OK, I want to try a banjo, even a cheap one is $250 so enter the CANJO
The ones Ive seen sound pretty good, so I went to the craft store and found what i think is an interesting cookie tin that MAY offer and interesting idea:
If you look at the 1st pic, its a typical can with typical possibility. From the builders Ive read a lot use the "bottom" so that they can take the "top" off for maintenance and other sounds.
HOWEVER looking poc 2 this tin actually has a lid that is "cut out" and has a mylar insert
isnt that what most traditional banjos use for their tops?
ANyone see any good or bad ideas with using the can top with the mylar as my banho head?
Obviously the mylar wont be as stretched as tight as a normal banjo and theres no way to tighten it, but anyone else have other ideas?
Thanks
j
Replies
This was my 2nd build....I changed it to a deeper can. and it sounds like a banjo somewhat, but my fav sounding build for a banjo... is my dog dish reso
Here's one I built on a rectangular tin. Pretty banjo sounding but I like the round tins better for banjos.
I agree the round look better
although I did see a pretty LARGE square tin that looked nice...
You are so correct about skin heads driving you crazy Rand. A lot of fluctuations. Oh, I did use a tin with a built in mylar top but didn't think it would be strong enough for a banjo so it became a nylon string uke. I kept it for about a year before I would sell it just because I wasn't confident about it but it held pretty well under the lower uke pressure! I'm with Rand - just use the tin top and it will sound like a banjo!
Here's a cookie tin banjo that I used a wooden salad bowl inserted with calfskin streched over it. The advantage to calfskin is that it tightens as it dries and you don't have to try to tension it as you would with mylar. It's attached with staples while still damp after soaking for about 20 min.
Yeah Im basically looking at a tin can banjo, just to see if I like it.
My actual question was whther anyone thought that the "mylar" thats in place now would have any positive effect over flipping it over and using the tin side.
I plan on making the 5 sring neck myself, thats not a challenge, and I've actually seen enough examples that the 5th tune wont be a huge issue.
I LOVE the calfskin idea, but unfortunately Central FL is too wet for it to EVER dry out its been 50 degrees and raining for 5 days now and THIS is the best whether weve had (most consistent anyway) in a LONG time
j
This was the first tin stick dulcimer build that I did and I got a little carried away with the 'sound holes'. My wife rescued the tin from the recycle bin. The neck is some scrap Luan and the "tail piece" is just a bottle cap that I screwed into the neck that sticks out of the bottom. The bridge is just another scrap piece of wood and jumbo fret wire and the nut is also jumbo fret wire.
It has a very tinny banjoish sound. I believe this is due to the fret wire nut and bridge.
I cannot stress this enough: If you go with the tin face don't cut sound holes. They rattle and sound terrible.
You are correct, what I meant to say was that I believe that the metal nut/bridge contributes to a brighter, more banjo like sound.
Another consideration: I am waiting to find one of those youth or toy snare drums to surface somewhere. You can tighten/loosen the top on some of them and I think those could make an awesome starting place for a banjo.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next