Building a Banjo

[dan mosheim]

My son Will and I are building a banjo. He’s an excellent player and knows what makes a good banjo. I, on the other hand, know how to make things quickly and tend to forge ahead to ‘get things done’ and it has fallen to Will to slow me down and educate me on the fine points of instrument making. It’s been a spare time project that happens mostly after work as our schedules allow. I’d say we’re about halfway through the first edition, thinking up jigs, trying stuff, and learning a lot as we go. We have gotten our parts and supplies as well as accurate fretboard layout measurements from Stewart MacDonald Guitar Supply. There is a lot of banjo building info online and the variety of styles and approaches to the problem are all the same but all different. I’m attempting to add to the online info by documenting our processes on two posts (so far) on our dorset custom furniture blog. There are many more photos and descriptions of the processes there. Check it out if you're interested in banjo building or jig making processes....

More to come there as we progress…. Here are a few sample process photos ...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1XF-wsEQ6hQ/SnTDuuKWc7I/AAAAAAAADic/8J29T_Dv_TQ/s912/banjo%207%2029%201.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1XF-wsEQ6hQ/SnM68xgb6hI/AAAAAAAADiM/WaUji4vvKP4/s912/neck%20cut.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1XF-wsEQ6hQ/SmEv_FFUqXI/AAAAAAAADeE/CyluoOfVnqA/s912/banjo%20part%20off.jpg

(http://dorsetcustomfurniture.blogspot.com/)

[Ben Martin]

Dan, I can't see the pictures. :(

[jerry nazard]

Dan,

The dog in the picture at top left is named Mr. Banjo. He wants to see the pictures.... <gr>

-Jerry

[Bud Millis]

No pics seen.