Big ol' neck

[Bell Banjos]

Pretty cool photos, Joel.  Has anyone ever played a banjo with one of those huge necks? Some look like they're close to 2 inches at the nut. I'm getting ideas.

[Joel Hooks]

I think the widths at the nut was usually +/- 1.5,"  Seems that the originals that I've looked at/played did not venture much past classical guitar spacing.

My banjo that George made is 1.5" even, the same as the Frank Converse banjo template.  If you don't have a copy of that, get one.  I've seen that neck shape with the rectangle and "New York" peg heads.  You will even see it in many of these photos.

Neck lengths went on either side of 20," the converse pattern giving 19".

[Bell Banjos]

Ya, mine are usually 1.5.  Your old photos show some great design ideas and the necks look really wide.  Man, your banjo is classy!

[Strumelia]

Maybe the necks look extra wide in the old photos because people in America were just a little smaller back then?