steve davis - Posted - 08/21/2012:  19:45:58

These kits were very high quality.

They even had a fully engraved/gold granada kit for 1200.

When I got mine they had a mahogany option,but I got maple.Choice of Flying Eagle or H&F.

Necks pre inlaid and fretted.Heel and tonering were cut to fit.Lags installed/holes in rim.

Just had to finish shaping the back of the neck,bind and stain.Peghead was finish sanded.

It took me 6 evenings after work to finish it.

I paid 550 for mine.I guess they had to stop making them so finished.

Here it is with a black powder-coated Cox flange.

This is the banjo I used when I played for Vaughn Meader in the Gone Fishing Band.

Edited by - steve davis on 08/21/2012 19:51:44

Banjophobic - Posted - 08/21/2012:  19:52:06

Steve

I also ordered one of the 'vintage' kits. It was my first 'mastertone' type banjo. It turned out great and was a 'keeper'. Unfortunately, I got the trading bug later on and sold it to buy my first  "Gibson". The Vintage kit banjo was much better than the Rb-800 Ieventually bought, and  was sorry I let the Stewmac go....live and learn ( I was young). My kit was maple with heats and flowers.

The guy who bought it died of a massive heart attack a few years later and his son wound up with it. Ive tried 3 or 4 times over the past 20+ years to buy it back from him, but he wont sell it. I told him it was my first good banjo and the first one I have 'built'. Maybe he'll go soft and mushy and let me have it one day,lol.  I think I paid 600 for my kit.

Edited by - Banjophobic on 08/21/2012 19:53:44

steve davis - Posted - 08/21/2012:  20:09:33

They were listing at around 800,John,but I noticed an ad in BNL for 555 through somebody's store.

I grabbed that BNL and drove to Camden to Ron Pinkham's Woodsound Studio.

I asked him if we could order that kit through his store for 555 and he said he couldn't believe someone had that price on them.

I quickly whipped out that BNL and showed him the ad.

He said,"Hang on" and got on the phone to Stewmac.

When he hung up he said,"I can get that kit and sell it to you for 555 as I now have a more favorable deal with Stewart McDonald.I'm glad you showed up with that ad."



The kit came to his store and he pronounced it fit for construction.

I took it back to him on the 7th day and picked him a few.

He asked me if I wanted a job,but I told him I didn't ever want to work for anyone.



It would still be my main banjo if I hadn't lucked onto this marvelous 2.

Powerful banjo,that kit.

It's the banjo I used on Heading for a Hoedown with Don Roy and Coyote Kid with Dave Archibald.

Records great.

One of my old buddies.

Edited by - steve davis on 08/21/2012 20:10:42

Fathand - Posted - 08/22/2012:  10:43:42

It's a shame how Stew Mac abandoned so much of their banjo line including the kits.

steve davis - Posted - 08/22/2012:  11:00:13

There was a luthier A. Craig Hoffman at the time that took those kits and did a real pro finishing to them.
I wonder how much he charged for doing that.
I kinda regret not getting the granada kit,but there was no way I could come up with 1200 for a banjo,back then.

Kevin B - Posted - 08/22/2012:  13:28:20

My Stew-Mac that I built in '81 it is the mahogany Diamond eagle with a no holes flathead and a heavy lathe turned on the bottom one piece flange.  In that year the truss rod was still only heel accessable and the co-rods were aluminum.  I have changed those to a set from FQMS and changed the E2 type tension hoop for a cast unit.  Mine is great but a little more muddy and muted than the clarity and separation of my RB3.  See catalogue page under the banjo picture.

Edited by - Kevin B on 08/22/2012 13:29:52

Kevin B - Posted - 08/22/2012:  13:29:17

Also, mine was $316 with shipping from The Fret factory in Ormond Beach, FL.  I still have it 32 years later and will never part with it until it goes to my family.

Edited by - Kevin B on 08/22/2012 13:31:20

steve davis - Posted - 08/22/2012:  15:26:38

Great deal,Kevin.You did a good job on it.
Already fretted and heel cut...YAY!

I sold my bronze hoop and flange and like the tone better with their Cox counterparts.

5steve - Posted - 08/22/2012:  17:18:37

I too am in the Diamond Eagle club mine is a 1982 here is a pic of when I broke the peghead a few years back . It has since been repaired. Steve

Kevin B - Posted - 08/22/2012:  17:44:17

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve davis

Great deal,Kevin.You did a good job on it.

Already fretted and heel cut...YAY!



I sold my bronze hoop and flange and like the tone better with their Cox counterparts.

---

Thanks.  Mine didn't come fretted, that was an option.  I had to fret, inlay and bind it.  I used brown leather dye for stain and spray can lacquer.

I know what you mean about liking the Cox stuff better.  I always thought the heavy bronze on mine contributed to unwanted sustain.

Kevin B - Posted - 08/22/2012:  17:45:28

quote:

---

Originally posted by 5steve

I too am in the Diamond Eagle club mine is a 1982 here is a pic of when I broke the peghead a few years back . It has since been repaired. Steve

---

 I'm glad you were able to fix it.  Nice banjos.

5steve - Posted - 08/22/2012:  17:51:36

Yeah I think at that time if you did a decent job on the finishing they were as good as anything else on new  for sale. I had been getting the Stewart Macdonald catalog for years and always wanted one of their kits

 When i finally bought one I was in the USAF on temporary duty in Ankara Turkey I would work on the banjo at night in our hotel. I did all of the inlays with exacto knives took me about a month.

howseth - Posted - 08/22/2012:  18:00:06

I bought 2 of the Old-Time kits in 1989-90. One was the Whyte Laydie style kit. (I eventually sold to it my on-and-only banjo student in 1992.) The other kit kit was a Tubaphone style kit they had in the catalog for a time. It was the same as the Whyte Laydie kit except for the tone ring.. (I still own it). Solid banjos. Maple. with ebony fingerboards. Kershner tailpieces. 5-star tuners.

Edited by - howseth on 08/22/2012 18:01:24

steve davis - Posted - 08/22/2012:  19:10:22

Here's some pics of mine.

Edited by - steve davis on 08/22/2012 19:21:46

buckholler - Posted - 08/22/2012:  19:21:16

Other than the Saga kits does anyone make a bluegrass (resonator)banjo kit? I'd love to try my hand at one. To bad that First Quality, Recording King, or some of the bigger commercial makers don't have kits as an option. Just something to wet your appetite as an aspiring hobby builder.

buckholler - Posted - 08/22/2012:  19:25:16

Oops I stand corrected. I found that Gold Tone has 2 kits. Mostly done any you do the finish work. This may be an option.

mikehalloran - Posted - 08/23/2012:  09:37:32

There is the SAGA kit but it has an aluminum pot. Makes a decent banjo but not in the league of the old Stew-Mac kit.

gmo - Posted - 08/23/2012:  11:47:37

The current Saga kit is pretty good for the price and can be the basis for building (assembling if you will) a pretty good banjo using a good rim drilled for bracket shoes and a good tone ring or getting the neck heel recut for a one piece flange(or ,I suppose, even a twopiece if that is your preference) and utilizing the appropriate rim for the purpose. I have several banjos done this way and, while not the best "professional" quality , are decent, good playing banjos. As to the old Stewmac kits, I have an old catalogue from 1988 showing these kits and I sometimes get it out , "drool" over the listings, and wish they were still available (and at the prices in this old catalogue!!!) .
George

dcnchair - Posted - 08/23/2012:  12:23:31

Those made great banjos. I also bought a '50's Gibson RB 250 bowtie after I built the StewMac and sold it because it wasn't even close. I've been playing the StewMac and only the StewMac  since I built it in the early 80's and it's the best sounding banjo I've ever played. I believe they used Ryan tone rings. I also still have the original head on it. I changed it out a couple of years ago for a new Five Star, didn't like the sound, and slapped the old Five Star back on. The old ones were thinner and just give a nice clear tone. The new one just sounded muddy.

Dave Nauman