Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/10/2014:  18:57:12

2-10-2014 MONDAY

I just got in a bit ago from the R. E. Lee Academy for the Arts Board meeting. What an interesting group of folks, so diverse. Although there are several of us artists (painters, author, photographer and musicians) on the board we also have a doctor, accountant, insurance salesman, teachers and even a retired rocket scientist. Great people all. Each pulling for the school. It's a privilege to be able to spend time with these folks. There was a lot to go over tonight. 

R. E. Lee Academy it the oldest school in Henry County, Tennessee. It was first founded on land given to the Paris Men's Academy by (later Confederate) General Atkins around 1830. There have been several building on the site over the years. The first was a log structure. The present main building in the school was started in the 1870's and was built from bricks whose clay was mined on the school site. One can still see the depression that was once the clay pit. The room we will perform in on Saturday was the old lunch room and it was built in 1906.

12 years ago the building was the office site for the Paris City Schools.  Upkeep was prohibitive and the school system wanted out so they sold the building and its grounds to the Lee School Association for a dollar. Of course there were strings attached. Some of the strings led the association to create the present art school. Personally I am so very thankful for the dedication and foresight of folks like Susan Ricktor and Ray Harding, were it not for them none of this would have happened. What a great old place. Someday I'll take y'all on a photo tour. We might even be lucky enough to see the Lee School ghost! 

Whooh! I didn't realize I was feeling quite so wordy!

My buddy Tony Gladwell from New Jersey brought in his Knowles Volcano guitar for it's once every few years checkup and tune up. This guitar is a real cannon! Tony is a real cannon of a singer too! 

The top is sitka spruce and the back and sides are zebra wood. I had fun with the theme of a volcano. The sound hole is a volcano that spews fire and ashes all over and around the side...

The butt strip...

I'm working on a 1962 Fender bass. It had  lost a couple of its inlays. They are mother of toilet seat laminated to Plexiglas, nice little rectangles. here I'm sanding one true to fit...

Leveling the outside ends with a file...

And oiling the fingerboard with walnut oil...

More Soon!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/10/2014 19:00:08

Paul R - Posted - 02/10/2014:  23:16:58

quote:

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Originally posted by Pine Cone

quote

:

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Originally posted by Kirk Jacobs

 Just wondering. from the sound of one of Dan's previous threads about snow, does it come with a plow attachment.

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It's a Deere so there must be snow plow and other options...

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We've come across a couple of these on Kingston Velo Club rides - one with a push-mower and another with a power mower. The people who cobbled them together weren't clever enough to paint John Deere signs for them, though. Wonder what the J.D. folks would say if they knew. Do you suppose they'd get a John Deere letter?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/11/2014:  19:35:47

INVITE!!!

Oh Goodness, but are we all gonna have a great time this Saturday! We are going to have a whole passel of great guests along with my band CHILL TONIC. Edinboro Scotland trained piper Edward Smith, Us Grand master Fiddle champ & banjoest Tyler Andel, Fiddle & mandolin whiz Josh Coffey, Bassist impresario Sam Knowles, West Tennessee's Fiddlin' Postman Danny Conger, Mr. Bass & slide guitar master Eddie Coffey, The Voice of the South Mark Holladay and little ole me.

Come Jaine us ifin you kan!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/12/2014:  16:57:03

CHECK OUT BELA WITH HIS KNOWLES BANJO

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/12/2014 16:58:06

GMB - Posted - 02/12/2014:  17:21:50

Wow what a nice looking banjo Dan!  The vine on the fretboard has such understated elegance!  When did you make that banjo for him?  Bet his bride plays that one as well....Cheers, Jerry

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/12/2014:  17:26:04

Jerry,

Ya that is the same banjo. I've a friend who tells me that Bela spends more time with it than Abigail does. I would have to check the records but I think it is about 8 years old.

DEmery - Posted - 02/12/2014:  17:30:35

Dan wasn't that banjo on consignment at George's shop? Seems I saw it or one like it there years ago. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/12/2014:  18:09:05

WEDNESDAY

I arrived home from the shop tonight. Turned on the computer to check my email (and work on this post). In among the adds for ski vacations, sleep apnea studies, drug rehab, private jet rentals, tax write offs (sorta like the punishment when you are bad in school), CD makers, reverse mortgage programs, Canadian drugs, Yacht rentals, Alaskan cruise deals and nursing provides security was an email from my pal Jon Eaton with a link to the above photo of Bela Fleck, what a treat! Thank You Jon!!!!

I figured I'd post a bit about the work I did today on Will's Galileo banjo. I'm installing a permanent tailpiece on this banjo. I'll be brazing pins right on the tension hoop. I've done this on several banjos of late and I am quite fond of this. It creates a tailpiece that doesn't move. It helps end tuning problems associated with major pitch changes as in going from one tuning to another.

Here I'm laying the pins out...

Now banging some starting points for drilling...

Drilling...

Filing the string notch on the tension hoop...

Brazing the pins...

After cleaning the hoop gets re aged...

When I got ready t leave today this is what the rim looked like. Everything in place awaiting the head...

MORE TOMORROW

DEmery - Posted - 02/12/2014:  19:07:16

Dan the patina finish really suits this rim. Very, very pretty. David E.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/12/2014:  19:11:57

Well Dan, I know I'd sure like to attend your musical performance if I lived closer. The banjo you did for Bella looks terrific.. what kinda tone ring does it have, if I might ask? Finally can't wait to see the completed pot.

rubicon - Posted - 02/12/2014:  20:04:41

Very cool!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/13/2014:  04:22:30

David & Tim,

Thanks.

Doug,

That particular banjo has a solid Indian rosewood rim. It is a minstrel with a 14" rim and a 29" scale. The inside of that rim is also gilded.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/13/2014:  04:25:45

Dan..thanks..

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/14/2014:  08:30:47

THURSDAY

Radio, radio... I went to Murray, Kentucky to do an interview on public radio station W.K.M.S. to help promote the R.E. Lee Academy concert on Saturday. The station ins on the 8th. floor of the fine arts building. It was nice to poke my head out the window. This is what I saw. BTW that's my van on the far right side, second vehicle from the bottom.

Here is a bit of a quote from the interview... makes ya wonder doesn't it?

"So when we put this band together, we were playing on the boat...so I started hunting for a name. And back years ago in Paris, there was a fellow named E.W. Groves and his tasteless chill tonic. So, at first, we were going to name the band the Tasteless Chill Tonic, but we decided 'tasteless' was not the right word because we're very tasty musicians!"

Recently a box elder tree fell in our neighborhood. Doesn't that curl make your mouth water?

I've been wanting to hear a bit more treble on my ebony banjo so I made this gabon ebony bridge to match. If you squint your eyes it will be more in focus.

Last nights practice with CHILL TONIC.  You can tell we are not tastless!!!

More soon!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/14/2014:  10:31:26

Looking forward to more on this..an the gabon ebony bridge is really nice. I made a number of bridges out of persimmon ( white ebony ) and found them a little to bright originally and made a few that were a little heaver and got a nice balance finally. I will admit I am no expert but do enjoy trying out different materials and designs and seeing how they sound.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/15/2014:  12:11:43

Doug,

Back when I was  just getting started in this banjo world I owned a Martin / Vega bluegrass banjo. I thought that it should be able to sound just like my buddy Ed's Gibson Rb-250. Of course it couldn't, it had it's own voice. So I expostulated that because the bridge was the coupling point between the strings and the body,  the bridge must be the most important factor in the banjos voice. So in a vain attempt to make the two banjos sound identical I started to make bridges. First I used different materials. Brass, aluminum, walnut, Plexiglas, rosewood, maples, ebony, steel, paduck, cocobolo, zircoti and almost anything I could craft (I use that word loosely) into a banjo bridge. Next I started to experiment with different designs, weights and thickness. Some were reasonable successes and some were abject failures.

Much of my early knowledge of various tonewoods came from this experiment. When I see folks experiment with their bridges it means that they are attempting to move the art forward and I find this tremendously exciting. There is no telling what improvement these creative people will make!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/15/2014:  13:09:17

Dan, Thank you for the reply. All of the information that you provide and the support that you give, in response to questions is very helpful to all of us on the journey to build better instruments.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/16/2014:  18:07:52

SATURDAY - SUNDAY

It's Sunday and today I've spent it working on my bathroom, playing with Keaton & Braden (two of my grandsons, you've seen them here, that's Keaton laughing in the front Braden behind him, Amber behind him, Ryland (with glasses) grabbing the neighbor boy and Anna to the far right. The others are neighbor kids.)

Cleaning up at the Academy and visiting with our across the street neighbors Jim and Fiona. Oh ya, now I'm visiting with my friends on the Ole' BHO. What could be better?

It has been a wonderful day.

I am soooooooooo disappointed...

none of the photos from last nights Lee Academy concert came out! If it wasn't for the fact that it was my fault for leaving the camera at the the shop I might really have something to complain about.

What a nice night it was. Standing room only and that is so nice when it is home folks that we played for. You know the saying about a prophet, not that I'm a prophet or anything.

You talk about a string band that rocked the house and a house that was ready to be rocked! 3 excellent fiddlers! 2 great bass players! 3 fine singers! Bagpipes! Guitars, flatpicked, finger picked and slide and Mandolins! Another National Old-Time Banjo Champion! And me, I got to go along for the ride! And what a exhilarating ride it was! From the twin fiddle, mandolin & banjo Sally Ann kick off to the final notes of the triple Cajun fiddle Old Tennessee River Song. What a privilege to walk the same stage with musicians like this.

Several of the highlights for me:

My son Sam Knowles singing Move it on over & Dark as a Dungeon.

Edward Smith and his small pipes playing Scotland the Brave with the Chill Tonic's or-kiss-tera ( 2 bowed basses, 3 bowed fiddles, 1 fingerstyle guitar & a banjo)

Mark McWherter joining us after a nearly 6 year absence to sing John Hartford's Steam Powered Ario-plane

​Going to the shop afterwards to show Will Turner his banjo. I was tired, it was near 11PM, but his happiness was more than worth it!

MORE TOMORROW!!!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 02/17/2014:  02:31:43

You are so wonderfully blessed! 

---

Originally posted by DanKnowles

SATURDAY - SUNDAY

It's Sunday and today I've spent it working on my bathroom, playing with Keaton & Braden (two of my grandsons, you've seen them here, that's Keaton laughing in the front Braden behind him, Amber behind him, Ryland (with glasses) grabbing the neighbor boy and Anna to the far right. The others are neighbor kids.)

Cleaning up at the Academy and visiting with our across the street neighbors Jim and Fiona. Oh ya, now I'm visiting with my friends on the Ole' BHO. What could be better?

It has been a wonderful day.

 

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/17/2014:  10:31:47

Happy children = happy parents = happy children= happy parents.....etc.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/17/2014:  19:39:08

MMMMMONDAY

My friend Jean Owens sent me some photos of the Saturday evening  R.E. LEE ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS concert.

(r to l) Tyler Andel (fiddle), Sam Knowles (guitar), Josh Coffey (mandolin), Me ( with my endorsement hat!), Danny Conger (fiddle), Mark Holladay (guitar) & Eddie Coffey (bass)...

Josh & me...

The whole CHILL TONIC...

My phone calls him bagpipe Ed, but that is Edward Grant Smith huffin' and a puffin' next to me...

Danny, Josh & Tyler, oh ya!

My son Sam Knowles & his tired but proud papa...

MORE TOMORROW!!!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/17/2014 19:40:55

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/18/2014:  19:36:34

TUESDAY

Teaching day, of course, but in the process this banjo for Will Turner got strung up! Galileo getting her/ his tuning machines. These are some brass prototype tuners from Bill Rickard, that look great and are as smooth as silk!

The nut being shaped. This nut is made from fossil walrus ivory with a forward bearing surface of carbon graphite. The graphite is there to make the tuning smoother...

Here is Will pulling the first tune this banjo had ever made. What I did was do a quick setup.  just kind of eyeballed it into shape, tuned it up and handed it to Will. He was the first to ever play it.

After a bridge change and a bit more setup, he got serious. Oh ya what was the first tune he played on Galileo? Bela's BIG COUNTRY....

MORE TOMORROW!

Pine Cone - Posted - 02/18/2014:  20:18:06

Sure looks like you had a fun weekend.  Playing music and playing with grandkids is hard to beat and you got to do both and then even got to do some music with one of your kids.  I'm jealous... 

Galileo is a great looking instrument.  I'll bet it sounds even better than it looks, but until you post a sound clip we will never know... 

I really like the way you handled the tunneled 5th string on this one.  Keeps the neck very clean looking with just a subtle bump out in Jupiter.  I sure hope Bill Rickard starts selling his tuners soon.  Love to try a set...

I'm curious why you antiqued the tension hoop before brazing the tailpiece pins on.  Mr. Rosenburg, my high school jewelry teacher would have done them in the other order, but maybe that was just the 1960's when everything was turned around.  Does seem like it worked for you.  Silver solder?

I'm trying hard to patiently wait for the wood to settle in my banjo's neck.  Makes perfect sense to let it stabilize, but why does it take so darn long.  Just waiting on the day I get to play my Knowles for the first time.

Nels - Posted - 02/19/2014:  04:54:24

It doesn't look like Will will ever lose that smile!! Galileo looks contented in his hands!!....

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/19/2014:  05:04:09

The smile on Will's face say's it all. From some nice wood, some metal and your talented hands, a new banjo comes to life.

WillT - Posted - 02/19/2014:  06:57:26

I'll get a sound clip up after we get through letting it settle and fine tune over the next few weeks.

It's a booming banjo with a full excellent tone. We were going to possibly do this banjo in some exotic wood like Eucalyptus, Bubinga, or Jatoba, but in the end, I decided on tried and true maple. The curly maple Dan let me pick is gorgeous, and the rim and dowel rod match perfectly. There's not many woods out there that look as nice to me. 

I'm currently touring my office building showing it off this morning! Thanks again Dan! Now I have a family heirloom that I can pass through the generations :)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/19/2014:  16:58:06

Scott,

Thanks. Your teacher had it right. The reason the tension hoop got aged before the pins was that we had originally planned to use a regular tailpiece, the change to pins was done after the first ageing.

Nels & Doug,

Thanks so much.

Will, 

I am so glad that you are enjoying our creation!

Here is a photo from our local newspaper the Paris Post- Intelligencer. It was taken by my neighbor Bill McCutchen,

rubicon - Posted - 02/19/2014:  17:34:36

I see Will got his jo congrats ! I hope we get to see the full finish photos of Galileo ? Hint ....

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/19/2014:  18:15:14

Will T..congratulations on being the proud owner of a marvelous banjo..can't wait to hear the sound clip. Looking at the pics, there is no doubt that he built it with all his heart an passion..looking to see you smile !

WillT - Posted - 02/20/2014:  07:32:59

Thanks everybody!

I'm honestly a little sad the journey is over. It was exciting getting to see each stage progress when I came for my lessons, but now I get to make new memories as I grow and play with this magnificent creation.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/22/2014:  05:59:03

Will,

I guess I could have stretched it out a few more weeks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/22/2014:  06:06:28

SATURDAY AM

PHOTOS...

I'm getting ready to leave to go teach at the shop here in a few. I got caught up reading several other posts and  I've run out of time so I'll just go ahead and post the photos...

Feel free to add your own comments. Later on today I'll post mine!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/23/2014:  19:48:32

That was a Dobro getting a Fishman cone mounted pickup...

The last photo was of my own personal "Huck Finn" ( my grandson Keaton) watching me engrave.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/23/2014:  20:05:12

SUNDAY

I just got finished doing my Sunday evening Skype banjo lessons. These sessions are always longer than I quote or intend. I just get to enjoying the visiting and picking how that time does fly! 

Today was mostly spent plumbing on my bathroom, installing drains an a sink. I always think this stuff will take less time than it does. But repeated trips to Lowes to get various pieces parts add up. You'd think on trip would suffice, but not with Dan! 

Here is a little catch up from yesterdays Lutherie Lessons:

Jason made the join for his first guitar top today. Here he is gluing the two halves together. We've started using these Harbor Freight sliding cam clamps for top and back gluing. They work extremely well now that we really understand them.

After a few weeks of being gone Eric was back working on installing bridge pins...

Kevin being Oh So serious about this neck blank gluing...

More Tomorrow....

Kaelri - Posted - 02/23/2014:  20:37:50

quote:

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Originally posted by DanKnowles

SUNDAY

 

Today was mostly spent plumbing on my bathroom, installing drains an a sink. I always think this stuff will take less time than it does. But repeated trips to Lowes to get various pieces parts add up. You'd think on trip would suffice, but not with Dan! 

 

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My husband laughed out loud when we read this thread this evening!!!!! He has been doing plumbing yesterday and today. Trying to get our washing machine plumbed up so we can use it in a temporary location-until we can get the utility room ready for it. Well, We spent a good part of the morning at our Menards (A store that is a lot like your Lowe's). He kept saying, "I'm sure I've got everything. I'm sure I do". So we made the drive home,....not close as we live a ways from the town where there is shopping available. Guess what? He forgot to buy 2 "T"'s! Approximately half a dollars worth of connectors! So we spent two or three times more ga$ money to go back to the city and buy them. I talked him into buying extras just in case. ha ha. Which was good because he needed them  . But now.......(Strike up the dramatic background music)..... we are short a couple more small pieces. Guess what he gets to do on the way home from his regular job tomorrow?  All we could do was shake our heads and laugh. Then we read this thread! 

But he wanted me to tell you that #1) he feels your pain, and #2) thanks for the laugh!

Ellen

Dave1climber - Posted - 02/24/2014:  05:13:23

For the home handyman and home remodeler, here is a time calculator.  Take the estimated time in units, double it, then convert that to the next higher units.  

An example: 2 minutes X 2 = 4 minuets, convert to next higher units hours; 4 minuets = 4 hours.

cbcarlisle - Posted - 02/24/2014:  10:28:21

If you take 4 hours to do 4 minuets, then you're a genuine Slow Dancer.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/24/2014:  14:24:29

Well Dan..Saturday I set out to replace the pressure tank and associated plumbing on my well. Had every thing I needed in the shop..or so I thought I did. So I too had a few trips to Lowes and HD. haha.. Told the wife four hours tops...7 hours later I was done.. and I mean done..

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/24/2014:  18:08:26

Ellen,

Please let your husband know that I too feel his pain! You see that's I'm in the kitchen posting on the BHO instead of going under the house (even though I can stand up under there). 

Dave,

Man have you hit the nail on the head!!!!! Odd how it works that way.

Curt,

Yep that's me... the ole' slow dancer!

Doug,

Ya got me whooped son, I ain't done yet!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/24/2014:  18:47:20

MONDAY

Before I get going on some of what I did today, I'd like to tell you about a very nice surprise from a few days ago. 

In the mail a package arrived from London, Ontario, Canada from a fella named John Ellington. Well I popped it open and to my surprise there was a set of the most beautiful finger picks these old eyes had ever seen. They were wonderfully made from sterling silver and even engraved with my initials! Seams that these were made by the same fella who had been commissioned by Earls Scruggs' family to make a special edition finger pick. So I put them on and were they ever comfortable, not hard and finger numbing like the steel ones I'd used. Not only that but John had textured the inside so they hung to my fingers like they had been super glued there. Here they are:

Here's his web site ellingtonsilverpicks.com/    and here are the Scruggs picks....

Today I made some hand carved tuners for an ancient Mountain banjo. It was missing two and I felt that to really match up, I should make these totally by hand. I decided to make these from some nice old quartered sycamore. Here is an original tuner and the lumber I used...

Squiring off the board...

Cutting out, by hand. It was fun and a lot less noisy than my band saw & vacuum system. I'm using a double sided Japanese saw that I got several years ago from the Japan Woodworker...

Continuing the cut...

Refining the shape with a chisel...Since I'm talking about tools, this was one that I inherited from my Great-grandfather Walter Rowley Knowles

Carving out the knobs. I want you to see that I really put my life's blood into my work!

Well about this time the battery in the camera went dead. When I tried to charge it up it thumbed its nose at me and refused...

So tomorrow I carry my little travel camera to work with me. That ought ta scare it! 

So I figured that a photo of our youngest grandson, Caleb Knowles (Sam's son (Samson)) would be in order!

More Tomorrow!

Aradobanjo - Posted - 02/25/2014:  03:30:35

Hello Dan,

Quick inspirations tend to come at a cost, when caution is thrown to the wind. Oh, the scars we give to ourselves when inspired. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/25/2014:  04:38:19

John,

I wish I could claim inspiration of the cause of the cut... I was just not thinking. I didn't need to hold it in my hand. I do have several vises (or vices).

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/25/2014:  05:01:18

Those finger picks look amazing..nice surprise. The tuner peg done by hand makes it much more than just a peg..and something special. Nothing better than doing something that connects you directly with the wood and the only sound of a hand tool, be it saw, chisel, gouge or knife slicing thru the wood. With that it is time for me to get out to the shop.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/25/2014:  19:08:31

Doug,

I'm always hoping that my little posts will inspire other folks to enjoy this trade that I live for...  even when I cut my finger!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/25/2014 19:09:06

Crusty - Posted - 02/25/2014:  19:18:15

Some of those Japanese saws are excellent.  I have a very thin Dozuki that I use for nearly all of my fine cutting.  The teeth are made so that they cut in either direction and I find that I've changed my technique to cut on the pull stroke and my hand cuts now are straighter than they've ever been.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/25/2014:  19:40:34

Dan, I enjoy your posts and find them inspirational as well as educational. Now that I am retired I can spend my time out in my shop building and around 2pm call it a day and play banjo and guitar. Building instruments has become all consuming. All my kids and grand kids have instruments that I made for them and I am now finishing a ukulele for a friend in London that he requested. Taking some nice wood and turning it into something that can be played is magical.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/25/2014:  19:43:55

TUESDAY

Here it is, 9 o'clock and I just got in from teaching (and eating my dinner) so I figure I'll make a quick post before hitting the sack.

I have a new tune (that I've written) called Flying Ponies. Years ago the owner of the River Explorer, Eddie Conrad told me that it was what the carousels down in New Orleans were called. Perhaps you folks who live there or have lived there can verify if I am correct. It was fun being able to pass this one on to some of my students.

Will brought his Galileo banjo and left it for its final setup. As my old instrument trader friend Don Henson would have said, "It roars like a cannon!" I hope to shoot some photos to post here before I send it home with him.

I always like seeing old photos of folks with my banjos and I hope you do too, cause here are a few from the archives.

National Old Time Banjo Champion Daniel Rothwell

Abigail Washburn

Ron Allen

Kenny VandeKieft

David Emery

"Doc" Jack Holladay

Samuel Knowles

(I just like this photo) Jonathan Farrell

(again) Jonathan Farrell

Will Turner

Steven Ogle

Me

More Soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 02/25/2014:  19:48:24

Mike,

I am certainly with you on that! I've used these Japanese saws for years. Most of my push saws just sit around anymore.

Doug,

That's what it's all about!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 02/25/2014 19:48:45

guitarman8491 - Posted - 02/26/2014:  08:24:15

Dan..great pictures with some fine looking banjo's and a lot of grinning!