hillbillyconnolly Says:
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 @9:16:29 AM

Hi - This is my most enduring attempt at making a banjo .It has undergone umpteen alterations in its 2 year life. Basically the resonator rim consists of a bodhran cut down to size and the backing is an old child's snakes and ladders board (I have found something better to cover this and will make alterations later). You may see the chequered pattern through the skin. The tailpiece is from the end of a pair of serving tongs and the flange is cut from a serving tray, drilled with holes and covered in aluminium tape. After loads of tambourine changes which have eventually failed I have recently settled on a glue/tack head P.E.T.E design which appears to be holding out the bridge is cut from a piece of plywood and

The neck is a piece of oak from B+Q and I have attempted to decorate it with imagery evoking traditional/folk imagery - funnily enough there are no representations of Scotland on it .I will sort that on the back - don't worry(??).The nut is from a piece of crucifix (amen - or should I say ahem to that) and it's covered with a tiny hammer in claw hinge - A couple of guitar tuners and there you go.

There are two 16 gauge strings tuned to the same note. I extend my thanks and inspiration from Barry Sholder - "the monjo and the bonjo" whose videos showed me that you CAN play a banjo with two strings and some people DO make them. I am kind of surprised that people don't make these more as a stepping stone to more strings etc.. I have adapted his idea for a full size banjo and play with a slide .The artistic freedom from this is phenomenal and I can play most tunes I attempt.

I have sourced my materials from the usual areas - mainly charity shops and whatever I have lying around.
Please feel free to critique and ask questions and thanks for taking time to look and read this.

mike gregory Says:
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 @9:42:59 AM

I'm proud and happy to see that you are carrying on the MOST traditional of Banjo Traditions: Cobbling instruments together from what's available.
I mean, somebody in village in a clearing in a jungle looked around the Old Homestead, and there was a gourd from the garden, and the skin off of last week's lunch... and when it came time to put a stick through it, how CONVENIENT that JUNGLES are MADE of sticks.

hillbillyconnolly Says:
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 @10:45:17 AM

Thanks Mr Gregory - Your comment gave me an idea on how to obtain natural skins but when I fully thought it through the mounting toll of bald guys going missing combined with the thought of having to find a jungle - none here in scotland - ,transport, and conceal the 'refuse' with no transport made me reconsider. And the amount of crows and eagles expecting NEXT weeks lunch...