Started by Sebastian Mueller. Last reply by Sebastian Mueller Sep 15, 2018. 1 Reply 0 Likes
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
Started by Brian Revels. Last reply by Brian Revels Mar 3, 2017. 2 Replies 0 Likes
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
Started by Iain T.S.. Last reply by turtlehead Aug 23, 2016. 1 Reply 1 Like
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
Started by egyptpunk Aug 4, 2016. 0 Replies 0 Likes
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
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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.
..WOW again Rand!
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.
Wow thats cool Tres- "stay cheap", necessity is the mother of invention
Cool tip for 5th-string capo:
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.
You could check over at the banjohangout.com. I'm sure you could find an answer to your question.
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!
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.
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).
Started by Sebastian Mueller. Last reply by Sebastian Mueller Sep 15, 2018. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Started by Brian Revels. Last reply by Brian Revels Mar 3, 2017. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Iain T.S.. Last reply by turtlehead Aug 23, 2016. 1 Reply 1 Like
Started by Wade. Last reply by Jim Morris Mar 12, 2016. 4 Replies 0 Likes
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