished in a sealer instead of tradtional lacquer.

     Exceptionally Fine Condition. No wear, no marks, no fret wear, no problems.
     Very strongly figured Maple neck and resonator. Flat Ebony fingerboard with abalone "Falling Leaves" inlay pattern. Nickel hardware with 2-hump clamshell tailpiece and 2-band Ptacek pre-war style tuners with amber buttons. JPrucha logo and floral abalone inlay in peghead overlay.
     This banjo is very good. Great attack and lots of expressive depth and great highs. A new banjo like this one would cost well over $4000 today. This one is very close to being original new condition and also comes with Prucha warranty, transferred to next owner (you)!

     New. Highly figured Maple banjo with tortoise bindings and radiused fingerboard.
     Beautiful Amber sunburst makes the figured Maple really look great. Ebony radiused fingerboard with Abalone 'fallen leaves' inlay pattern. Multiple tortoise celluloid bindings, with white line stacked behind the tortoise to illuminate it and make it come 'alive'. Multiple binding lines are seen at top, back and sides of resonator and along fingerboard. Concentric circles in fingerboard.
     Gotoh main tuners with Schaller 5th tuner - all with matching amber buttons. Nickel hardware. 2-hump Clamshell tailpiece.

     Exc(-) condition. Frets have only slightest wear on the first 3 frets. There are one or two marks on the resonator side wall. Some dis-coloration on the armrest shows that this banjo has been played but not abused. Gold shows normal rubbing from use.
     Maple neck with Solid Maple 'Massif' resonator. Multiple white/black/white & Marquetry bindings on resonator and neck. Radiused Ebony fingerboard with Abalone falling leaves inlays. R.R. spikes installed at A, B & C positions for 5th-string capo'ing. Modified Kershner tailpiece. Matte gold hardware. This was a very common hardware choice during the mid 90s but we don't see a lot of the matte gold anymore. It's a very nice look.
     Block pot Maple rim with pre-war style Ptacek 20-hole Flathead Tone Ring. Head is signed by Lubos Malina, a great Czech banjo player.

     Exc(+) condition. Archtop. No marks in back of neck or top of peghead. Some light marks on back of resonator, but very superficial. Frets barely show playing marks.
     Custom banjo, with extra-nice old cured Maple solid carved "Massif" resonator, and many other nice options. Dramatically figured Maple neck. Radiused Ebony fingerboard with abalone "Falling Leaves" inlay pattern. JPrucha logo and floral pattern inlaid in Ebony peghead overlay. Multiple Ivoroid bindings with wooden marquetry purflings under the bindings, along the resonator side walls, and along the fingerboard.
     The hardware is a mixture of Nickel and Gold, with Gold archtop 'no-hole' tone ring, 2-hump tailpiece, armrest, hooks and nuts, co-ordinator rods, gold Schaller 5th tuner. The 4 main tuners are Gold Ptacek 2-band, except that the barrel and nut and wash are Nickel. Nickel 1-pc flange and tension hoop.
     This is a nice banjo. It was made by Jaroslav Prucha in 1999 for Dalibor Cidlinsky, a noted jazz banjo player, keyboardist, arranger and producer in the Czech Republic. Possibly because of Dalibor's status as a great player and as a friend of Jaroslav Prucha's, this banjo was made with very select woods. For me, perhaps the main ingredient is the 'no-hole' archtop tonering. These always sound great, and are capable of much wider tone range thru set-up than most people are used to hearing in an archtop. This particular banjo has spent time with very relaxed set-up, medium-tight set-up, and also with Ralph Stanley high tension set-up. It had full professional tone throughout those varied settings... It is a great banjo with lots of character.

     Just arrived, but is pre-sold to a waiting customer.

     New. Solid body electric 5-string banjo, with 2 coil-tap Humbucking pickups.
     The body is solid Mahogany construction, with Maple neck. Double cutaway. Bridge is made like a good strat bridge/tailpiece with strings thru body at tailpiece. 3-way p/u selector switch, Master tone & volume, and 2 coil tap switches. Gotoh geared banjo tuners. Nickel hardware. Radiused Ebony fingerboard with Bat inlays.

     Exc(-) condition. Frets are in fine shape, just had a fresh milling. One slight small dent in lacquer on resonator sidewall (treble side). All the wood, metal and lacquer are in great shape.
      Select mahogany neck and resonator. Multiple ivoriod/black/ivoriod bindings around resonator and neck, with the center black line showing at top and bottom and along sides of resonator and along side of neck. R.R. spikes installed at A, Bb, B & C positions for 5th-string capo'ing.
     Flat Rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl inlays in fingerboard and peghead overlay. All hardware original and in great condition. Vintage style 2-band tuners with Schaller 5th peg.
      This is one fine banjo.

     Exc(-) condition. 2-pc Tube-and-Plate flange. Frets are in perfect shape. Some slight small dents in lacquer on back of neck near heel - these are small impressions from leaning against coffee table edges, etc. Slight mars on resonator sidewall have been cosmetically repaired. All the wood, metal and lacquer are in great shape. Small wear along back edge of peghead top, from leaning against walls. I am only pointing out some slight areas that keep this banjo from being rated "exceptional condition"... It is really very nice and these things I am pointing out are nothing to worry about.
     Figured Maple neck and resonator. Multiple white/black/while bindings around resonator and neck, with the center black line showing at top and bottom and along sides of resonator and along side of neck.
     Radiused Ebony fingerboard with custom abalone inlays in fingerboard and peghead overlay. All hardware original and in great condition. Vintage style 2-band tuners with Schaller 5th peg.
     This is a fine banjo.

     New. Select Mahogany neck and resonator. White bindings on resonator and neck. Flat Rosewood fingerboard. Vintage style Gotoh tuners with cream plastic buttons. R.R. spikes installed by Prucha at A, Bb, B & C positions for 5th-string capo'ing. Hearts & Flowers pearl inlay in fingerboard.
     This banjo is a nice one. The Mahogany is beautifully shaded with the finish to give the banjo a great look.
     As far as materials and workmanship go, it is hard to find other makers that can deliver the perfection of building that Jaroslav Prucha is known for. Perfect neck shaping, perfect neck fit to pot, perfect fit of flange onto resonator ledge, perfect fit of heel into resonator notch. *I could go on and on, pointing out the high grade construction... but lets talk about performance and tone...
     This banjo is really a strong one. Big, big bottom end with concentrated focus and growl. Highs are not shrill, but have a very good growl and plenty of fat tone, even way up high on fingerboard. This is definitely a great banjo for sound.

     Almost New condition. No wear on frets, no marks on back of resonator, no dents in back of neck.
     Highly figured Maple, with very strong striping figure in neck, 1-pc figured Maple resonator back. Resonator has multiple ivoroid/black/ivoroid bindings seen on top, back and sides of resonator, and multiple ivoroid/black/ivoroid binding with black line seen on side of fingerboard. Radiused Ebony fingerboard, with Abalone "Hearts & Flowers" inlay pattern. Ebony peghead overlay, with JPrucha inlaid in abalone and H&F abalone peghead inlay pattern. Nickel Schaller 2-band pre-war style tuners. Nickel hardware, with "Gibson style" rim and 1-pc flange.
     As usual, the workmanship is superb. It is extremely difficult to fit the flange and the neck heel perfectly into the resonator... but Prucha does it every time. Also - the neck shape is very elegantly carved. You could actually get lost in wonderment while looking at how perfect the neck shape is, the perfect binding, the perfect inlays, the color of the finish over the nice figured Maple, etc.
     This banjo has great tone. Contrary to many armchair quarterbacks who say "Maple is too bright", It isn't too bright at all. In fact, it has a lovely rich and growly sound and is clear and sweet all the way up the fingerboard.
     This banjo comes with transferrable warranty.
     * Full set of photos soon...

     New. Custom Maple "Legend" model with some nice upgrades.
     Excellent "upgraded" Maple neck and resonator. White bindings on resonator top and back and along edge of fingerboard. Rosewood flat fingerboard with "Gull Wing" RB-1 inlays in pearl. Fleur d' Lis and Prucha logo inlaid in pearl in the headstock. Nickel hardware. Nickel Gotoh tuners with perfect antique-looking cream buttons. 4-hump clamshell tailpiece.
     This banjo has a very beautiful amber sunburst that just makes the Maple come alive.
     The sound is great. Very centered attack, with lots of tone and power immediately after the attack. Big bottom end with clear, clean expressive highs.

     Exc(-) condition. The wood and finish are all nearly perfect. There is just a little oxidation of the Nickel plating here and there.
     High grade Mahogany neck and resonator. Nickel hardware. Flat Ebony fingerboard. White bindings around top and back of resonator, and along fingerboard. Nickel Schaller tuners with matching pearloid buttons. Hearts & Flowers pearl inlay pattern in fingerboard and headstock.
     This is a fine banjo. It has that great growl and plenty of power.

     Just arrived, but is pre-sold to a waiting customer. New. Faithful, pre-war replica.
     Mahogany with solid, carved "massif" resonator. Multiple-bound top and back of resonator, bound fingerboard, multiple bound headstock. Large "balloon" logo. Set up with 4 matching Keith D tuners - see photos...tuners are waiting for amber buttons to be fit.

Almost new condition. 11" Pot with Tubafone tonering. Top grade banjo! Highly figured Maple neck with multiple ivoroid bindings and hand-engraved pearl inlays in Ebony fingerboard. Very nicely hand-engraved Gryphon in headstock. 3-ply Maple rim is bound inside and out with multiple Ivoroid. Vintage style 2-band Schaller tuners. Co-ordinator rod construction. Banjo currently has a very interesting head installed - Remo head was stripped of original coating, and a very nice hand-applied coating was brushed on. This head sounds great. The banjo has no problems, no repairs.

     Exc(+) condition. This instrument only has incidental signs of prior use. Everything is nice and original.
     Mahogany neck on traditional 3-ply Maple rim. Brass bead tone ring. Rim is multiple bound at the bottom edge inside and out, showing tortoise main binding, 'backlit' by white layer underneath, to make the tortoise bindings seem to come alive. Excellent engraved inlays on peghead, and fingerboard. Pre-war style 2-band tuners.
     Currently this banjo is set up with a Remo "Fiberskyn" head and is tightened enough to give it some snap and ring. It sounds great.

     Just arrived, but is pre-sold to a waiting customer.

     VG(+) Condition. There are a few minor dings in the back of the neck, and a few in the resonator, but nothing major. Minimal wear on frets. Keith D-tuners are installed for the second and third strings.
     Mahogany banjo with figured Mahogany neck. Rosewood flat fingerboard with small Ivoroid dot inlays. "Bowtie" style peghead. Black binding along back edge of resonator and along fingerboard. Railroad spikes installed at "A", B" flat, and "C" postitions for capo'ing.
    This banjo has the same rim, tonering and hardware as all the Prucha banjos, and sounds like it too.

     Special banjo. Built as a salute to the old traditional RB-18's of the 1930's, this banjo has all top woods and appointments.
     I am sorry to have to report that this particular banjo was custom built for a customer, so it is unavailable to purchase. Please let these photos suffice to show Mr Prucha's work on this fine banjo.
     Call us to discuss having a similar banjo built for you... 406/327-9925.

     Just arrived, but is pre-sold to a waiting customer.