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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

Custom banjo for Keith Nance

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This banjo was a joy and wonderful challenge to design and make. It was a commission from someone that wanted to let someone else know how much they are valued. I could work on projects like that all day. From what I have learned of Keith Nance he is a selfless father and mentor. I hope he can feel the time in this one on his behalf. Good people are a good thing…a good father…that is something to celebrate.

To see a video tour of more details and hear how it sounds click HERE.

Body: Cherry
Tone ring: 1/4 inch rolled brass
Peg head: Cherry and Richlite with inlayed acrylic and engraving.
Neck:  Cherry with India ink and pickle wash on the heel carving
Fretboard: Acrylic and Richlite.
Bridge: Richlite, Holly, and Cherry

 

Glass Bottom Banjo

 Daniel Graham
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Glass Bottom Banjo:

This banjo began as all good things do… as an idea that you can’t let go of. It was (and still is) an experiment. I didn’t know that some banjo heads are clear. As soon as I saw one I knew I had to print something in the back of it. A number of years ago I did a whole series of works in a circle format (you can see them HERE) and I suddenly saw the banjo as a functional frame, something to enhance the image and for the banjo to literally resonate with the image. Around the same time I had the idea to make a banjo with a glass tone ring. The tone ring the material that is in contact with the head of the banjo. Some are made out of wood, some brass, some steel, but its material and shape impacts the sound and tone of the banjo. The hardware of this banjo is made to be easily removed (as easy as it can be) so I can change out the tone ring and see the change in sound. In the images shown it has a brass tone ring on steel posts. I thought the clear head would be great to have so you can also see the tone ring directly.
I called this the Glass Bottom Banjo for a couple of reasons, the first being the obvious intention of the glass tone ring. But also the clear image of the woman in the rowboat. When I was younger I took a trip on a glass bottom boat. It was so interesting to be in the water but not in the water all at the same time. To feel apart of something by being able to see through it. I have long been interested in the idea of borderlands. Areas of our human experience that exist in tension. Like being on the water, being at its edge, being in church, or standing with your feet the ground and feeling the air around you. Knowing that you actually have a tension of pressure from the air and a force greater than us all holding you in place. I enjoy the idea of this banjo being clear like that glass bottom boat so many years ago. To be in and apart of the music that comes from resonating in the tension of the image.

The plan moving forward is to try the different tone rings as I make them. As of now there will be a brass ring, wood ring, porcelain ring, and a glass ring. For more updates make sure to follow @LCB_Instruments on Instagram. For purchasing information please use the contact page or Direct Message me on instagram. Thanks for looking. To see a video tour and hear the banjo click HERE.

Materials:

Body (also called the pot) is made from Walnut and Cherry
Neck is Walnut and Cocobolo with Acrylic fret markers
Headstock is Cocobolo with steel and leather insets.
Head is a clear Remo head with a linoleum cut printing on the inside
Hardware is all hand fabricated steel
Tailpiece is Steel and machined Brass
Bridge and nut are acrylic (but also I have versions out of Holly)
Adjustable damper is frosted mylar

 

 

Woman Jumping over a Stool Banjo

 Daniel Graham
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This banjo is one I made for myself. The fretboard image is made from selected frames of Eadweard Muybridge’s “Woman Jumping Over a Stool”. It is made by inlaying acrylic mother of pearl into Richlite (an ebony alternative). I have seen a number of instruments with heavy adornment but never one with a whole image on the fingerboard. All of the hardware (the hooks, nuts, tension hoop, tone ring, tailpiece, and post bolt) are all made from scratch. The only things purchased for this project was the tuners and the head. To hear it being played click HERE. To see a video tour of the banjo click HERE. 

Body: Cherry and locust
Tone ring: Steel and brass
Peg head: Cherry, bog oak, and leather
Neck: Curly Cherry, Locust, and ebonized walnut. 
Arm rest: Cherry, bog oak, steel, and magnets
Fretboard: Acrylic and Richlite.
Bridge: Bloodwood, Richlite, and maple

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.