Banjo Players Unite!

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Banjo Players Unite!

Just a place for all things banjo, 5 String, Tenor, Plectrum...and of course DIY creations.

Members: 100
Latest Activity: Jul 6, 2020

Discussion Forum

Tambourine banjo. Skin bending pretty much.

Started by Sebastian Mueller. Last reply by Sebastian Mueller Sep 15, 2018. 1 Reply

Hello fellow banjo playersI just finished my first musical instrument. A banjo with a skateboard fretboard and a tambourine as a resonator. I have never build an instrument before. Nor can I play…Continue

Cigar Box Banjo, Cookie Tin Banjo, Canjo, Dulci-jo, Diddley Bow Banjo, Gas Canjo, Etc... Jo!

Started by Brian Revels. Last reply by Brian Revels Mar 3, 2017. 2 Replies

So... I have been building handmade musical instruments for about 2½ years, or so, now. I primarily build Cigar Box Guitars ( 2, 3, and 4 stringers), as well as some Diddley Bows (up to around 50+…Continue

not technicaly a banjo, but banjo-ish

Started by Iain T.S.. Last reply by turtlehead Aug 23, 2016. 1 Reply

hey,I have been making strinnged instruments with a round body, 1-3 strings and a fretless neck, one played with slide, one with slide or fingers and an (upright) bass thats "fretted" with fingers…Continue

Tags: trash, sign, hubcap, bucket, banjo

Laser cut bridges cbgitty

Started by egyptpunk Aug 4, 2016. 0 Replies

Hi everyone! I'm thinking about purchasing some of these laser cut bridges from C.B. Gitty, and was wondering if anyone has any feedback on them, particularly the maple ones if anyone has experience…Continue

Tags: cbgitty, products, cut, laser, banjo

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Comment by Rand Moore on February 27, 2014 at 9:41pm

Hi All.

I am working on a Reso-Cigar Box Banjo using a cigar box with a round cookie tin lid. I had intended it to be a 5-stringer, but now as I have it 90% complete, I have discovered that I didn't make the neck wide enough. So, it looks like it will be a 4-stringer with 3 long strings and a short drone string.  The neck is 1.5" wide, so I can do 4 strings with 3/8" separation with the remaining 3/8" divided by 2 and used to separate the end strings from the edge of the neck. I guess I'll tune it something like a-D-A-d, or some similar 1-5-8 tuning modified to include a short string. Any suggestions?

I guess next time, I should measure the wood and calculate string spacing earlier in the design process! When I'm done, I'll post some photos and text describing the build.

-Rand.

Comment by stringybark on February 9, 2014 at 11:31pm

..WOW again Rand!

Comment by Rand Moore on February 9, 2014 at 3:07pm

Hi All,

I'm working on a CBB using a pan resonator with a home-made box. I was puzzled over what to do about a 5th string banjo tuner, when I came across a thread elsewhere on CBN about how to cut down a cheap guitar tuner and drill a hole in it so it can be used as a fifth string tuner. The thread was started by Jim Morris with a photo he took of one of his banjo builds, and Diane of Chicago built a banjo using the idea, and now I'm in doing it. Here is a link to Jim's photo and thread and here is Diane's photo:

The tuner can also be oriented such that the knob is "up", and while not as aesthetically pleasing, it's a more practical position from the player's point of view because it is less "in the way" of their fretting hand.

-Rand.

Comment by stringybark on October 4, 2013 at 2:08pm

Wow thats cool Tres- "stay cheap", necessity is the mother of invention

Comment by Tres Seaver on October 4, 2013 at 8:20am
Comment by Matthew Borczon on September 30, 2013 at 10:36am

http://jerusalemmules.bandcamp.com/album/ax-murder-hollow here is a link to a new album I recorded featuring 3 and 4 stringed cigar box banjos. It is called ax murder hollow and you can have it for cheap or even free if you like by going to the link.

Comment by Mr. Toad on June 4, 2013 at 6:16pm

You could check over at the banjohangout.com. I'm sure you could find an answer to your question.

Comment by Ben on June 3, 2013 at 10:40am

Jim - True, there is not a lot of info geared specifically towards tenors. Keep in mind that there are a few different ways of tuning them for playing in different styles. The "traditional way" is CGDA (like a viola). The strings have the same relation to each other as the mandolin so you can steal a lot from that, you just won't be in the same key (but solo it will work). There's also the "Irish way" where you tune GDAE (like an octave mandolin) so the stuff you're playing will be in the same key. There's "Chicago tuning" which is DGBE (like the top 4 strings of a guitar). You can use some guitar method with that. With that one, you could tune the high string down to D so you have DGBd and you can use pretty much any banjo chord chart (just ignore the imaginary 5th string). I know...so many ways, so little time!

Comment by JIm Trussler on June 3, 2013 at 10:23am

Ben - Thanks for the great info. AS a guitar player the Banjo is a little daunting as I am not finding much information on the net about what I am looking for. This is a great site for info! 

My original idea was to build a 4 string Tenor but couldn't find a "guide" on how to play one when it came to Blues, if that makes sense. I did some research on "Frailing" and it had the sound style I wanted but alas as you said I don't have a drone string.

Looks like I will stick with the Tenor and see where it goes. Anyone have any pointers, please post them.

Comment by Ben on June 2, 2013 at 2:55pm

Jim - Frailing needs a high drone string which is absent on a 4-stringer (unless of course you make a drone and 3 full length). Adding a 5th, short drone string to the neck is not that difficult and that's what will give the cigar box a banjo feel. Otherwise, 4 strings is just fine and I'd suggest going the tenor banjo route. You may want to check out the tenor guitar group if you go that way. A lot of people pigeon-hole tenors into either early jazz or celtic playing, but I love playing the blues on mine. (Of course, you could also just keep the longer scale length and have a "plectrum" banjo. Either way, you'll end up with a strummer instead of a frailer). 

 

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Discussion Forum

Tambourine banjo. Skin bending pretty much.

Started by Sebastian Mueller. Last reply by Sebastian Mueller Sep 15, 2018. 1 Reply

not technicaly a banjo, but banjo-ish

Started by Iain T.S.. Last reply by turtlehead Aug 23, 2016. 1 Reply

Laser cut bridges cbgitty

Started by egyptpunk Aug 4, 2016. 0 Replies

Large book with banjo plans

Started by Wade. Last reply by Jim Morris Mar 12, 2016. 4 Replies

Tin can banjo: Neck-thru options?

Started by Noam Berg. Last reply by Rand Moore Apr 4, 2014. 3 Replies

Building Round Sound Boxes for Banjos

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Rand Moore Nov 6, 2013. 5 Replies

Some specifically general questions

Started by Matt Quinney. Last reply by Rand Moore Oct 11, 2013. 33 Replies

4 string banjo strings

Started by Mr. Toad Sep 30, 2013. 0 Replies

4 string or 5 string banjo for blues?

Started by JIm Trussler. Last reply by Gerald Readore Aug 22, 2012. 1 Reply

5-String Banjo Discussion Area

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Ryan Rose Feb 4, 2012. 10 Replies

a free banjo album, sort of

Started by Matthew Borczon. Last reply by Matthew Borczon Jan 15, 2012. 2 Replies

Banjo Blues Tab

Started by Gary Davis. Last reply by Matthew Borczon Jan 12, 2012. 5 Replies

CB Banjuke Project

Started by John Hopper. Last reply by Rand Moore Nov 30, 2011. 1 Reply

Banjo Ukulele

Started by John Hopper. Last reply by Rand Moore Nov 27, 2011. 4 Replies

Need help identifying a banjo

Started by DonnieC. Last reply by Mark Bliss Sep 28, 2011. 1 Reply

General Questions

Started by Kyle. Last reply by Mark Bliss Sep 4, 2011. 3 Replies

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