I've been having a hard time finding any 5-string Banjo out there, other than the Gibson models, that fret true throughout the neck, the neck on my currnet banjo (1983 Fender Leo Japan) plays perfect in the lower register until I get into the higher areas.

I have an older acquaintance, that keeps pressuring me to, "Get a Gibson" as though they are the only ones capable of fretting true. While I have no doubt their quality is better than the overseas models, I don't have an extra $3500.00 to shell our for a Gibson Mastertone.

The pot, tailpiece and bridge are set up correctly and the harmonics at the 12th fret are dead on.... they have even been tested by an electronic meter, plus.... the bridge was set in place with wighair tape, after being scale measured for accurancy.

As mentioned earlier everything frets true except the for the last high G-posotion at the end of the neck, which is very very off, and which I need when I play gigs and do tunes like Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Dear Old Dixie etc.

Also the coordinating rods are tight as well, not overly tight mind you, but snug enough just the same to not become an issue. I do not have a truss rod tool, myself, to adjust the neck, and don't care to, without having it seen by an expert.

Anyway, the question is:

Is it possible to find and/or repair a Non-Gibson tone ring style banjo that frets true? Or must it be only an expensive workhorse Gibson Mastertone, to have a solid neck that won't warp and various other parts that allegedly don't move and/or cause neck issues?

Also, I am just guessing but I think the problem is a slightly warped neck. Is it possible to find a replacement neck, (one that I can just screw onto my current pot and simply be done with everything. i.e.: I don't want to get into woodwork and other handyman projects.

The model of my current banjo is a 1983 Fender Deluxe. It was a pretty decent banjo in its day The banjo sounds good enough tone-wise for bluegrass. I just need to get it more playable with the ability to fret true throughout all of the neck.

Also, are there any SPECIFICALLY COMPATABLE, AND MEASURED Replacement necks that I could buy and place on this banjo should this be necessary. (Again it is a tone ring model with a double coordinating rod syustem.

Don't want to buy and exprensive Gibson, which right now I cannot afford.

Please advise, and thanks in advance for your expertise!

Dewey