Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on June 9, 2013 at 10:31pm

i made a banjo from half a drum once, it worked out ok but was very heavy!

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 9, 2013 at 10:59pm

I use lathe turned wooden bowls

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Permalink Reply by Randy S. Bretz on June 9, 2013 at 11:15pm

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Permalink Reply by John Dill on July 8, 2014 at 12:51pm

This isn't a guitar fret board is it?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 10, 2013 at 3:16am

It would appear from Randy's pic the answer is yes. Get yerself one of those Remo kid tambourine drums, and pop it in a box, which is what Randy's pic looks like. And if you cover the top with a license plate, or a paint can lid, or a pot lid, you have a resonator. If you tune a 4-stringer CBG GDgb or DGBd, you have two variants of 4-string banjo tuning. And if you can frail or finger-roll, then you can easily make even a standard CBG tuned that way sound very much like a banjo. Check out my Profile page vid of "Grandpa's Pocket Watch" for an example.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 10, 2013 at 5:02am

It's entirely possible. There are no rules after all. 

IMHO you don't even need to use a drum-type-thing if you don't want to. Using the box and strings (with good string tension) can give you a very banjo-y sound.

On this build I used the bottom of the box for the soundboard. It is 1/8" plywood:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/mayhem-box-hobobanjo-sound-test

The strings are all plain (not wound) and are tuned like a banjo - D3 G3 B3 D4 and all are about 16lbs tension. This gives it a 'middly' sound like a banjo.

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/albums/mayhem-box-hobobanjo-2

There are some bids on here of banjos built using tins or gas cans that also sound banjo-y. 

That said, I'm planning a hand-drum banjo, lol. 

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 10, 2013 at 9:27am

Its true that a re-entrant tuning (google it) can get you part way there, but to get the rest of the way you really want a top of vellum or animal hide. Guys have also reported some success with thin plastic/nylon materials for the head, I remember a few guys way back wen using x-ray transparencies.
A wooden or tin guitar which has banjo like qualities is usually one where there's been a failure, dead lifeless sound and near zero sustain can make you think 'oh kinda like a banjo..'

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 10, 2013 at 9:37am

Yup. Depends if you want your build to sound 'kind of like a banjo' or full-on banjo.

Full-on banjo you'd want a skin/drum head/etc. 

I personally don't think my build sounds lifeless! ;-)

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 10, 2013 at 10:05am

:) peace mate..
Not a cheap shot at anybody and my own opinion only, but when a top is all attack and instant decay, no warm swell fro wood and no dark dobro growl from steel but just a plinky-plink that instantly disappears, that's when you think 'banjo' now it can definitely still be an instrument of merit, but it's still second prize as far as I'm concerned from a wooden or steel soundboard..

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 11, 2013 at 2:12am

lol just giving you a hard time. I know what you were getting at. no worries.

Besides, I tested it and that build has 10+ seconds of sustain acoustically. Not bad for a plywood top with all plain strings.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on June 10, 2013 at 9:47am

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Permalink Reply by doggylv . on October 13, 2015 at 10:30am

Nice job Diane, but I don't understand that fifth tuner mounting, is that a special one for banjo,where is the post or string hole?

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