Crusty - Posted - 02/10/2014:  17:38:03

I finally got my Tubaphone in my hands a few days ago and here it is.  It's been assembled from parts that I collected over time so it's named Phoenix and it's a Vega Tubaphone Type M (s/n 33995, 1917) that's been converted to 5 string, 11+13/16" pot, Fiberskyn head, 28" Vega Professional Scale neck with period appropriate inlays, Waverly V2 tuners including a planetary 5th string tuner, ZeroGlide nut, Bullfrog bridge and a Fielding tailpiece with a Vega resonator from a 1923 Tubaphone.  It's natural blonde maple with a Tru-Oil finish.

The Tubaphone tone ring came from another banjo of the same vintage that had been used as a display for some sort of potted plant and the banjo eventually rotted away (a crime I'd say) and the tone ring was intact except for the skirt which was removed because it was badly corroded, so it now floats on top of the rim with absolutely no detriment to the sound. 

I got it in my hands last Wednesday and it's hardly been out of them since then and though it's a big change from my Whyte Laydie I enjoy playing it just as much.  It's a real cannon - the audio sample below gives you an idea of the tone with a folded washcloth between the dowel and the head and three layers of paper towels on the resonator surface.  It can be louder and crisper if I ever needed it to be.

A big thanks goes to Mark Hickler for making me a fine neck, Ron Grimsley for finishing, Bob Smakula for the pot and Kent Bown for the resonator.  I'm also in Glenn Carson's queue to add a heel carving, hopefully a phoenix bird with the wings extending up the neck, but I'm not ready to take it apart for that yet.

I just love it when a plan comes together!

Tubaphone pics (composite)

Tu-Ba-Phone audio sample

PickaFive - Posted - 02/10/2014:  19:44:38

Hi Crusty,

I am drooling all over my keyboard. It may short out at any moment. It's absolutely great!!! Mark Hickler did some fine work for me recently fitting a tone ring to a rim. His neck looks very right and I love the Whyte Laydie finish on the Tub-a-Phone.  

RG - Posted - 02/10/2014:  21:46:21

Enjoy!

GSCarson - Posted - 02/11/2014:  09:48:57

Great looking banjo Mike, and I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks, enjoy! Glenn

Oops!  Missed the sound file, it does sound good!

Edited by - GSCarson on 02/11/2014 09:51:58

zac987 - Posted - 02/11/2014:  11:22:23

It both looks and sounds great. I'd love to have one like that.

ktbown - Posted - 02/11/2014:  12:18:02

Nice job Mike on getting your project completed , you must be pleased with the outcome !!  should bring many years of enjoyment for you

Crusty - Posted - 02/11/2014:  14:02:07

That old resonator turned out nice didn't it Kent? I stripped the old finish, steel wooled it and then refinished it with Tru-Oil, which was almost too easy to believe. It fit my pot just as you said when the tension nuts are turned so that the flats are parallel with the resonator side wall.  The close fit makes for a narrow aperture which tunes the cavity towards the low end and helps it develop the tone I was looking for.