The plate over the scoop I guess is mostly just decorative, although it could be functional in the same way as a pickguard. These banjos are made specifically for the melodic frailed-style players, many of which play right over the end of the fingerboard (very much like we do with our basses to get a more mellow tone) so the makers will offer a scooped fingerboard to facilitate that style. I'm guessing they found an interesting way to dress it up.  
 
The half-fretless is an idea I had considered have Alembic try on my bass.

Hmmmmm,  half-fretless at which end of the neck on a bass?
 
I liked the sound of the fretless banjo, made it a little greasier.

Supergroup.
Stumbled upon this while cruising through YouTube, from punk to this amazing collaboration of epic performers.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oDs2Bkq6UU4

Supergroup indeed. ^ Is that a JayDee bass Mark King is playing? I just assumed it was an Alembic until the screen froze for a second, and nope, definitely not.  
 
I really enjoyed what these folks were doing about ten years ago. Robert Johnson and J.S. Bach would both have loved this band.  
 

 

 
ps @ pauldo - regarding the half-fretless bass, I had in mind for a similar brass plate to go from the nut down to the 12-1/2 fret, and be fretted from there to the 24th fret. It would work, but would be unspeakably heavy since that brass fingerboard overlay would have to be as thick as a fret is tall. Think of it as literally a single continuous fret. (like Ms. W. said about McVie's stainless steel fingerboard) See, I'm completely comfortable playing fretless bass until I get in to the 2nd octave. (where I really ain't got any business anyway) At that point, having some frets there to clean up my questionable intonation seemed like a good idea, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like training wheels. I just decided instead to go with a fretless ebony board with sidelines, and practice harder. =)

One of the guys who works at the other end of our building is a gifted guitar player, and often brings me something interesting to listen to. It was Danny Gatton last month, but lately he's been on a Bill Frisell kick...
 

 
What grabs me about this musical collaboration is the bassist, Viktor Krauss -the name isn't a coincidence- he's Alison Krauss' brother. Anyway, I've studied and tried to emulate his tone since the first time I ever heard him play. (like probably 25 years or so)

with Jerry Douglas!
 
:-D

Morph the cat by Donald Fagen.

Bela Fleck and Chick Corea, Enchantment
Lubos Malina: Piece of Cake with Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck & Peter Rowan

I love Bela's playing. I've been lucky to see the Flecktones twice in Glasgow, once with Jeff Coffin and the second time after Howard Levy had re-joined the band. Both great shows.  
 
Graeme

Going to see Corea and Fleck in Minneapolis in a few weeks and needed some time to reacquaint myself with their music.

Phil Ochs, .
 
Since the first time I sat around a dorm room baked playing 10 Desert Island Albums over 40 yeras ago, this one has been on the list; one of the greatest albums of all time, with wonderful songs & mind-blowing production - especially the last 3 tracks on the CD (which I will always think of as Side 2) - The Party, the title track, and Crucifixion.  Sheer genius!  
And some of the best liner notes ever, as well.
There is another song added at the end of the YT clip that is not from POTH  
 
Peter

My favorite song, writing about song writing. I mean songwriting about writing songs. I mean, song about the

I'm really digging the latest album from Esperanza Spalding: Emily's D+Evolution. Amazing bassist and singer. The songs (and bass playing - all on a fretless 5-string) is phenomenal. A bit of an experimental album from Esperanza (more rock than jazz)...

Mike Oldfield - Discovery (deluxe 2CD-version)

Just heard a minute ago, Merle Haggard had died, on his 79th birthday.  
 
One of the bands I play in covers this hit from 1980, and I always look forward to this one in the set, especially the little ascending line at the end of each verse that sets up the chorus. I LIVE for that kinda' stuff.  
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NjYKQR_PEg&nohtml5=False