Kaelri - Posted - 06/18/2013:  19:35:50

Yes, I kept having to pause the video and scroll back to see, in more detail, all the really nice beautiful stuff that was flyin' by me so fast! 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/18/2013:  19:57:34

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

Yes I am sure of it. There have at least been two people who have wondered where ole' Dan has been hangin' out at. I can hear them now, "Where's ole' Dan been hidin'? He sure ain't been postin' on the Hangout!"

Well the answer to that burnin' question is in this post (and maybe the next 'un too)

I been riverin"...

Without much internet service...

I just returned home in the wee hours of Monday morning after a bunch of time out.  And here are some photos from the trip...

Some folks watch birds fly. Some folks are intrigued by moss growing, but me I am constantly and enjoyably interested in the water pattern of the bow wake.

The bow of a barge in the early morning...

Four barges in a tow...

Here is one of my group banjo classes held way up on the 5th. deck. This bunch of folks did very well. I ended up teaching more than I usually do because they took it all in.

Sunset, northbound on the Mississippi...

In Memphis they tell me that the Peabody Hotel is world famous. Presidents, Politicians, Elvis & even the Beatles have stayed there. But the most famous residents are the Peabody Ducks...

Five little ducks who daily walk a red carpet to and from a fountain in this hotels lobby. Folks by the Hundreds gather to watch the ducks parade. I gathered to watch about 200 people watch the ducks.

Later I appeared to a standing room only audience in the Peabody ballroom... well perhaps I was the only one standing...maybe even the only one there!

I was told that folks like Al Capone, Pretty Boy Floyd and George W. Bush have been in this ballroom... now me...

More veri soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2013:  04:12:02

Denton & Ellen,

Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

casinojack - Posted - 06/19/2013:  04:27:41

Dan

What a great video, the quality and beauty of your work show the love and respect you have for your music and your craft.

Jack

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2013:  04:36:20

RIVER TO HOME

Memphis cont...

On Saturday morning I looked out of my state room to view this pleasant sight, a kayak race. There were maybe 30 kayakers and a bunch of other assorted boats on the river below Mud Island.

Sunday morning nearing Vicksburg. The air was still and the river surface calm and reflective.

In stateroom 410 (Eddie & my room) hung this very cool painting of a steamboat at a landing. My bets are St. Louis.

Mark Holladay (our guitar player) putting in his 8 seconds riding the rocking pig!

Monday morning bright and early the power companies tree trimmers came and cut down an old red maple tree in our front yard. The tree dying, with a long lightning caused split and very hollow. It was a danger to both our house and their power lines. After the tree was down I counted the annual rings and found around 80. Sadly there was very little usable wood, if any, so branches leaves and all went to the chipper to make mulch.

Tim making the final cuts on the trunk.

More real soon...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2013:  04:39:08

Jack,

Thank you for your kind comments...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2013:  19:14:43

HE SAID "DON'T FRET ABOUT IT!"

The questions of the moment are....

"Just where does that boy get his titles from? What in the world is he thinkin'?"

Well I don't know, but I'll ask him next time I see him!

I found this photo on my camera that I keep at the shop. It is of me working on my latest video DAN KNOWLES BANJO ARTISAN. I kinda liked the picture so I figured I'd post it. If you haven't seen the video yet and would like to, here is a link.

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...rID=44416

Today was a busy day. I finished up an upright bass fingerboard re-glue, several setups and this fret leveling, crowning and setup on a very nice Schecter Classic electric. Fret # 8 was too low, causing buzzing problems. In a higher setup this wouldn't have mattered so much, but here it did.

First I loosened the strings, checked the neck for strait and then marked the fret tops. This marking shows me when all of the frets are at the same height.

I use this diamond hone to level the frets...

A fingerboard guard helps keeps my crowning file from scratching the fingerboard. A marred fingerboard is a sure sign of someone who isn't careful or doesn't have good technique.

Using a piece of 2000 grit sandpaper wrapped around the fret crowning file, the frets are polished.

The fingerboard is oiled then guitar is re-strung and the truss rod is adjusted...

The nut is re-cut using a gaged nut slotting saw...

After the nut is corrected the saddle is adjusted as are the intonation and the pickups.

Next I was able to spend a couple of hours on a project that is near and dear to my heart, One of my re-creations of the 1850 Jacobs banjo (posted on earlier Hangout posts). These stars are the back plate for the 1850's Jacobs bracket shoe.

Here is a photo of one of the reproduction shoes... This is from David Emery's Knowles/ 1850's Jacobs banjo.

Lots of kirf marks on these babies, they all have to be filed completely away...

Now the J-hook hangers are drilled before being cut out...

Here they are cut out and ready to file...

You got it... I filed and I filed and I filed away!

More real soon!

Steven M - Posted - 06/20/2013:  12:48:28

Great video, and very good tune "Cure for Gravity"!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/20/2013:  19:17:53

Steven,

Thanks, Glad you enjoyed it!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/20/2013:  20:02:53

BANO TYME

(who sez I kaint spell!)

A nice day is always filled with banjos and banjo people. Today was filled with both. When I returned from the river I found two shipping boxes in my living room. They were perfect size for banjos. Shazam they had banjers in 'um. In fact they had two original Henry Dobson banjos in them. Nice ones too! A regular banjo and a very nice slot head pony banjo. I thought "Oh boy, an early birthday present!" Ah but no such luck. I found a note explaining the work that my pal Blake need done.

Here I'm working on figuring out how I'm gonna pull off what he needs.

This is one of my favorite things to do... Talking to a fellow banjo lover. Blake and I discuss his banjos.

Later I grabbed on to Bob Campbell's grandpa's banjo. It will all be taken apart so that I can clean and restore the banjo. Out come the neck support screws...

Now off with the support...

And now the neck brace...

Out comes the end bolt...

Off comes the tuners...

The parts go off in a plastic bag for safe keeping. Tomorrow I'll tear down the pot.

More tomorrow...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/21/2013:  16:24:31

OFF IT COMES

Back with Bob Campbell's banjo... I grab my drill motor and load a nut wrench to remove all of the bracket nuts...

Most of them are off now...just a few to go...

With the tension hoop removed I get a block of maple and gently knock off the head. We may be trying to not only save but reuse the head.

Next off come the shoes...

All of the metal parts have silver paint on them so all of the small parts will be given an Acetone bath to break down the paint..

After a short time the bath is very murky with dissolved paint. I agitate the whole batch to help ease the paint off...

A little elbow grease and the paint is brushed off, mostly...

Several baths of Acetone are required to break down the paint.

The last bath...

More tomorrow...

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/21/2013:  20:21:00

Its always satisfying to get through the disassembly and cleaning without any major surprises.  I trust that you are using good ventilation when using acetone.

tendogman - Posted - 06/21/2013:  20:29:13

Dan,

WOW... I don't know what to say!

I return home tonight, fire up the computer and what do I see. Pop's banjo being restored right in front of me eyes.......... :-) Awesome.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It brought tears to my eyes. Because, I also just return for the river. My son, grandson and I spent about 9 days down on the Cumberland River at the old cabin that my Grandpa lived in. I wanted to get away for a while with my son because in 30 days, he'll be leaving for boot camp to become a Marine. We had a really nice time, just us boys... We worked hard but played ever harder....

I guess our "thoughts" were in the same page.

Bob

R. Blakeslee Gilpin - Posted - 06/22/2013:  05:18:29

Dan - I love finally becoming part of your thread! And the photographic proof helps...I wasn't totally sure if it was the other Dan Knowles in Paris, TN...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2013:  06:35:16

Dave,

Even though I like some surprises it tickles me when they come apart like it did here with Bob's banjo.

Bob,

I'm glad our thoughts were working along the same lines... It is very difficult when a child grows up and leaves home. I've been there a bunch and I've got both the hat and tee shirt to prove it. Keep watching there is more coming!

Blake,

Are you sure that wasn't the other Dan? It was sure good talking with you the other day. I'll look forward to more of these conversations!

tendogman - Posted - 06/23/2013:  07:13:21

Dan,

Yes, it is bitter/sweet when the kids leave home. I also have the gray hairs to prove it. This son is the 5th of 6 kids to leave the nest. Only one more to go. I'll be watching and enjoying seeing the old banjo being restored.

Bob

jbalch - Posted - 06/23/2013:  10:08:43

Bob - your banjo is in the best of hands.   It will be awesome to see the end result!

The Pope - Posted - 06/23/2013:  11:21:37

How many brackets on Grandpa's banjo? 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2013:  16:57:12

Bob,

I glad you have allowed me to handle your banjo. Although this won't be photos of your banjo my next post should interest you.

John,

Thank you.

Pope There are a mess of brackets somewhere in excess of 30 as I recall. I'll try to remember to count them tomorrow.

jbalch - Posted - 06/23/2013:  17:13:17

Fifty (50) brackets I think - is that right?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2013:  18:43:11

John,

Looks like you are more than correct...I knew it sure took me a long lime to take apart!

jbalch - Posted - 06/23/2013:  18:49:40

50 brackets - that is a DEEELUCKS model for sure.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2013:  18:52:45

1850's JACOBS RETURNS...

Tonight being as it is a Sunday and that I spent my day working on the yard and swimming with my sweet wife and two of my grand daughters (boy what a sentence) I figured we could take a backwards look at a project from several years ago...

This 1850's Jacobs banjo wondered into the shop for a restoration. It was cool beyond cool. At the time we  weren't sure who the maker was, then the ever knowledgeable Ed Britt pointed us towards the 1850's New York maker Jacobs. These next few photos were made just after unpacking the banjo. 

The banjo had been very wet at sometime and the lamination had buckled and started to come apart.

Many bracket shoe holes had become elongated...

The rim had been broken in several places.... also there were several cracks in the rim.

My favorite feature of this banjo (when it arrived) was the head. Vintage paper. I figured that it had been used for a display at some time in its long life. Perhaps it had been in a museum or even a circus or carnival...

Now the idea with this restoration was to maintain all of the patina of age. It should appear to be unchanged. It was to be physically sound (when complete) and playable. All of the new (or added parts) were to appear as if they original to the instrument (except the strings of course).

After several months of very intensive work this is how the banjo turned out... Cracks repaired, new tuners, tailpiece, head, strings & bridge, set up and ready to play...

I will never forget setting this tailpiece afire to make it look just right.

These new tuners are of osage orange a very hard yellowish colored wood.

Here is a link to a video of the 1850's Jacobs singing again!

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...rID=44416

more very soon!

tendogman - Posted - 06/23/2013:  20:00:46

Dan,

What a very "NICE" video... Sweet banjo, no frets. Oh yeah that banjo has 50 brackets.... Dan, you are the right man to restore my banjo.!!! As I've said, "I've had that banjo for 40 years" just waiting for the real time for you to restore it.... You said it's a DEEELUCKS model. Do you still think it's 1890-1900?

John,

I knew after coming to your house and visiting with you for a few hours, that you knew what you were talking about and totally trusted your judgment on Dan restoring Pop's banjo. I still hope to hear you play it someday... You and Dan are awesome banjo players..................................

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/24/2013:  16:44:21

Bob,

Thank you...Yes I still believe that it probably came from that era.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/24/2013:  17:08:53

6-24-2013

Here is an up date on Mr. Campbell's banjo...

The bracket hardware came out dripping after having their most recent swim in a bowel of acetone. Here they are drying, most of the silver pain(t) is gone, melted by the solvent.

A bit of hide glue was made this AM. Some of it is for Bob's banjo head and some is for another banjo project. Here the glue granules go off in a cup for watering and cooking...

Covered with water I toss the cup off into a water bath. It will take a couple of hours for the glue to soak up the water and be ready to use.

Back on the banjo rim I'm using a small scraper to remove the silver pain(t) from the rim...

Now sanding with 800 grit...

Giving it a good slicken' with a ultra fine scrubber pad...

Now following a good acetone bath I begin to re-age the metal of the spunover...

It begins to color...

I've found little bits of pain(t) which didn't show up until the patina phase, so now I get to pick them out...

Here I scrape the tension hoop. Sombody really laid the pain(t) on this thing! After I get it off I'll re-age this too...

More tomorrow...

tendogman - Posted - 06/24/2013:  20:22:33

Dan,

DeeeeLucks model............................. I get it "Deluxe model" Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa................... Forget me, I was slow on that one........ :-) Oh brother............ I'm laughing my head off.!!!

Bob

tendogman - Posted - 06/24/2013:  20:44:17

I meant, "forgive me" but I was laughing so hard that I wrote forget. Yeah, I want to forget about it..... Too funny.

Paul R - Posted - 06/24/2013:  20:46:18

It's amazing how many processes go into just one project.

I was wondering, Dan, about the chemicals and solvents you use. How do you dispose of what you use? We have places to drop off these things. In our neighbourhood back in Toronto we even had an annual drop-off event (in High Park, where we could also pick up blue boxes and stuff). Do you have to go to extraordinary lengths to get rid of your chemicals?

dbrooks - Posted - 06/25/2013:  03:24:10

Dan, thanks for the "replay" on that Jacobs banjo.  What a project and what a result!  I have a running buddy who knows his trees pretty well and enjoys some woodworking.  He occasionally wonders why Osage Orange does not show up more often in furniture, instruments and other wooden projects.  He say Osage Orange is quite hard.  He will find it interesting that you used Osage Orange for the tuners (in place of ebony) on that banjo.

David

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2013:  06:01:55

Bob...I laugh with you!

Paul,

We do have a recycle center here in town that takes most of this stuff once or twice a year. Not at all like it was in Vineland, Ont. where my mother lived for 20 years/// those folks took everything! Weekly! I wish we had that type of recycling attitude here. That said, I endeavor to use as few of these products as possible.I encourage my clients towards finishes which are less harmful like oil or spirit varnish.

David,

Osage Orange.... what a subject. I love the stuff. Extremely hard. Harder and heaver in fact than most ebony. In old pieces it seams quite stable. Color and difficulty to work is I'm sure the major drawback. Fresh cut it is a yellow-green color that over time mellows to a warm amber brown. It is perhaps too heavy and dense to be a great tone wood. I've used it on bridges with some success although I seam to go back to old standards like maple.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2013:  19:29:24

HEADIN' RIGHT ALONG...

Yesterday I made up a pot of hide glue. I suppose that I could of had it for lunch...but I didn't. Instead I used it to attempt to repair Bob Campbell's banjo's head. The old skin is the one that his grandfather had on the banjo. During one of our talks Bob said that he would like to keep the old head and I suggested that we at least attempt to repair it. Over the years I've saved several skin heads including the one on my stage minstrel banjo with this repair.

First a batch of hide glue is cooked up and an old skin head is located. I save every unusable head that I can just for a job like this. A patch is cut out of the unusable head. It is slightly larger than the tear.

It is checked for good coverage...

Hot hide glue is painted on bothe the surface of the head and the patch...

A few moments are allowed to let the glue set up a bit, then the patch is stuck to the head...

There were small paint spots on the head so they are scrapped off...

I discovered some small holes which needed fixing...

MORE VERI SOON!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/27/2013:  05:24:20

GOOD MORNING FROM THE QUEEN OF THE MISSISSIPPI

What a beautiful summer morning it is. The sun is rising over the Mississippi shore to the east. My room is on the boats Star board side so I'm watching both the sky and water as the pink is easing into blue.

My wife Debra and I drove down yesterday. A long drive made shorter by wonderful company. Again I attempted to find Mississippi John Hurt's home. This time with success. Eddie and I stopped just a bit too soon.

No one was at the home/ museum when we arrived. John's home was a tiny shotgun style house (three rooms one behind the others) that is rotting. It looked as though nobody had been there in a long, long time. Still it was good to be there. John was one of my early and very major influences. His rhythm permeates my music.

Because I have not had very good internet connections when I've been on board (the last few trips), I took the liberty to pre-post some photos in hopes of being able to make posts as I am out. By the way I'll be on the river until Monday evening when I will be in Paducah, Kentucky.

All that said we'll be looking at Bob Campbell's banjo a bit more...

The neck had been over finished with shellac (I believe), painted on with a brush. My main objective here, in this restoration will not be to refinish but rather to smooth the finish out. With this in mind I sanded it with 800 grit wet/ dry paper.

After flattening, I French Polish the surface...

Until it begins to have a nice aged shine...

The hex bracket shoes still have some of the silver paint remaining in the groove so with a razor blade I'm picking it out...

More soon!

Kaelri - Posted - 06/27/2013:  06:54:00

How nice that Debra could accompany you. My daughter and I perform on stages throughout the summer and our trips to performances as well as the time spent onstage is always more enjoyable when my husband can come along with us. It is comforting to be able to look out from the stage and see his smiling face. We really miss him when he has to miss one of them.

By the way, I am glad you didn't eat the hide glue for  lunch the other day......I'm sure the FDA would then force the makers of hide glue to put a new disclaimer on all of the cans of how hide glue is not suitable for lunch!  

JRushing - Posted - 06/28/2013:  06:13:14

Dan I've been to the Hurt houses a couple times. I grew up in the town where Elvis was born and his house was about the same size.

Please next time you want to go exploring around Mississippi shoot me an email.

BackwoodsBanjos@gmail.com

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/28/2013:  15:48:04

Ellen,

I'm so glad she was able to go with me part way... I too prefer having her there to sing and perfoem for....

Whatchu mean not aet the hide glu!!!!

Jeremy,

Thanks for the invite! Where in Mississippi is Eupora?

DEmery - Posted - 06/28/2013:  17:29:20

Dan that banjo neck really looked nice once you flattened the finish and polished it. I know that old banjo will look right when you are finished and make the grandson proud. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/29/2013:  13:20:54

David,

Thanks, I'm sure trying!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/29/2013:  14:00:32

BANJO HEAD  QUEEN TIME

This post might be just a bit corn fusin'.   The photos are not in a true timeline order... still this might be fun!

Here is Bob's banjo head. I was equipped with some silver paint that I scraped off . The naked spots need some re-coloring...

So I touched them up with some of my walnut stain...

This is one of my favorite banjo students Regina Lindsey. She has just purchased my late friend Tommy Ogle's Vega (with a neck that I built) from Tommy's widow Rebecca. She does look proud!

Memphis viewed from the Queen...

The Vicksburg to Memphis  banjo class, these folks did GREAT!!!

The Dolly Parton bridge in Memphis...I'm not sure why it was nick named such!

From last Wednesday my wife Debra and I driving and hunting for Mississippi John Hurt's house, This was the point where I really was beginning to wonder... The road had gone from little to almost nothing!

Mississippi John Hurt's house now a museum. It looked very abandoned. The grass was grown up and the porches rotting. Defiantly not the Disneylanded Graceland or Sun Studio.

Another photo of John's home...

A photo of John in front of his home..

More real soon!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/29/2013 14:04:34

DEmery - Posted - 06/30/2013:  18:29:17

Dan I saw in the group photo you had the ebony banjo swung on a strap. Hope it is doing well for you. OH YEA...the thread has blown through 50,000 views. It was at 50,191 when I checked a moment ago!!!! Going back and making this post; it should be at least 50,192. The "A Luthier's Life" moves on. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/30/2013:  22:08:29

David,

It is amazing the number of views! Later this morning I should be in Paducah, Kentucky. We are presently just a bit below Cairo point on the Mississippi river. Maybe 5 or 6 hours out. I will make a good full post then.

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 07/01/2013:  01:39:51

What an interesting post series this is. I have just subscribed to it.

What a shame it is to see the house of Mississippi John Hurt deteriorating so rapidly.

I suppose history is expensive to retain - lot's of interesting buildings and things going down the gurgler here as well.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2013:  08:00:46

C Nyal de Kayne,

Thanks for joining us here in the ole' Luthiers Life! As hard as it was to find (it took me two trys) it is understandable why John's home/ museum is not visited more.

tendogman - Posted - 07/01/2013:  08:16:25

Dan,

Pop's banjo is looking better with every post. It's very exciting knowing that it's slowly coming back to life and how wonderful it will be to hear it sing again. After all these years.

Bob

tendogman - Posted - 07/01/2013:  08:44:56

Dan,

P.S.

Nice photo of Mississippi John Hurt's house. It's a sad time these days knowing that most of the younger generation or people in general doesn't take the time to enjoy old things like that.

Bob

Tom Berghan - Posted - 07/01/2013:  10:58:12

Thanks for the photo of Mississippi John Hurt's home Dan!  I was very near there many years ago playing a gig, but I had no idea where his home was. I wonder if John Hurt actually had the window-AC-units. I suspect not.  He was a remarkable and magic musician.  Who else sounded like him?  No one!  Not before him and not since. One of a kind!

Steven M - Posted - 07/01/2013:  13:06:19

Looks like Hurt didn't much care for home improvements! He's almost falling through that porch!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2013:  14:15:39

AN ISLAND OF MUD

Friday and Saturday the Queen of the Mississippi was docked on Mud Island by Memphis in the Mississippi river. One of my favorite features of Mud island is their scale model of the lower Mississippi river. For years Debra and I have taken our children and grandchildren to visit and wade in this model of the mighty river...

Here you've got me up to my ankles...

This is one view from above...

The model with the real deal in the background....

Another above view...

This flatboat ....maybe I could get me one!

The Gulf of Mexico with Memphis in the background...

On our way north bound up the Mississippi to the Ohio River to Paducah, Kentucky I was able to teach coffee roasting and BANJO!!!

My most recent wonderful group of students...

The Mississippi near New Madrid, Missouri,,,

More soon!

bradtheraddad - Posted - 07/01/2013:  14:44:36

Dan,
Just wanted to thank you and encourage you to keep up this series of posts, I've enjoyed it very thoroughly! I'm a Corinth, MS and later Memphis, TN native myself but wasn't into banjo during those times..it's a shame with all of the history that surrounded me. But I visit a few times a year and love going out of my way now to get a taste of the history I should have explored more as a youngster. I drove through Paris, TN on a trip up to Evansville, IN from Corinth and saw the Eye-full tower, neat little town you're in, I'll be sure to swing by if I'm ever back in the area!
-Brad