Chet, my practice banjo (formerly Michael Holmes's practice banjo) is a tenor conversion. Mike found a tenor Slingerland, vintage 1920's, and sent it to Wyatt Fawley to have a 17 fret five string net made for it. I don't know how much Mike had paid for the tenor, but Fawley built the neck for about $370, including planetary tuners. I paid Mike $450 for it when he wanted a fancier one. Mike (www.Mugwumps.com) has a link to Fawley's neck shop. Wyatt's website gives a fascinating illustrated narrative of the construction of a banjo neck. As I recall, a standard (21 fret) five string neck costs the same. I got a Gold Tone travel banjo gig bag for it from Janet Davis Music for--as I recall--$35. Fits it perfectly. Catspaw's friends conversion of the instrument is certainly another way to go, but if you want to keep the tenor neck as well...anyway, check Fawley out before you commit.

--seed