Banjos

Wenge and cherry fretless Kentucky octagon banjo

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Unlike other octagon banjos I have made in the past I thought it would fun to put a brass tone ring in this one. It really made quiet the difference! One of the most dramatic features of this banjo is the Wenge (type of wood species) fingerboard. I thought the grain was just stunning.

Appalachian Mountain Banjo

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At one point I wanted to learn how to play the guitar. As soon as I held one I knew that I didn’t want to play it but rather make one. A guitarist friend of mine recommended I make a banjo. He said if you make a banjo and it is slightly off…its a quirky fun banjo. If you make a guitar and it is slightly off…it is just a bad guitar. So taking inspiration from the Fox Fire books I made a mountain banjo. This and the can banjo were my first banjos that I made. But I put frets on mine as I didn’t know how to play and thought that would be good in order to learn.

Pot: Walnut and Ambrosia Maple
Neck: Walnut and Maple
Pegs and heel: Bloodwood
Bridge: Holly and cocobolo
Nut: Holly

 

Bottle Gourd Banjo

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While at the Hazel River Art and Antiques in Washington, VA I came across a gourd in rough shape. Someone had drawn a tie and jacket on the gourd to make it look like a potbellied person. I thought it would make a cute little banjo….so I made it into one. It is one of my favorite banjos I have made to date. It sounds so warm and full, even for such a little thing. For process shots of its making, and to hear it, you can head over to instagram HERE.

 

Body: bottle gourd
Neck: ambrosia maple, walnut and mahogany
Pegs: ebony
Tailpiece: ambrosia maple, walnut and mahogany
Strings: Aquila, red series

Ice Cream Tincan Banjo

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There is a long tradition of making banjos out of anything that doesn’t move. In this case I saw a potential banjo in an ice cream. I am glad someone else did as well. This banjo was commissioned by a former student of mine from Georgetown College. She currently is doing amazing work in the mental health care industry in Connecticut. The head stock inlay is a charter oak leaf. The state leaf of Connecticut.

Body: Ice cream tin
Neck: Ambrosia Maple
Inlay in peg head: Walnut and Cherry

Ceramic Banjo

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I thought it would be an interesting experiment to make a Gourd style banjo with a ceramic bottom rather than a gourd. The neck of this banjo is made from Kentucky Osage Orange with the pegs made of local cherry. I put two different color side dots that act as fret marker guides. White ones for where regular side dots would mark and then tan ones that will eventually fade into the color that the osage neck will become over time. So eventually you will only see the white with a hint of the tan marks.

Body: Stoneware
Peg head inlay: hard maple and stained birds eye maple
Neck:  Osage orange
Pegs: Cherry
Bridge and nut: Bloodwood
Goat skin head

Fretless Banjo

 Daniel Graham
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This Banjo was custom made for John Ryster.  John was expecting a daughter they were naming Rose at the time of the build. This is the reason for the inlayed rose in the peg head and for her name in the bridge. To here John play this custom fretless banjo click HERE.

Fingerboard: Brass and Richlite
Pot: Cherry and Locust
Neck: Cherry
Peg head: Richlite with inlayed acrylic
Bridge: Bloodwood and Maple
Tone ring: Brass on Brass posts

Mugshot Canjo

 Daniel Graham
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The Mugshot Canjo (can banjo) is made from an acetone can striped of its paint and repainted to hold the images of Australian Mugshots from the 1920s. I am not a Kentucky native but after living in Kentucky for the last 11 years I have come to call it home. I thought it was a good idea to learn at least a few tunes on the banjo. So I had to make one to learn on.