The Banjo Neck is In (Musiclopnik)

by "zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
Published 01/05/2017 at 08:00

Tags: Musiclopnik
STARS: 2

Last week I posted that I’m going to be building a banjo with my dad-in-law. Well, he received the neck yesterday and I really wanted to share it with you guys, because it looks pretty cool, :p.

The awkward lighting makes the resonator seem yellow; it’s really white.

So the back will have a tiger fighting a bird/hawk, the neck will have vine inlays across it, and the machine heads (the tuners) will be ebony black (too much inlays is gaudy imho). Plus, I get to help make it; how is that not cool?! :D

Replies (15)

"Party-vi" (party-vi)
01/05/2017 at 08:27, STARS: 1

That is gorgeous.

"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/05/2017 at 08:34, STARS: 1

“ A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn’t .”  Mark Twain

"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
01/05/2017 at 08:49, STARS: 1

Awesome, I’ve really got respect for people building their own instruments! 

I wanted to build a guitar myself, so I looked into getting a hollow body guitar kit from China, but the reviews I read where really discouraging(bend/skewed necks, badly made bodies etc).

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 08:54, STARS: 0

I think banjo is a fascinating instrument. Sure, you can strum it like a guitar, but you can do so much more with it. My favorite is finger picking, plus how you use your fingers is fascinating as well.

Using only your thumb, pointer, and middle fingers; you pluck the strings. Using the same finger to pluck twice in a row is generally frowned upon, so you have to alternate which finger is used, which creates a melody that incorporates notes across the chord, bouncing between high and low notes which your right hand dances across the strings.

I just think it’s really cool, :).

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 08:55, STARS: 0

Definitely. I would never consider inlays for my bass guitar, but it somehow seems appropriate for the banjo. Once we build it, I’ll have to show it to you guys.

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 09:04, STARS: 1

Thanks! I think the neck and resonator here are from Vietnam, or one of those countries in that area.

I want to build a bass guitar, since that is my primary instrument. I thought it would be cool to get my daughter and son’s hand and foot prints across the body, then put a sealant on it. Since I play in the church band, it would get used a lot, :).

"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/05/2017 at 09:50, STARS: 1

I actually have a Stromberg from the 20s. ;)

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 10:00, STARS: 0

I’m guessing it’s an open back style, right? :)

"smobgirl" (smobgirl)
01/05/2017 at 10:00, STARS: 1

That neck is gorgeous!

"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/05/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 0

Nope. Might have been at one point because the back has the weirdest attachment I’ve ever seen.

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 10:09, STARS: 0

Huh, interesting. There are so many styles and types of banjo. Personally, i enjoy the 5 string style.

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
01/05/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 0

I like things with an artistic flair, :).

"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
01/05/2017 at 14:14, STARS: 1

I’ll tell you what you should build, there’s a band called The Ben Miller Band - very good band and they put on a great show but that’s beside the point - and they play a lot of homemade instruments. One of which is a cigar box guitar. Cigar Box Guitars are nothing new but they are interesting little instruments and you’re not likely to know anyone that has one.

Ben Miller Band

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"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
01/05/2017 at 14:24, STARS: 1

Wow, that’s awesome, I’m definitely going to look into doing this.

"Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)" (galileo-humpkins)
01/05/2017 at 15:29, STARS: 1

Can be done 3, 4, 5, or 6 string with whatever kind of pickup/control combos you desire. Just a matter of finding the right box I suppose.