Hello forum. So my first banjo build was a mountain banjo. Not technically an open back and not a resonator banjo. Faily easy construction with some principles that can be applied to my next banjo. My second banjo borrows some design elements of early open back banjo's combined with modern tuners and non typical design choices. I decided on a 13 1/4 diameter block rim. Made of a top and bottom ring of Osage orange and a middle ring of Blood wood. 3/4 thick, with a depth of 4 inches. The rim has an internal wooden tone ring which gives me 13 inches of vibrating skin surface. I decided on a 28 inch scale length, which allows for higher string tension in lower keys and a double 5th string set up. The first 5th string being set between the 6th and 7th fret location and the second 5th string tuner being set between the 7th and 8th fret location. Oh and this is a fretless banjo, but I paid attention to where the frets would have been. This higher up the neck 5th string tuner location makes for a shorter 5th string, which enables a G tuning without bringing the string to a nearly snapping point.
I asked AI so many questions, that I now get a response of Oh it's you, get me guess another banjo build question .
Super nice! Osage orange is a greate choice.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent (EU/GDPR Only)
Copyright 2026 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.
