Circa 2005 Wildwood Balladeer Five-String Banjo Used

The beautiful vine fingerboard inlay is what you first notice, then a closer look and you realize this is a banjo that just hasn’t seen much use. Almost zero fret wear, no marks to the finish from capos, picks, or fingernails, and the nickel plating sparkles throughout. The block rim construction and Vega-style bracket band and Tubaphone tone ring make this a loud banjo, one you won’t have to play hard to get plenty of volume for any setting.

Mark Platin, since retired, made these West Coast open backs for half a century. There’s no serial number, so dating is an educated guess, but Mark’s banjos were consistent both in style and construction.