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It looks like I am going to build a banjo in spite of everything. I have a friend for whom "I don't know anything abut banjo construction " is not sufficient reason not to build him one.

I am needing direction, best books on the subject and good sources for parts. He wants the best of every thing because it is for his son.

Cecil

Cue the banjo jokes in

3...2...1...

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53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/

When I read "need help with a banjo" I figured you couldn't decide whether to spend the time and strip it for recycling or just go straigt to the dumpster with it. (sorry I couldn't resist)
Sorry, I don't have a clue about anything banjo except that they hurt my ears.

Roger Siminoff has a good book available at Stewart-Macdonald called Constructing A 5-String Banjo this is a pretty good one. The link is below. And if tou can find Irving Sloanes book. Building Musical Instruments there is a section on building a banjo that is pretty good.Stewart-Macdonald

[QUOTE=Michael Shaw] Roger Siminoff has a good book available at Stewart-Macdonald called Constructing A 5-String Banjo [/QUOTE]

Are all the pages Blank ?

My cusin say der aint nuttin rong wid da banjo playin. By da way he say u look mighty purrdy.

The DIY Network, on their "Handmade Music" Series did a piece on building a banjo. It was very informative. They actually did two of them, one a traditional gourd-based instrument, and another more modern instrument. Check out their website.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Don Williams] The DIY Network, on their "Handmade Music" Series did a piece on building a banjo. It was very informative. They actually did two of them, one a traditional gourd-based instrument, and another more modern instrument. Check out their website.

[/QUOTE]
They were both very good. Hand made music is a good series. I'm glad DIY is doing some shows on building instruments. I wish there was more channels doing this kind of stuff.

Go for it Cecil. I plan to build a banjo someday myself. I'd try StewMac for parts and Build A Banjo for some web instruction.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Well, you guys can make banjo jokes all you want, but I'm becoming a big fan. One listen to guys like Ron Block and Earl Scruggs....well, it's a terrific instrument. I'm gonna build one for me.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Don Williams] Well, you guys can make banjo jokes all you want, but I'm becoming a big fan. One listen to guys like Ron Block and Earl Scruggs....well, it's a terrific instrument. I'm gonna build one for me.[/QUOTE]

You tell 'em Doc.... er, I mean Don.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

[QUOTE=Joe Beaver]
You tell 'em Doc.... er, I mean Don.[/QUOTE]

I believe I did! Don Williams38890.9374305556

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Hey Cecil don't let these guys get you down. In reality they are all sitting on the couch, banjo in hand trying to learn their favorite theme song. The ballad of Jed Clampett. Ya'll come back now.

AHHHHHhhhhhh!!!!!!! BANJOS

I absolutely love banjos. There's a build in my future for sure.

Another great source for parts is First Quality Music Supply.

First Quality


Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Sorry to post a serious reply but I'm a banjo fan. If you're gonna bother building you're own banjo, it's all about the neck and custom ornamentation. The body is all about selecting/installing hardware and deciding how much money to spend. Do you want chrome or gold? Should the gold be engraved, etc. Don't skimp on the tone ring and do add a resonator. The back of the resonator is your opportunity to distinguish yourself, so do it! Find the curliest bestest hard curly maple neck wood you can for the neck. Gaudy up that fretboard with inlay, inlay, inlay. Avoid a metal/wood friction 5th string peg. That 5th string peg and "nut" will throw any guitar-maker for a loop as well as the weird neck shape surrounding the peg. Scruggs tuners are great but probably to much expense if the player is a beginner. Put a 5th string banjo capo in right from the start. There are many cool bridges to choose from, get something of quality in-between normal and way weird. Don't skimp on the peghead shaping but good luck making it even on both sides. Earl Scruggs has a banjo playing book that tells how to make a banjo in the last handful of pages - I made my first banjo using only those instructions. It's all you need plus a lot of $$$.
Tom

Welcome to the forum, Tom. Great to have another banjo fan around here. It gets pretty nasty sometimes. I agree with what you've said. I would add: use railroad spikes for the fifth string capo. They're nearly invisible and don't get in your way. I have Scrugg's tuners on my personal banjo, but don't use them. I use a Snuffy Smith bridge.

I'm also going to build my own rim and try to turn a resonator when I get to building. I do have another 4 or 5 guitars to make first, though.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Another vote for banjos here!

[QUOTE=old man] I would add: use railroad spikes for the fifth string capo.

Ron[/QUOTE]
Hiya Ron,
What the hecky are railroad spikes? I've never heard of this for a 5th string banjo capo?

Good luck with making your own rim and resonator! That's what scared me into building acoustic guitars, the whole lamination, steamy, circular bendy business seemed like to much aggravation... and the alternative is just buying a lot of expensive pre-made wood and hardware and then pretending I am using an erector set.

[QUOTE=Michael Shaw] Hey Cecil don't let these guys get you down. In reality they are all sitting on the couch, banjo in hand trying to learn their favorite theme song. The ballad of Jed Clampett. Ya'll come back now.[/QUOTE]

Hey, I used to play that when I played a bit of banjo, in the UK folk clubs in the late sixties if you came in with a banjo you HAD to play it! If you had a squeeze box (not an accordian they weren't allowed) you had to play the theme from Captain Pugwash.

John Kinnaird is now officially the OLF banjo correspondent, he may have some advice.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I knew that would bring out the banjo jokes.Had to brave it though. This guy is talking serious cash.

Here in the Missouri Ozarks bluegrass music is close to being a second to religion. I have had a lot more people inquuire about banjos than about guitars when thet find out that I am a luthier. I have been thinking that it might be a way to finance my first love.

Don,Ron,Tom et all thanks for the encouragement. I'll get the Siminoff book and see where I go from here. Right now I don't even know all of the components the go into this beast. Off we go into uncharted waters.

Cecil

Good luck Cecil, you can do it. And if you're living in Bluegrass country, then you could probably sell a bunch of banjos if you learn to make them well. Great instrument. I used to be one of the naysayers about th em, but I've grown up and me ear is better than it once was. Now I love them. I really liked the one the guy made on the DIY network and may try to build one like it...at some point. When I have time...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Just so y'all know...one of our favorite suppliers of all things lutherie wouldn't be around if it weren't for banjos. Stew Mac started as a banjo parts shop. Now where would we be without them?

I think Hesh's jokes are just his way of saying he really loves the banjo. Kind of like in grade school when you pick on the girl you really like. It's his way of showing affection.   

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice