That looks somewhat like an Ode tailpiece, which I guess has been copied by other makers?

Thanks for responding.
I don't know. Most the tailpieces I see on ebay have one screw but this one has two. Can't find any other two screw tailpieces.
It is necessary to replace it with another "2 screw tailpiece"?

Would you agree that this is a "5 string tailpiece" on this "4 string banjo"?

quote:

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Originally posted by 86OmniGLH

Thanks for responding.
I don't know. Most the tailpieces I see on ebay have one screw but this one has two. Can't find any other two screw tailpieces.
It is necessary to replace it with another "2 screw tailpiece"?

Would you agree that this is a "5 string tailpiece" on this "4 string banjo"?

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Over here they are not so uncommon mainly because one of the main banjo specialists used to sell them. I have a few as I bought up some stock when they closed. I can't remember how they described them. You can replace it with whatever you want. Five string tailpieces on tenor banjos was once upon a time quite common because it was easier to use what was available rather than making something just for 4 strings. 

Ok thanks for responding.

It's sort of an "anything goes" deal for tailpieces. ok. Ifyou lookclose at the pictire i posted the bridge is grooved for the strings "off-center" to line up the 4 strings on the 5 string tailpice. It looks "weird" to me, but - then again - I'm just a novice player.

So, the search for a 4 string terminator continues....
Thanks again for your input!!

You’ve skipped the wrong string slot on the tailpiece. You should have skipped the center slot, then your strings at the tailpiece will be symmetrical. That’s the way everyone does it. That tailpiece will do you fine.

quote:

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Originally posted by martyjoe

You’ve skipped the wrong string slot on the tailpiece. You should have skipped the center slot, then your strings at the tailpiece will be symmetrical. That’s the way everyone does it. That tailpiece will do you fine.

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Ok thank you for responding, martyjoe. I'll fix that. I got this banjo - "free" - this way. It has a deeper tone and feel than my vintage no-name Japanese 5-string banjo.  "Banjo" is finally making some sense after having this old thing for decades.  lol
After doing some research, this is a "Gold Tone Cripple Creek Irish tenor" 4 string banjo with a "terminator" bridge. I'm guessing the bridge was swapped-out at some point.   It's all blonde and nice looking and those kind of "blondes" are always a "keeper". At any rate, I'm sure it has - probably - the original .040, .030, .020, .010 strings on it.  Without realizing this, I tuned it to "D-G-B-D" to strum some chords as that is my focus at this point.   
My goals are "picking" the usual country bluegrass songs and "strumming" some classic "Americana" favorites, so I guess I need to change the strings to get the sound I expect?   

Besides, G-D-A-E tuning being the tuning for "Irish music" - fiddles, double bass, mandolins etc... -  are there any advantages to learn the chord positions of "G-D-A-E tuning"?  Despite playing bass guitar for several years using the usual "standard guitar tuning", I really prefer like "open D" much more by far. "Chording" seems easier.  
Any thoughts?    Thanks again for responding....