Heli-Mount Banjos
Nechville Musical Products' revolutionary one-piece cast metal Heli-Mount banjo frame replaces over seventy miscellaneous pieces of hardware used in the construction of conventional hook-and-nut style banjos. Tightening or loosening the Heli-Mount banjo head is accomplished by the simple turning of a threaded tensioning ring, which fits inside the Heli-Mount frame, rotating when one twists two Heli-Mount tensioning wrenches. Similar in operation to a jar lid, the Heli-Mount system produces perfectly even tension throughout the banjo head - in a matter of moments rather than in an all-day project! The patented Heli-Mount frame is also the primary structural component for the Heli-Mount banjo, eliminating the need for coordinator rods within the banjo's resonating chamber. String action is easily adjusted by a simple loosening at the base of the banjo neck by the use of an Allen wrench. The Heli-Mount neck has been designed to make a solid connection with the Heli-Mount frame, and loosening the neck enables it to slide up or down along the radius of the frame - thereby raising or lowering string action. When the proper action is achieved, the neck is simply tightened back into position with the Allen wrench. The resulting Heli-Mount banjo tone is full, balanced, and musical, due to the absence of vibrations caused by loose metallic parts and coordinator rods interfering with the inherent clarity of the banjo's tone ring. The bell brass Nechville Heli-Mount tone ring is "freely suspended" within the Heli-Mount banjo's acoustic chamber, resulting in unparalleled purity of banjo sound and projection.
Classic Heli-Mount banjo (Pictured with upgraded "Cascade" inlay pattern) For the player who cherishes the traditional look and feel of the banjo, the Classic offers all the benefits of the Heli-Mount technology with a familiar but distinctive style. The black Eclipse Heli-Mount frame comes standard with the Classic Eclipse, and the Classic Corona has the polished and nickel-plated frame for even more traditional look. The peghead is a variation of the classic "fiddle" peghead. It is capped in ebony and adorned with a diamond-wing pearl inlay burst pattern. The simply elegant "Diamond wing" inlay continues down the ebony fingerboard at the conventional fret positions. The fingerboard is edged with black/ivory binding with a decorative stripe setting off the fingerboard. The Classic comes standard with Nechville's 20 hole tone ring, 3 ply maple rim, Enterprise bridge, stainless steel 2-way truss rod, Nechville in-line tailpiece, deluxe protective hard-shell case, manual, wrenches and lifetime warrantee. Traditional "Classic" (Fiddle Shape) Peghead Ebony Fingerboard with "Diamond Blossom" Inlay Design Nechville/Price Tailpiece Available in Honduras Mahogany, Curly Maple, or Figured Walnut Black Eclipse Heli-Mount Frame We currently have one or more Classic banjos in stock.
| Model | Wood | List Price |
| C1-M | Mahogany(ivory binding) | $2880 |
| C1-MP | Maple (black binding) | $2875 |
| C1-W | Walnut (ivory binding) | $2990 |
Nextar Heli-Mount banjo (Pictured with upgraded "Corona" Heli-Mount frame) The Nextar represents Nechville's desire to blend fine art with playability. Player comfort and aesthetic beauty both enhance creative musical expression. It's no wonder that masters like Bela and Alison play Nextars. The contemporary shape of the Nextar's peghead instantly distinguishes it as a Nechville original. Four 12:1 precise right angle tuners are employed in strategic straight-line positions on the peghead, thus reducing side string tension in nut slots. A fine pearl Nechville logo adorns the ebony capped peghead. Ebony is the wood of choice to set off the beautiful Cascade pearl and abalone inlay artwork on the fingerboard. The flowing elegance of this design is complimented by position dots between the appropriate frets. Standard neck and resonator binding is black with white stripe. Ivory with black stripe is also available. All Nextars employ our 7" to 12" compound radius, giving the neck an ergonomic comfort that you have to feel to believe. The frets seem to reach up and touch your fingertips, facilitating quickness and accuracy. Action can be low for a light touch or high for aggressive playing. The Nextar comes standard with Nechville's 10 hole tone ring, 3 ply maple rim, Enterprise bridge, Nechville in-line tailpiece, deluxe protective hard-shell case, manual, wrenches and lifetime warrantee.
Radiused fingerboard, angeled peghead, Cascade inlay
| Model | Wood | List Price |
| NX-M | Mahogany (ivory binding) | $3750 |
| NX-MP | Maple (black binding) | $3750 |
| NX-W | Walnut (ivory binding) | $3890 |
Nuvo
Nuvo Heli-Mount banjo Nechville has taken the banjo to the next level of playability and versatility with the patented Nuvo neck. Its distinctive feature is a built-in capo system known as "Capobility". You'll never forget or loose your capo again. The Nuvo neck has flush mounted recessed tracks running the entire length of the fingerboard on each side. The main rolling capo and a separate 5th string capo run within these tracks and can be stationed behind the nut when not in use. Either capo part is used by simply pulling it up to any of the 22 frets. Since the tension on the strings has not been increased by the addition of a removable capo, the strings do not go sharp and there is no need to retune your instrument when capoing. You can change capo positions instantly, even during a song or while you are playing. The Nuvo neck is almost like a slim, comfortable guitar neck. It is as wide as our standard banjo neck from the 5th fret up, but the fifth string runs the whole length of the fingerboard and its tuner is on the peghead. This allows the fifth string to be tuned as an open string, or used in any capoed position from the nut up. Advanced banjoists will benefit from many more tuning choices by being able to tune the fifth string down from its standard "G" without relaxing the string tension. When you loosen the string, it looses tone and your familiar left hand fretting positions gets shifted to higher frets. Your choice of peghead shape, inlay pattern and fingerboard wood, make each Nuvo a personal, custom creation. Choose from "Cascade", "Galaxy" or "Diamond Wing" inlay, Phantom, Nextar, or Classic peghead shapes, and Zircote, Rosewood, Cocobolo, or Ebony Fingerboard and overlay. The Nuvo comes with Enterprise bridge, In-line tailpiece, deluxe hard-shell case, wrenches, manual, and lifetime warrantee.
| Model No. | Wood | Price |
| NU-M | Mahogany | $4795 |
| NU-MP | Maple | $4850 |
| NU-W | Walnut | $4875 |
Phantom
Phantom Heli-Mount banjo Staying true to their 15-year tradition of innovation, Nechville's Banjo Lab has produced a modern banjo with unparalleled playability, tone, and appearance. The Phantom Heli-Mount couples the revolutionary Heli-Mount design with a good idea, long ignored by banjo builders: the tunneled fifth string. This concept allows for the elimination of the side-mounted fifth string peg that can get in the way, especially if you use your thumb for fretting the fifth string. The 5th string disappears into the neck just behind the fifth fret, travels through a brass tube and neatly comes out on the peghead and attaches to a tuner there. The Phantom peghead evolved from our desire for a functional, in-line peghead that has a clean, contemporary look. Its geometric, slightly concave perimeter allows it to function equally well with banjo tuners or right angle guitar tuners. The neck gradually tapers down to the nut on the fifth string side, giving a sleek, comfortable feel. The elimination of the fifth string peg also stiffens the neck significantly since there is no tuner mounting hole drilled nearly half way into the neck. To add to the playability and stability of this instrument, exotic and beautiful Cocobolo wood has been used for the fingerboard and peghead overlay. It is extremely hard and resistant to dimensional changes with weather. Often players request no inlay be put on the fingerboard because the natural beauty of the wood is decoration enough, and side position dots are adequate reference points for left hand fingering. The fingerboard and frets are precisely crafted into a 7-12" compound for ergonomic comfort, ease of fretting and maximum strength to comfort ratio. It is available with a 25.5" short fret scale for extremely fast playability and two full octaves on each string, or Nechville's standard 26 3/8", 22-fret scale. Nechville in-line tailpiece and Enterprise bridge are standard. Rounding out its many thought-filled features is the Nechville Megaphonic 40 tone ring. Each of the Megaphonic 40's holes have been deeply countersunk to reveal many reflective surfaces that look like little megaphones. Due to its unique surface geometry, precise weight, and alloy selection, the Megaphonic 40 produces a rich, crisp tone like no other. The Phantom is equipped with 12 to 1 guitar tuners or 4 to 1 banjo tuners in black, gold, or chrome. It is available in Honduras Mahogany, Curly Maple, or Figured Walnut with an Eclipse (black) or Corona (polished nickel) frame.
| Model | Wood | List Price |
| PH-M | Mahogany | $3350 |
| PH-MP | Maple | $3350 |
| PH-W | Walnut | $3495 |
NEW! Eclipse LC Heli-Mount banjo Nechville's new popular model is the Eclipse LC. It has an elegant "Geometric" shaped peghead with black peghead veneer, script Nechville logo, fine hard maple neck and figured maple resonator, side position dots, super-fast, slim-profile neck. Chechen, an exotically beautiful figured hardwood is used for the fingerboard. The LC features pearl dot inlay, adjustable stainless steel 2-way truss rod. High quality, 12:1 right-angle string tuners, (or banjo tuners, your choice). This high quality banjo has not cut any corners on finish or tone quality. A warm cherry-tone sunburst stain is brought to life with Nechville’s ultra-durable high gloss clear finish. Banjo body consists of smooth, black Teflon coated Heli-Mount frame, Remo top-frosted head, Presto tailpiece, Black ivory laminate bound resonator, and Nechville's convenient, patented heel-access string action adjustment. All the advantages of the Heli-Mount system are here including interchangeability with all Nechville tone components such as Megaphonic 40 Tone ring, Quasar Electric Banjo Head, and the lightweight wood tone ring. Your price is $1699 with the light wood tone ring, or $1849 with 3 pound bronze tone ring and 3 ply maple rim. The Classic LC differs only in the fact that it has a traditional peghead with regular banjo tuners, and offers the same price. A professional upgrade is available for 1999. Including hardshell case, Nechville tailpiece, and Professional 10 or 20 hole Nechville tone ring and rim.
Dot style inlay pattern
LC-MP Maple (Dot inlay) List $1799
NEW! Vintage Heli-Mount banjo The traditions of Bluegrass have long honored the "vintage" banjo designs from the 1930's. In honor of these treasured traditions, Nechville has introduced a limited edition Vintage Heli-Mount that blends traditional banjo art and design with the ultimate banjo pot design. The neck starts with premium old growth curly maple and is fashioned the old way, by hand. The fingerboard is your choice of rosewood or ebony. The inlay is a tastefully altered version of Gibson's "wreath" inlay design. The highly polished and nickel-plated "Corona" Heli-Mount frame compliments the ornate, fine inlay. With the Corona Heli-Mount replacing the old hardware, you'll have 70 fewer parts to worry about rattling loose. Plus you'll be able to adjust tone, action, or switch any tone component instantly. The time-honored dimensions and appearance of the Vintage will bring out the traditional lover in you, especially when you hear its tone. With Nechville's 40-hole arch-top tone ring installed as the ring of choice, you'll marvel at the expansive, full-bodied tone that cuts through in any jam. Of course any of Nechville's other 3 tone rings can be substituted for no extra charge. The Vintage is equipped with 4 to 1 banjo tuners in gold, or chrome, Enterprise bridge, Presto tailpiece. It is available only in premium Curly Maple. The Corona (polished nickel) frame is standard but the Eclipse (black) frame can be substituted and cost is reduced accordingly.
| Model | Wood | List Price |
| VG-M | Mahogany | $3699 |
| VG-MP | Maple | $3699 |
| VG-W | Walnut | $3799 |
The Banjovie The 26-inch Banjovie is a production mini banjo. This 5-string, open-back banjo features a one-piece solid all maple neck, which has been precision shaped and drilled on a computer-controlled machining center. This cutting-edge production method allows for precise fret placement, and consistent, high quality with remarkably low cost. In addition, the Banjovie now sports all-geared tuners and the fifth string tuner is located on the peghead, allowing for a comfortable neck with unlimited tuning configurations. The fifth string is held on the fingerboard at the fifth fret (or whatever other fret you choose to spike) with a little railroad spike, and conveniently hugs the side of the neck to the tuner. The word that best describes the Banjovie is "FUN". The small, comfortable neck is remarkably easy to play and it puts out a surprising volume and catchy banjo tone. The natural looking fiber-skin head is mechanically fastened and permanently tight on the rim, requiring no adjustments at any time. It is suggested that you tune it to an open "C" chord, which is 5 frets higher than a standard banjo.
Selling price with zippered gig bag... $169 or, at our cash discount price, $164
Meteorite Electric banjo The Meteorite is the "down-to-Earth" version of our Meteor electric banjo. For anyone just looking for a great banjo sound that can be played in any setting, at any volume level, the Meteorite was made for you. The Meteorite shares the same basic shape and look of the Meteor, but without the magnetic pickup. It has our built-in Piezo pickup/preamp system with volume and tone controls. The low-profile maple neck features the Geometric peghead, exotic super-dense wood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays. Custom colors are available upon request, with standard color being a warm Cherry brown wood stain on the body and neck. The special request, Shooting Star Meteorite features a white top for a more familiar look on stage. The black, white, and brown of the Shooting Star will make you look like the King of Western Swing. Meteorite comes with a well-padded gig bag. Price: $1799.
Meteor Electric banjo Our new Meteor acoustic/electric banjo is just what you would expect from us. Our dual pickup electric design preserves the banjo shape and sound while making a bold artistic statement. The cut-away circular body in combination with the protective and handy outer ring says "banjo" in a unique and stylish way. The 12 1/2" body is made from select hardwoods and precision carved for the proper depth of tone and weight balance. The instrument's soundboard is an original design made from a hybrid of exotic solid hardwood and our own adjustable 6" head mounting system. The resulting tone is unmistakably "banjo" yet contains the woody warmth and depth of a powerful acoustic/electric. The head of the Meteor is fully free and non-dampened, so it sounds great unplugged as well as plugged in. The small head reduces or eliminates feedback, yet allows a full and natural banjo sound because of the synergy between the top's wood and our head mounting design. The dual pickup electric Meteor was developed in conjunction with Bela Fleck. Both a powerful, active EMG magnetic pickup and a balanced Piezo pickup are employed and separately controlled on the Meteor. Two separate volume knobs and one overall tone knob in sturdy black metal are positioned conveniently on the top. The head pickup is a specially made Piezo element that is designed to accurately reproduce its high quality banjo sound. Electronics inside the Meteor process and match both pickups' impedance while balancing their output. A single quarter inch jack carrying a blended signal appears in the side of the instrument below the tailpiece. The hard maple neck has a 7-12" compound radius for easy playability. The ebony fingerboard features 2 full octaves, (24 frets) and is oramented with stylish Hexagon, abalone inlays. The frets are wide and smooth for solid feel and long life. The peghead is our sleek new Geometric in-line shape with finely inlaid pearl script Nechville logo. Our in-line style tailpiece is fully adjustable and is precision machined from solid stainless steel for quick string changes. The outer frame is polished and black hardcoated for durability. It is carefully made to carry and dispurse the string tension and the distinctive rounded extending portion acts as a handle as well as a knee rest. The Meteor is also available with the "Galaxy" inlay pattern carved from solid abalone and mother of pearl. The neck is hard maple stained with a rich cherry brown color. Several options exist for customizing your Meteor, exotic wood like Zebrawood, Brazillian Rosewood, Cocobolo, Quilted Maple, Zircote, and others are available to choose from. Custom finishes with our unique "Northern Lights" finish transform our highly figured woods into "other worldly" materials like you have never seen. Other options like custom electronics, MIDI-Synth pickups, built in tuners, and more are available by special request. The Meteor comes in a custom fitted sturdy, but light weight road case. Our warrantee and money back 10 day offer apply to this model. The Fleck Meteor has a mahogany neck and body with Hexagon inlay, and EMG 81 neck pickup. The rest is the same as above. Base price: $2850
Aurora Borealis Electric banjo The Aurora Borealis, as played by Alison Brown, is a nylon string electric banjo like no other. It features a hard maple neck, honduras mahogany body topped with exotic curly maple and finished in warm glowing sunset colors. All hardware and the body's protective outer ring are black to set off the beautiful wood and to lend an organic feel to the instrument. The white 6" head trimmed in black says "banjo" but in a new artistic way. The fingerboard is premium ebony, with the famous Cascade inlay. The frets are radically radiused for a super comfortable feel. An extra two frets give you two full octaves on the first string. Only two control knobs are needed and no magnetic pickup is employed with this design. Visually, the Aurora Borealis is elegant and sophisticated without being cluttered. Inside, resides the secret of its fantastic tone. Engineers from Fishman, Sadowski and Compass Records, (Alison's recording company) teamed up with Nechville to achieve what Alison had dreamed about. The resulting design can be heard on her album from Compass Records named Out of the Blue. It comes with a form-fitted protective case. Price: $2850
Electronics
Nechville banjo pickup (includes jack) $150
Roland GR33 Guitar Synthesizer $699
Options
Quasar solid body electric module: installed within the Heli-Mount frame in place of a regular banjo head to produce a powerful electric guitar sound. Includes dual magnetic pickup. Can only be used in a Heli-Mount-style banjo. $490
Corona (nickel plated) Heli-Mount frame $350
Gold plating $650
Bound peghead $200
Archtop (above cost of regular tone ring) $99
Resonator purfling rings $200
Tunnelled "Phantom" 5th String $400
Enterprise bridge (slotted or unslotted) $27.50
Nechville tailpiece $55
Extra wrench $19
Webb Strap $35
5th String capo $425
Custom color (Green, Red, Purple, Blue, Black) $275
Deep tone rim $95
Radiussed fingerboard $330
Armrest $35
Black tuners, tailpiece, armrest $85
Nechville Megaphonic 40 tone ring $400
