BigJay - Posted - 02/23/2014:  07:57:59

Let me start by saying I am new to all of this, having never played an instrument before, I bought a banjo this summer and started trying to teach myself to play. Shortly after I decided I wanted to build one myself and had seen some videos on making a gas can banjo and thought this would be a simple way to start. I had an old air breather from a car laying around that I thought would be perfect, but it was a little big for a banjo so I decided on a bass banjo. The project ended up turning into much more than I originally planned and I'm sure I got some things wrong but I am pretty happy with the end result, and it sounds good too. I don't play bass so this will be going to my brother, but I've definately caught the bug now and am already trying to plan my next build.

Here are some specs; body is an air breather off a 50's Cadillac, neck is made from a 120+ year old pine 2x4 from a remodel I was doing, fret board inlay and fret position markers are small cogs and parts from watches, skeleton key tuners, drawer pull tailpiece, deer antler nut and pip, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. I don't have a workshop so tools I used were skill saw, belt sander, coping saw, cordless drill, and pocket knife, and I borrowed a dremmel to do the inlay.

So there you have it, the Breather Bass. Sorry for the poor quality photos.

tomberghan - Posted - 02/23/2014:  08:08:42

Looks really cool!!  What is the vibrating string length from nut to bridge?

Ken LeVan - Posted - 02/23/2014:  08:17:14

Very interesting and unique.

I would love to hear what it sounds like. How did you make the tuners?

staronjeff - Posted - 02/23/2014:  09:55:04

it's a work of art i would say

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 02/23/2014:  10:11:04

It's definitely got a style and it's undoubtedly unique. I like it, a lot actually and would love to hear it play. If it sounds as good as it looks you're onto something!

swspyder - Posted - 02/23/2014:  10:19:11

Great.Like it alot.

Dan Drabek - Posted - 02/23/2014:  13:57:16

Looks like fun to me. 

DD

mike gregory - Posted - 02/23/2014:  15:14:25

It was very nice of General Motors to stamp the bridge side-slip preventers on there FOR you.

Very good job carving the wood.

Love the tuning pegs.

(I've done something similar, but less beautiful with drilled dice and with big plastic buttons epoxied back to back.)

Concert Size salad bowl Uke- peg detail

# 10. Custom SteamPunk tuners

BigJay - Posted - 02/24/2014:  07:56:21

Thanks guys. Tomberghan, it is a 34" scale. Ken, after several attempts at different configurations I finally ended up just cutting off and drilling out the skeleton key shaft and epoxying it on to the shaft of the tuner. I don't have a way to record it being played, but I will do it if I ever get the chance. Mike, I'm pretty sure GM was thinking of me when they stamped those on there!