The core components of the mountain banjo I’m making are now assembled. Fitting and stretching the goatskin was a bit of a challenge. I wanted a snug fit and my hole was a smidge tight, causing me some grief. Also, I used a piece of… Read More
I got a good start making a mountain banjo back in spring, but I mostly stayed out of the workshop through the summer and and fall. Time to finish it off. All the major components are now ready to go. The neck is carved and… Read More
I had a request for a sound sample of the new Heavy Duty Brake Fluid Banjo so I recorded a short video. Notwithstanding the limitations of my playing, I think it gives you a good idea what this machine sounds like. The tune is Greasy… Read More
I just finished the “Heavy Duty” Brake Fluid banjo. This is another A-scale oil can banjo using an “ebay neck”. I replaced the plastic nut on the neck with bone, and I made a cedar bridge. The tail-piece is once again a kitchen fork. I… Read More
This design is much different than that of the oil cans. With the oil can banjos, as with gourd banjos, the neck has a dowel stick, typically one piece that goes through the pot. The mountain banjo has a pot made from three rings of… Read More
This is the “Industrial” with the new bridge and nut. The banjo is tuned to A Modal tuning.
I’ve made a neck blank for the next oil can banjo, but I’ve decided to put that aside for later and instead I’m going to try to make a mountain banjo similar to those described in the FoxFire book, a much different design than either… Read More
I’ve completed a new oil can banjo. For obvious reasons I call this one The Industrial. Check out the video I made about it. By the way, the hat I’m wearing on this video is a Vollmar hat. It was given to me many years… Read More
The person who sold me the red can on ebay was kind enough to include some machine oil still in the can. Generous yes, but the thing is you need a dry oil-free can for a canjo. I found some of this interesting product at… Read More
I don’t think I’ve heard this tune before coming across it today on the YouTube. It’s called Hog-eyed Man and it features Tim Rowell on clawhammer and Cathy Mason on fiddle. Great tune and beautifully played too! Update on the new canjos: Today I drew… Read More
27th Street 