Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on September 24, 2011 at 2:58pm

Don't forget those round cookie tins!

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Permalink Reply by Sean Coxen on September 24, 2011 at 3:44pm

That's what I was wondering about. I've seen cookie tin and oilcan banjos before and they seem fine to me. But I've also heard people mention them not sounding like "real" banjos, so I'm not sure how important the traditional drum structure is. I really like the idea of using an ammo canister, but I'm afraid it'll be too heavy to really resonate.

CLOCKWORK said:

Don't forget those round cookie tins!

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Permalink Reply by legnahkra on September 24, 2011 at 6:33pm

ever considered a hand drum..?

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on September 24, 2011 at 7:14pm

Here's one i made earlier from a bisected 12  inch tom drum - Ol' Roundy looks like a banjo, sounds like a banjo...and it rocks! (-: this was my most difficult build so far, but the rewards are many!

 

   http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/ol-roundy-in-the-workshop/next?...

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on September 24, 2011 at 8:35pm

Sean,

 

You wanna make a banjo, the resonator skin is pretty important! ;-). If you wanna make something that sounds a lot like a banjo, then the cookie tin idea will definitely work, too. There are lots of examples here on the site. Many people use a tambourine, even a kid's 6" model will work well. One Group here at CBN that does these in depth is Banjo Players Unite! Look for them under the Groups tab. Lots of DIY discussion about builds there.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Oily

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on September 25, 2011 at 1:02am

You can use a big square thin cigar box.

Lots of early banjos used thin wood tops instead of skin.

 

AFKAM

 

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on September 25, 2011 at 1:19am

Sean,

 

Further to the discussion, I noticed you mentioned you are considering an ammo canister, and are worried that it won't resonate. The top is what you want to resonate. If you look at a "real" banjo, most of them don't even have a back. They are metal (in some cases wood, and in some cases a combo of both) rings with a drumhead or other similar skin attached. As long as your soundboard surface is very thin (skin, Tyvek, cellophane strapping tape stretched reeeellly tight, kid's tambourine, cheap Remo drumhead, or thin wood as AFKAM correctly states), and can move / vibrate, then viola! you got yerself a potential banjo top.

 

Take your ammo canister, and give it a good head job. Errr...wait...awww, what the hell.

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Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on September 25, 2011 at 8:53am

Try out the square eel :

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FxfZ9yZ0PY&feature=related

 

AKA packing tape.                   Cheers Ron.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on September 25, 2011 at 10:59am

I purchased and sold this banjo awhile back. When I received the banjo, it was in poor playing condition. A friend and professional guitar builder, James Millinchuk rebuilt it for me using a large cookie tin I found at a local flea market. The bottom of the tin made a fine resonator (skin). It had "neck through the body" construction. Possibly, you might consider just buying an inexpensive banjo neck to practice installing it into the pot. Of course making a neck is a craft too, but assembly an instrument correctly is a real skill. Enjoy your build. I look forward to seeing and hearing it, Keni Lee     

 

http://youtu.be/BkRBqMOXaHA

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Permalink Reply by colin mcgrath on September 25, 2011 at 4:58pm

If you are looking at having a skin, and want some ideas on attachment. There was a good thread in an earlier discussion I had going a while back here is the link. Just a few ideas there:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/banjo-builders-skin-ques...

Have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on September 26, 2011 at 4:26am

I ended up using 1/8" hardwood plywood for mine, "Baltic birch". Sounds pretty good if not too much like a real banjo.

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Permalink Reply by Bear on September 26, 2011 at 6:29am

Most people feel that a round body and skin head is what defines a banjo, but for me anyway, it's the sound of the 5th string. I make lots of cigar box banjos. Seems to me you could make a banjo out of most anything you want.

 http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/cbbfoothills-1

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