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Bone - Posted - 11/21/2009: 14:47:38
Just received my Rickard Dobson Kit. (I believe it is the very first one.) It came nearly assembled - assembled pot (hardware and head) joined with neck. I screwed in the tuners, put on the tailpiece, nut, pip and strings and she was ready to go (although unfinished.)
Here are some pictures:
More here on my BHO photos page:
http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...albumid=3809
Here's a YouTube video of me playing Falls of Richmond:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PeterDoughty
First impressions: This is an exceptionally nice kit. Thin ply maple pot. Dobson tone ring, choice of hardware, choice of two necks (I chose the walnut dobson heel) Gotoh tuners (I asked that they be antiqued) ebony fingerboard (I asked fretless and for it to be glued on) ebony peghead overlay (I asked for it to be glued with peg holes drilled.) I also asked for the peghead to be cut. Choice of heads (I asked for fiberskin.) - (I know Bill is still determining what options he will be offering and maybe he will weigh-in here.)
I think it sounds great. My camera really doesn't do it justice in the youtube video. If you can do some basic assembling and finishing, this seems like the best value around. A finished banjo with these parts would easily be over $1000.
Stay tuned to this thread and my homepage for more info as I finish the banjo. I intend to do more-or-less a step-by-step documentation of the project.
Cheers,
Pete
Bone - Posted - 11/22/2009: 16:27:40
Here are a few more photos of the kit. Although I really didn't want to, I took it apart today!
Here's how I received the kit. I didn't take any pictures back then because I was in too much of a hurry to string her up and see how she sounded.
Here's a detail of the neck.
Here's the naked pot.
More photos on my Hangout photos page if you are interested.
Pete
Will1717 - Posted - 11/24/2009: 21:56:04
First off, thanks for all the positive replies! Answers to all the questions posted will be coming shortly, but this particular week has shaped up to be on of those not enough hour weeks, with minimal time left for banjos. Unfortunately my real job requires me to put in a week of 16 hour days, but then I guess we all have to work at times to pay the banjo bills!
For those just tuning into this forum topic the aim is to supply a Dobson banjo kit starting at the $600.00 range. Definately more than a Saga kit, but a kit that's 100% North American made with high quality parts that should produce a real keeper banjo. The kit will also come with numerous options and level of assembly choices, from a you do it all kit concept to a fully assembled banjo that only requires some finish sanding and choice of finish for completion. By a you do it all kit, I mean the customer would glue on the fingerboard (25.5" fret length), peghead veneer, and glue in the dowel stick or screw in the coordinator rods. The rim holes would also be drilled by the customer to match the supplied tension hoop. The parts would consist of a cnc cut 3 piece neck blank (neck with a center laminate)(1-3/16" at nut & 2" at rim joint), 2 way neck truss rod, pre-slotted ebony fingerboard (25.5" fret length) & peghead veneer (paddle head stock), fretting material, (customer does inlay work), neck heel would be pre-cut to fit rim and dowel stick hole would be pre-drilled, matching dowel stick supplied, nickel plated Gotoh double band tuners, multi-ply 11" rim, plus all the hardware required to build the banjo (strings, banjo head, brass plated hooks and tension nuts, dowel stick ferrule & "U" clamp assembly, bridge and bone nut). Up grade options would be such things as: supplying the fingerboard glued to the neck with the truss rod installed, peghead glued in place, tuner holes drilled, inlay work completed (standard dots and star), frets installed, dowel stick installed, shoe holes drilled in the rim, 12" multi-ply rim, fretless fingerboard, brass hardware, walnut / maple / or cherry neck materials, etc., etc. etc. My thinking at present is that the basic kit will start at $600.00 and with all options included would top out at approx. $850.00, for a banjo that is fully assembled, but just requires some light sanding and finishing of the customers choice. Again, this kit is not intended to compete with the many offshore kits being supplied. The whole concept spun off from the fact that it takes me considerably longer to complete the final finishing of a banjo than a normal person, as I'm wheelchair bound and working one armed. As I do all my parts on a cnc screw machine and necks with the aid of a cnc router, my thinking was that maybe there's a market for what I can produce easily and am somewhat good at, and leave the diffcult task of final finishing to the customer. I also like the concept of a custom kit that can be ordered as per the customers wishes and level of building competence. The only tools required to build a fully optioned kit would be some sand paper and tru-oil or a spray can of laquer.
Hopefully this project will be of interest to many first time builders. At present we're in a position to take some initial orders, but at present we'll have to work through each inquiry on an individual basis, until we complete the automated fill in the blank order forms. These should follow-up within a couple of weeks.
Bill Rickard
Edited by - Will1717 on 11/24/2009 21:57:01
Will1717 - Posted - 11/24/2009: 22:08:54
Here's some photos of the 11" rim kit with a fretted neck, frailing scoop, and optional antiqued brass hardware and blackened nickel tuners. Arnie Naiman has offered to let us do a video of him playing this banjo over the next couple of days to demonstrate how it plays and its sound. I'll post back when it's completed and posted on my home page.
Bill Rickard
Will1717 - Posted - 11/27/2009: 12:50:15
Looks like I made an error on the specifications of the Dobson Kit earlier on. The width of the fingerboard at the nut is not 1-3/16" but 1-5/16", going to 2" at the heel.
Bill Rickard
Bone - Posted - 11/27/2009: 14:57:22
Sanding, sanding, sanding...more sanding.
I'm using ebony stain on the pot. Here it is after two coats:
I 've been fine sanding the neck and it is ready for oil. I'll be putting on the first coat of Tru-oil tomorrow:
I'm planning on using Tru-oil on the ebony peg-head overlay. Will that work? Also, I've read that I shouldn't "finish" the fingerboard but maybe apply some sesame oil or the like. Any opinions on that?
Thanks,
Pete
Bone - Posted - 11/29/2009: 15:10:21
Got a 3/4" Forstner bit today and installed the 1971 penny with some epoxy.
Liberty - In God We Trust - Abe Lincoln - 1971. Good stuff!
Pete
Will1717 - Posted - 12/05/2009: 00:46:50
For those interested, I just posted a video on You Tube of Arnie Naiman playing a tune on the new Dobson kit banjo. If I can figure out how to link this to my home page I'll do so shortly. We're also finally in a position to release the first run of these kits on a limited basis. Its taken a bit of time to get it all together but I think we're slowly getting there. The biggest issue was stocking up on a quantity of unfinished thin rims and walnut Dobson style neck. I normally have at least 12 of these banjos in some form of completion but realized that 90% of my stock had been taken to far to offer as a kit. By this I mean I have approx. 15 thin rims in both 11" and 12" diameter but they were already stained a dark brown and had inlay banding installed. The stock necks were also pre-inlayed with pearl dots and stars + pearl side markers, plus had the frets installed and dressed. I'm assuming that 95% of potential customers would prefer to do this work themselves. The only thing left to complete is a detailed price list with all the options listed. If anyone wants to order the basic kit for an Xmas holiday build just drop me a line, and I'll get back with detailed pricing + option details etc. Hopefully as things develop and we first prove a solid interest it will become much easier to place an order, without the need to actually contact me to discuss the options. We're hoping to end up with a click and order online situation, but are still away off from this situation. My thinking at present is we should first learn to walk before we run, or move slowly, to avoid any unhappy customers. So for the initial stages we intend to keep ordering etc. on a personal level. Hopefully it will all work out as planned.
To see and hear the first off completed Dobson kit go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_kFKRTW-d8. Comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also thanks a million to Arnie Naiman for all his assistance in promoting this banjo venture!
Bill Rickard
Will1717 - Posted - 12/05/2009: 23:15:16
Thanks Peter, it worked! I was just able to post the You Tube video of Arnie playing the new kit banjo to my home page, with the careful directions from "Bone". I'm amazed that it worked! Arnie was also good enough to tape some additional tunes, of him playing the new kit banjo, which I'll post shortly. Thanks once more for all those who have given their valuable time to assist me in making this happen. Also a special thanks to Al Box, who works with me on a daily basis and has given a tremendous number of his hours to make this whole rehab thing come together. I bet Al never realized where this was all going when I suggested that he build a banjo! I feel like a pusher who got him hooked on banjos!
Bill Rickard
Bone - Posted - 12/06/2009: 10:30:20
Here's an update on the kit. I've been applying alot of coats of Tru-oil on the neck and ebony stain on the pot.
I've got a small piece of ebony that I'll fashion into a nut and pip. Then it will be final fine finishing and putting it all back together. Stay tuned...
Pete
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