banjo build...

zopi · May 04, 2015, 09:44:59 PM

An open back banjo I am working at...the rim is spalted maple over a steam bent maple core, and the neck is pecan laminated over a nice piece of q sawn white oak. The fret board is either red maple or norway maple...all the wood came off of my mill from hurricane Irene. Except the peghead veneer...it is some random piece of mahogany from the bargain bin at woodcraft.

zopi · May 04, 2015, 09:50:37 PM

PC-Urban-Sawyer · May 04, 2015, 10:02:42 PM

Zopi,

Looks good.

Good to see you on the Forum again. Missed having you around.

Herb

Hilltop366 · May 04, 2015, 10:17:17 PM

can,t wate to hear it!

Dad2FourWI · May 04, 2015, 10:54:53 PM

Hey, looking good!!!!!!

I would not mind hearing that myself!!!! ;D ;D

-Dad2FourWI

LaneC · May 04, 2015, 11:11:24 PM

That is very nice. Clawhammer or Scruggs?

mesquite buckeye · May 05, 2015, 12:52:34 AM

How cool is that? ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Magicman · May 05, 2015, 06:29:34 AM

This will be another interesting project to watch. ;D

zopi · May 05, 2015, 07:43:51 AM

I can't wait to hear it either..that is the problem..lol. I have a few more pictures I need to upload.
This is a steep learning curve..and I am never building another one like this..there are much easier methods.
I am doing a very simple inlay right now on the fretboard, then I will figure out what to do on the peghead laminate.
hopefully next week I will acquire the brass stock to make the tone ring, tension hoop and tension shoes. I am trying to make as much of the hardware as possible.
Go look as DOC's Banjos website..that is what I wanna be if I grow up...lol
I have my eye on a big beech tree that thinks it wants to be a mandolin...

zopi · May 05, 2015, 07:45:14 AM

Lane..Scruggs..I am not coordinated enough to play clawhammer..lol

LaneC · May 06, 2015, 01:27:30 AM

Gotcha, I think Scruggs is a lot more difficult. To me anyway. I bet it will sound nice when completed. good luck.

SwampDonkey · May 06, 2015, 04:11:59 AM

Following along to. What a hoot. 8)

zopi · May 06, 2015, 03:55:26 PM

M ore pics...one of our little group playing a benefit, me playing my ODE C...same banjo Buck Trent played....

sandhills · May 06, 2015, 05:05:04 PM

Thanks for starting this, you folks always amaze me with your skills, building or playing, but you can do both 8). My wife's family is very musically talented, me on the other hand couldn't carry a tune in a dump truck but love listening to those who can, doesn't much matter what type of music it is.

JohnM · May 06, 2015, 09:06:09 PM

Quote from: PC-Urban-Sawyer on May 04, 2015, 10:02:42 PM
Zopi,

Looks good.

Good to see you on the Forum again. Missed having you around.

Herb

x2 Goes missing for 2-3yrs and shows up with a banjo on his knee! :D

Magicman · May 07, 2015, 10:44:09 AM

Quote from: zopi on May 06, 2015, 03:55:26 PMme playing my ODE C...

Nice Hat.

zopi · May 07, 2015, 11:37:42 AM

the hat is deliberate terrorism...

Magicman · May 07, 2015, 02:10:13 PM

There are other "famous folks that wear hats too.

zopi · May 07, 2015, 06:35:42 PM

That is awesome.

dnalley · May 07, 2015, 06:38:57 PM

Is that banjo electrified? Hope not ( just a personal preference). Isn't that the way buck played it with porter waggoner, or am I wrong?

zopi · May 07, 2015, 06:48:12 PM

Buck played an ODE C with a pickup. My sawmill...and my banjo are manual models...

rooster 58 · May 09, 2015, 08:04:07 AM

That's a really great project Zopi! I've always wanted to learn to play the banjo.

zopi · May 10, 2015, 08:18:52 AM

Rooster...my reply to that is always...go get a decent one and start pickin'.

I beat my head against the guitar for years...I just cannot play a guitar. Been playing banjo now for
a few months. Love it.
There always seem to be five or six guys arou d with guitars...usually all of them doing something different. The banjo picker stands out. (Sometimes by himslef...lol)

Playedy usual jam last night...got hit on by a sixtyish year old lady. Lol

RobSC · May 12, 2015, 04:22:16 PM

Great project zopi. I keep saying I'm going to build a banjo but life keeps getting in the way. :D I really enjoyed building my mandolin and it turned out good. One of these days I'm going to learn how to play it. :D 8)

zopi · May 12, 2015, 07:15:18 PM

If you have built a mandolin...the banjo is easy. Plus you get the added bonus of coming out the other end with a pretty decent wood bending setup.

End of this month we will play a church do a few miles away...middle of next month we play for the old folks home, then out 4th of july party, weekend after that is a pickin party at a buddy's house. Still trying to decide whether to go to Amelia Courthouse in August. Busy.

Dad2FourWI · May 12, 2015, 10:35:48 PM

QuoteBeen playing banjo now for a few months. Love it.

Hmmmm, I have been playing for over a year and while I enjoy it.... no one is asking me to play! :D :D :D :D

Last Spring, I was playing outside and black bear came right up to the house! (yes, we life in the woods!) I made some real noise with that banjo, trying to scare that bear away... but alas, it came back later and enjoyed some chicken!!! Well, I guess the bear enjoyed my playing.....

Great job on "picking" it up so quickly (pun intended!!!!!) ;D ;D

-Dad2FourWI

zopi · May 13, 2015, 05:18:18 AM

When I started the cats would evacuate now they are just tired of Foggy Mountain Breakdown...

Just got the message yesterday, we have another engagement coming up. It is great for these kids to get up on stage.
I just enjoy the opportunity to inflict aural pain and torture people with my weird hats.

Channeling Leroy Troy and Uncle Dave Macon.

pineywoods · May 13, 2015, 10:21:18 AM

Zopi, in another post, you mentioned a daughter playing a dulcimer. You need to build her one of these...

Called a hammered dulcimer, lineage goes back to bibical times. Not many people play them, it has a very distinctive sound..

zopi · May 13, 2015, 10:27:30 AM

I may eventually build a hammered dulcimer, but she plays a mountain dulcimer..I am going to build one of those soon.

beenthere · May 13, 2015, 10:55:57 AM

The hammered...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alcRdeJ5kks

The mountain..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UurHbXwVo04

pineywoods · May 13, 2015, 11:31:08 AM

Quote from: beenthere on May 13, 2015, 10:55:57 AM
The hammered...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alcRdeJ5kks

The mountain..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UurHbXwVo04

WOW, goosebumps. 8) I built this thing and just gave up learning to play it...Maybe there's hope yet...

Dad2FourWI · May 13, 2015, 12:08:24 PM

Hey great links!! - I enjoyed them both!

Thanks for sharing ;D

-Dad2FourWI

zopi · May 13, 2015, 12:11:56 PM

I may just get hammered and build a dulcimer.

WDH · May 13, 2015, 08:31:35 PM

What is the difference between a dead possum in the road and a banjo? There are skid marks in front of the possum.

A Gentleman is someone who can play the banjo, but chooses not to.

;D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · May 13, 2015, 09:01:57 PM

Quote from: WDH on May 13, 2015, 08:31:35 PM
What is the difference between a dead possum in the road and a banjo? There are skid marks in front of the possum.

A Gentleman is someone who can play the banjo, but chooses not to.

;D

....and they'd be skid marks in my Goat drawers if a Banjo ran out in front of me.

zopi · May 14, 2015, 06:15:47 AM

Difference between a banjo and a trampoline...Take off your shoes before jumping on a trampoline.

Know the difference between an F type mandolin and an A type?

F type burns longer.

rasman57 · May 16, 2015, 03:59:39 PM

Paddle FASTER......I hear BANJOs! (Old Saying)

zopi · May 16, 2015, 09:32:08 PM

Told a prosecutor friend of mine today that a local murderer should have been sentenced to be beaten to death with a cheap asian banjo...

Dad2FourWI · May 16, 2015, 10:29:35 PM

My banjo "tutor" (a 30 army vet Col) gave me an article where a man beat his wife with a banjo (no joke) and the banjo broke and he had to grab another to finish the job....

There are some "interesting" folk out there....

I grew up with my grandpa playing banjo while my dad and I worked in the farm... it was great to hear that "twang" as you were working away..... and of course, Grandpa got out of a LOT of work too!!!!

... but it was hard to be angry when a banjo was being played.... it all just "felt" right! That is why I wanted to start playing last year... and now my daughter has passed me by like I was standing still....

So, again here I am.... while I work outside in the barn or yard, I am listing to banjo music.... but it's not me....

Still, hard to feel 'mad' when there is banjo music playing!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

-Dad2FourWI

zopi · May 17, 2015, 11:31:18 AM

I had heard that story.
Played the usual jam spot/show past night...I usually do not play too loud nor am I amplified...so only a few folks can really hear me. Last night had a mandolin player I had never set with before, so rether than try to sort out one of the 15 thousand guitarists all doing their own thing I patched on to the lead guitar and mandolin and surfed along on them...dude turns to me.."that sounds AWESOME!"

That glow off to the east last night about ten oclock was me.