bluegrassboy4life - Posted - 01/07/2018:  05:28:16

This was accomplished two summers ago. Me and my grandpa made this together. The neck (pine 2x6) has no heel, but rather has a dowel stick the size of the neck going all the way through the rim (bottom of a five gallon bucket) and the tailpiece (bent piece of brass plate) holds it in place. The fretboard it a piece of red oak, and the frets were made by filing a groove into the fretboard and gluing an iron nail into the slot. The resonator is made of cardboard I got from the local grocery store.

It doesn't play too bad. It has a speed neck, but the intonation is so bad past the 5th fret you might as well not even consider putting a capo on it (also, the neck is too thick for that anyway). Here's some pictures, and I will post a sound sample later.

Bucketjo front

bucketjo resonator

bucketjo 5th string tuner

bucketjo heel

Fretting Fingers - Posted - 01/07/2018:  05:38:14

Hunter love the story, you and your grandpa getting together and making this banjo! Okay so it doesn't have the intonation of manufactured or professionally made banjos, but they don't have the sentimental value this banjo has either! Thanks for sharing

bluegrassboy4life - Posted - 01/07/2018:  05:38:48

Here's the audio

My Bucketjo testing

 

bluegrassboy4life - Posted - 01/07/2018:  05:42:37

quote:

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Originally posted by Fretting Fingers

Hunter love the story, you and your grandpa getting together and making this banjo! Okay so it doesn't have the intonation of manufactured or professionally made banjos, but they don't have the sentimental value this banjo has either! Thanks for sharing

About the only thing I done was got the idea and explained to him how to do all of the cuts and everything. He used the equipment at his workplace. It is special. No banjo made by any company can have the value of this one. Even though it only cost like $30 to make, it is still worth much more than that

mike gregory - Posted - 01/07/2018:  07:20:17

You have the right kind of Grandpa!

Like the SUSTAIN on the music sample.

Rather similar to the sustain on the banjo-necked, guitar bodied instrument that sells for about $2,000

Culloden - Posted - 01/07/2018:  07:33:07

Many successful people get their start with lots of ingenuity and little money. Good job, Hunter.

Helix - Posted - 01/07/2018:  15:28:35

Better than the first one I made. Good job.

kentr - Posted - 01/07/2018:  17:09:56

That's some great sound from a bucket.

Since i have a good start on a cookie tin banjo neck,with a built in dowel rod,
but don't really like the rectangle cookie tin I have, a 5-gallon bucket might work
better.
The color is right for the head. The price is right.

i have tried using a guitar tuner for a 5th string before, It tuned fine, but I
kept hitting my left thumb on it, since it sticks down.

Any chance of starting a "bucket brigade"??

kent r