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Can Jo Consortium

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The simplest little resonator instrument of all. Please add links to plans, photos of your canjos and ideas you've found that make the most of this diminutive instrument. (The image is a temporary placeholder, I'll replace it any day now!)

Location: the vegetable aisle in a grocery store near you
Members: 250
Latest Activity: Jan 31, 2023

12 members like this

Discussion Forum

The Cookie Tin Variety: a community image bank

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Keith Zorn Dec 27, 2022. 37 Replies 0 Likes

Post up photos of your tin-tars! These are the ones that look mostly like this:Continue

Canjo Tablatures

Started by Adam Jellison. Last reply by Adam Jellison Jan 8, 2020. 6 Replies 3 Likes

Maybe it is just me, but I love to sit there and pick out songs I know or songs people want to play on my Canjo. I own a couple of Canjo Song books from Gitty, and looked around online and found a…Continue

Can Cutting

Started by Mike Whisenhunt. Last reply by Glenn Watt Nov 22, 2019. 9 Replies 0 Likes

So I've made a few of this tin can banjo things. Having a blast playing on them. I've made a couple out of empty tin "soup" cans and one out of a beer can. I cut a few other cans to prepare them to…Continue

The Gas/Kerosene/Oil Can variety: a community image bank

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by James Conder Nov 5, 2018. 7 Replies 1 Like

If you've used an upright can on a chordophone, here's the place to show your work.I'm looking for an olive oil can right now, one of those really pretty ones from Eastern Europe.Continue

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Comment Wall

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Comment by TN Twang on July 2, 2014 at 2:31am: Hmmm...

I see 2 things the happy hippie did right that I may copy.

(1) the flat-sided can will be a little more stable when playing. (Sorta' press it against your gut and it should not roll like a beer can does.)

(2) Long-scale fingerboard but a short can means that the can doesn't cover up as much of the string's length--meaning more room for fingering and strumming. However, it looks like his is unfretted and played with a slide. If you fret the instrument, those diatonic frets can be hard to finger when the scale is 25" or more.

Gotta' go to the grocery and see what they sell in short, square cans. I sure as hell don't know any beer that comes that way!

Comment by jabes on July 1, 2014 at 5:43am: here's a hippy happy with his 'spamjo' built at our workshop at the Sonic Rock Soltice last w/end...

Comment by Battmann on May 11, 2014 at 7:51am: A couple of more canjo's I put together this weekend. Used oak this time. 24 inch scale. single octave

Comment by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker on March 26, 2014 at 9:55am: Fresh off the C. B. Gitty bench...

Comment by Seasick Mick on March 8, 2014 at 10:22am: Hullo One and All.I've just (almost) finished my first ome string Canjo which I've strung with a nylon B string.Any advice on what tuning I should choose? And as this is my first attempt and I want to get it right.is there a way that I can check that my fretting is correct? I have a small battery operated tuner but as a beginner,i'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.The neck vsl is 25 inches and diatonically fretted with 8 burnt in frets.I used the StewMac calculator for a dulcimer....

Comment by Suspect Device on February 6, 2014 at 4:27am: Here's one of my Kodakanjos, painted white.

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/kodakanjo9-hz20?xg_source=activity

Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on February 5, 2014 at 2:36pm: Cool!

Comment by David Bowes on February 5, 2014 at 7:54am: Thomas "Duck" Prtey

I built it with out sound holes and sounds good.

Comment by David Bowes on February 1, 2014 at 7:08am: TDP

Thanks i am going to try no sound holes.

Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on January 31, 2014 at 11:50am: The cans don't really need sound holes as they work like a resonator. as long as you have reasonable pressure on the bridge from the strings, they sing well.