Recording King has announced a new addition to their bluegrass banjo line.
The Madison RK-R35 is offered as a low cost student adaptation of the classic Mastertone-style banjo design. It utilizes a steam-bent 3 ply rim, bell-brass tone ring, one piece flange for the pot assembly, with a maple resonator. The neck is also maple, with a rosewood fingerboard and a two-way truss rod.
Fingerboard inlays are of a birds and gulls variety, and the banjo is sealed with brown matte finish. Many of the appointments are of a higehr quality than you expect in inepensive student banjos: planetary tuners, geared 5th string peg, dual co-ordinator rods, Presto-style tailpiece and armrest, and US-threaded hooks and nuts.
The RK-R35 carries a suggested retail price of $674.99 (no case) and is offered with the Recording King limited-lifetime warranty.
There are no details about this new model yet on the RK web site, so contact your closest dealer for more information.