maneckep - Posted - 02/25/2016:  19:19:28

I wanted to see how cheap I could build a banjo that looked and sounded half decent.  The total cost was $40.72.  No I wasn’t looking to compete with any builders past or present – just wanted to have some fun.

Here are the build specifics:

Tackhead salad bowl from thrift store for the pot.

Pine board with stacked heel and stacked headstock for the neck.

Neck held to pot with two furniture bolts thru heel. (easily comes apart for travel).  Bolts go into t-nuts mounted inside pot.

All decorations on peghead, neck, and pot done with woodburning set.

Neck is fretless but has fret markers.  All 5 tuners mounted on headstock – 5^th string has RR spike at 5^th fret marker.

Tailpiece is an old Lange – not the old banjo builder Lange but the more modern ski boot maker Lange – yep an old ski boot buckle.

Nut from and old scrap piece of oak I had.  Bridge made from a large paint stir stick.

Strung with Nylgut Minstrel strings tuned to open D (G tuning but much lower).

That about sums it up. 

Here are some pictures along with a sound file.  For the sound file I found a youtube video of a square dance and just played along.  It plays for a few seconds before you hear me start.

Edited by - maneckep on 02/26/2016 05:36:58

Julianne Johnson

jduke - Posted - 02/25/2016:  19:31:30

You have built a very nice looking, nice sounding banjo.  I like you wood burned decorations too.  I'll bet it's fun to play!

BrentSims - Posted - 02/25/2016:  19:49:25

Really nice banjo. I'm impressed. Hope you enjoy playing it at least as much as I enjoyed seeing it.

Travis b - Posted - 02/25/2016:  20:43:48

Nice I seen a guy use a car hubcap as a banjo pot and it had a decent tone.

Noah Cline - Posted - 02/25/2016:  21:01:51

Nice banjo, Paul. Touché on the "Danger: Do Not Enter" around the soundhole. Gave me a good laugh. Also liked the woodburned "inlays" -- the star on the peghead looks really nice.

XXXris - Posted - 02/25/2016:  21:04:18

Great work, and I love the "danger" sign. Post some sound files if you get a chance.

Stephen45710 - Posted - 02/26/2016:  03:52:42

Great job. I really enjoy these home made banjos. Enjoy playing it! 

Culloden - Posted - 02/26/2016:  04:04:19

Mike Gregory would be proud.

mike gregory - Posted - 02/26/2016:  05:03:34

quote:

---

Originally posted by Culloden

 

Mike Gregory would be proud.

---

Please edit "would be" to "IS", and "proud" to "JEALOUS".

=);{ )

OldPappy - Posted - 02/26/2016:  05:04:27

Too bad "hoop cheese" doesn't come in wooden hoops much anymore.

Building a banjo with what is on hand is touching on the roots of banjo building.

Very nice job!

wizofos - Posted - 02/26/2016:  07:05:35

It is surprising what you can build from scrap wood.  If you want you can save the cost of the salad bowl  by cutting scrap flooring and building a stave rim (vertical grain).  Fishing line will work for strings if you have some or can talk a buddy out of a few pieces about 4' long.  Once they get stretched out they hold their tune pretty well.   I like the peg head shape.

Get to know your local flooring contractor and you would be surprised what they throw away or burn.

Great job, beautiful work.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 02/26/2016:  07:38:25

Very nice job, Paul.  I like the side sound hole - guess I'll try that on my next salad bowl banjo.  Do you find  it directs the sound up to your ears when you play?

Amen on the flooring as a source of wood.  I used beech flooring scraps for a laminated neck once, it was great.  Right now I'm building an oak banjo, and the block rim is all from flooring and kitchen drawer scraps.  Plus I just finished installing some more oak flooring in my house and I've got enough scrap to keep me in banjos for a long time. 

CEParagon124 - Posted - 02/26/2016:  08:07:19

Whole Foods displays cheese in hoops. Possibly, one could speak up for one prior to its being discarded.

I like your banjo!!

Charlie Noyes

maneckep - Posted - 02/26/2016:  09:47:45

Thanks for all the kind remarks.

Jonnycake - this is only the second salad bowl banjo I've built - and just the first with the sound hole and Minstrel strings. I think the sound hole helps but it is a little difficult to tell without a side by side comparison. Even if it didn't help with the sound it did give me an extra place to add fun Folk Art.

Zachary Hoyt - Posted - 02/26/2016:  10:09:20

Very nice work.  I'm hoping to try salad bowl or related types of construction one day.  It looks like a fun banjo.

Zach

Shawn Hoover - Posted - 02/29/2016:  17:06:37

Cool banjo. Is the tailpiece from the leftover boot from your earlier internal tension banjo? I like them both.