A couple of weeks ago I made a long-overdue visit to a door manufacturer in the other end of my county, about 1-3/4 hours west of here. They sell small pallets of African mahogany (khaya) pieces that are too short to make doors from for $100. I went to buy one intending just to use it for guitar and mandolin family head and tail blocks, but I found that a lot of the wood was longer than the ad had stated, and was more than long enough to make banjo necks. This means I can now offer mahogany banjos as a base price option, along with cherry and ash. The pallet I bought came to about 55 board feet, which puts the cost per board foot just under $2, compared with over $10 a board foot when I used to buy it and have it shipped in from Michigan. I have just made two stock mahogany banjos, out of an abundance of irrational exuberance, and they are shown at the links below. Custom mahogany banjos will also be base price from now on, as long as the supply continues to be available.
https://www.banjohangout.org/classified/112348
https://www.banjohangout.org/classified/112349
