This banjo is the result of a random idea I had in the shower one evening, when my brain was dimly thinking about making another banjo with a bracket band. I made one years ago and recently heard from the owner by email. I found the process of countersinking the holes from the inside to be rather trying back then, so I was thinking if there might be an easier way when it occurred to me to make the whole rim out of bracket band, like the old joke about making a whole airliner out of black boxes. On further thought it seemed like I could cut a rabbet in the bottom of a Whyte Laydie/Electric tone ring to keep it centered on the rim.
The rim is 1/8"x2" 360 brass, and the tone ring truss is 3/16"x5/8", with a 1/4" hoop on top, all made from brass. My little torch that burns MAP gas is not enough to silver solder something as big as the rim, and while I have an old oxy-acetylene torch I am not sure if it has anything left in the tanks, and I don't dare to use it in the shop with the wooden floor and all. I used a strip of 1/8" brass about 13/16" wide on the inside of the rim to join the two halves, and drilled and tapped and countersunk holes for four 6-32 machine screws. I thought they were brass, but it turned out they were brass plated steel. I guess that's not a bad thing, as it means they're stronger.
The banjo weighs 7 pounds 13 ounces, and neck dive will never be a problem it will have. Since it is well known that there is nothing new under the sun I am sure that similar brass rims have been made before, but I have not been able to find anything specific. If anyone knows of any examples I'd be interested to see or hear them. I'll put in a video link below, and some pictures.
https://youtu.be/94TxJDahAXk
Edited by - Zachary Hoyt on 05/16/2026 18:48:46
You might want to check out vintage Barnes and Mullins "Lyratone" banjos from UK circa 1030.
See: John Luscomb
Brass rim topped with a wood tone ring (about 1/8" x 1/8") set in a rabbet to mellow out some of the brashneshness. Really fine banjos from the 1890's. Made by Thompson & Odell.
Thank you both very much for your help. I would have replied sooner but the thread disappeared for a few days for some reason. The pictures of John Luscomb banjos do look very similar, and I am interested in how the wood part was fitted. One thing I read seemed to say, if I understood correctly, that the rim was comprised of two layers of metal with a layer of wood sandwiched between and extending up above the metal to make contact with the head. I haven't been able to find a picture of a Barnes and Mullins Lyratone without the resonator, but will keep looking. I appreciate the pointers in the right directions. There is so much about banjo history that I have no idea about.
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