|
Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/159683
Lachlan - Posted - 10/07/2009: 21:46:43
I was looking around on the Stew-Mac site and thought about how cool it would be to build a banjo, but then the reality of not having woodworking tools or skills hit me, and I retreated to the notion of bolting a kit together. I was hoping there might be some good recommendations here regarding who is selling decent kits with all the "hard stuff" done, like neck/pot interface, fingerboard laminated and inlaid, peghead laminated, etc. Basically, who makes a good "pre-made" kit that I could assemble? 
I've seen the ones at Janet Davis, but, like all things banjo, I figured there's more than meets my inexperienced eye.
Lachlan
Will1717 - Posted - 10/08/2009: 22:16:14
Any interest in a Dobson banjo kit that would sell for approx. $600.00?? I realize that this isn't the price range of a Saga kit but it would be a high end kit consisting of a multi-ply thin rim with a brass Dobson tone ring, solid brass hardware in either raw brass or nickel plated brass, solid 3 piece Dobson style walnut neck with an ebony fingerboard and ebony peghead veneer, Gotoh tuners??? 100% North American made. Minimul assembly required??
Any opinions as I'm considering offering such a kit (Photos to follow) Or is it best to leave this to the off shore suppliers???
Bill Rickard
www.banjo-workshop.com
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs every day.
And there's also a bad side."
-- Hunter S. Thompson
Will1717 - Posted - 10/09/2009: 20:15:55
Lachlan:
My thinking is that the fretboard would be glued on the neck blank and the fret slots cut, but the actual installation of the frets would be completed by the customer. The inlay work could then be performed by the customer and the customer would then hammer in and fit the fret wire, which would come with the kit.
Bill Rickard
www.banjo-workshop.com
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs every day.
And there's also a bad side."
-- Hunter S. Thompson
Will1717 - Posted - 10/12/2009: 08:27:24
It's a done deal. The kit project is going to happen! My thinking is that this kit will allow for upgrades at any time. The neck will come with a preset dowel stick that will be positioned from a standard building jig. Awhile back I posted some photos of this jig. By accurately fitting the dowel stick from the top of the Dobson tone ring you will be able to convert this banjo to a tubaphone or Whyte Laydie down the road. I set all my necks at the same distance from the top of the tone ring being used. This means that if you start out with a thin rim Dobson pot assembly and decide down the road to switch over to a 2 ply tubaphone pot assembly the existing neck will slide in place and work as is. I can't say that anyone will ever want to do this but it is very doable if the urge is there.
I'm working on an order form that will allow the customer to customize and order the kit to their requirements. Options will be as follows: 11" or 12" thin rim; nickel plated or raw brass tone ring; nickel plated or raw brass hardware; Dobson or Vega style neck; etc. etc.
The kit will supply everything to build up a thin rim Dobson banjo. All sanding, colouring and inlaying etc. will be done by the customer. I'm presently working on a price list with all the options listed, and will keep all those interested informed here on the hangout, as the list and pirices become available. I'm also connecting with one of the hangout members in hopes that he would be willing to build up the first kit and post photos etc. on the forum as he progresses. This would greatly help to fine tune the kit before going to far.
Thanks for all the positive feedback!
Bill Rickard
www.banjo-workshop.com
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs every day.
And there's also a bad side."
-- Hunter S. Thompson
Will1717 - Posted - 10/27/2009: 22:52:48
Here's some photos of a completed Dobson Kit I built to prove out the set-up. This one has a thin rim stained dark brown with a standard walnut Dobson style neck. The scale length is 25.5" and the neck has an adjustable 2 way truss rod through the heel. Both the fingerboard and peghead veneer are ebony. The hardware is the optional antiqued brass and the Goto tuners are also blackened nickel for a real old look. I'm presently working on an order form that will allow each kit to be completely customized to the customer wishes, such as: raw brass, antiqued, or nickel plated hardware, etc. etc. The first kit is going out to a fellow hangout member within a couple of days and will be a fretless model with raw brass hardware. The purchaser has agreed to actually post photos of this banjo being assembled with his comments as it goes together.
Just not enough hours in the day!
Bill Rickard
www.banjo-workshop.com
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs every day.
And there's also a bad side."
-- Hunter S. Thompson
Edited by - Will1717 on 10/27/2009 22:53:52
Will1717 - Posted - 11/19/2009: 09:05:12
vernob:
As of now the kits are available. I just shipped a fretless ket to a BH member and he has agreed to show some photos + progress of the build as it goes together. I've requested that he openly discusses any quality issues as well as positives of the first kit. What's holding things up at present is the lack of a suitable order form that we can forward to potential customers so they can build up a custom kit to their liking and ability. The intention is to offer a fully customized kit and not a one fits all kit. The base price would be for a kit with a brass Dobson tone ring, nickel plated Gotoh tuners, Walnut cnc cut neck blank, a pre slotted ebony fingerboard at a 25.5" fret length, ebony head plate, 2 way adjustable neck truss rod, and a multiply maple thin rim. All inlay, gluing of the fingerboard and headplate, cutting of the peghead shape, drilling for the tuners and rim holes + final finishing of the instrument would be completed by the customer. Basically it would be a base kit that supplies all the parts c/w bridge, strings etc. plus the heel cutting to match the rim. All the gluing and finishing would be by the customer. From there we want to offer optional extras, such as: fretless fingerboard, fingerboard glued in place, fretting ready to go, peghead pre-cut to shape with the tuner holes drilled, dowel stick glued in place with the correct set-up angles, rim pre-drilled, decorative rim banding installed, antiqued brass hardware, frailing scoop, etc. You could basically add enough options to end up with a completed Dobson banjo minus the finish and polish. The intention is to not compete with other kits being offered from off-shore competitors but to offer a kit that should produce a high end banjo that would be a keeper. At present the only issue is coming up with a suitable order form that's easy to use plus readable on everyone's computer. Also not enough hours in the day as I'm in the process of being fitted with a prosthetic leg to hopefully get me out of this wheelchair + loose some serious weight. Any more pounds and I won't be able to reach the bandsaw table! I'm starting to look like the little fat guy in the star war movies (Obi-Kan-Obi)!
Bill Rickard
Edited by - Will1717 on 11/19/2009 09:07:39
pickinchik - Posted - 11/19/2009: 12:45:06
My husband built me one from the Saga kit. Got it off ebay for about $160 plus shipping. He got ebony tuning buttons, a piece of ebony to put on the head, some nice abalone inlay for the head. It turned out really great and it plays nice. It is an archtop though, so it's a little harder if you want to play clawhammer with it, but it is a fine banjo and I love it. He painted the inside of the pot black with spray paint and added a pattern on the front with a sharpie. He put a little heart on the back of the neck where it meets the pot for me too. I am loved!
Mandy
pickinchik - Posted - 11/22/2009: 09:32:01
Dan,
Thanks! I am partial to it because of all the personal touches he put on there just for me. He wants to build his own guitar from a kit next.
Mandy
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent (EU/GDPR Only)
Copyright 2026 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.
