My second build: a bass banjo!

[Dead Ed]

Hello again everybody. I am not done with my first bass yet, but I am going to build a bass banjo, in the near future, with a local banjo luthier and I'm in the process of designing the thing.
I love my upright, but it's not exactly user friendly when it comes to catching a bus over to my mate's house for some slappin', and my Michael Kelly guitar just doesn't have the volume to stay in the mix with two guitars. Thus, my goal is to create a great sounding portable acoustic instrument that has enough volume to hold it's own with a few acoustic guitars and maybe a mandolin or banjo too.

Here are my design specs:

• 36" scale 5 string (E-A-D-G-C)

• flush fret (same marker setup as my first build)

• 15" Maple rim (possibly silverspun) with brass hardware (14 lugs)

• brass tone ring

• goat skin head

• Maple bridge with Ebony top

• some sort of tailpiece (not quite sure what I'll make that out of yet)

• Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple neck

• Pau Ferro fingerboard

• Hipshot ultralite gold tuners with an Xtender on the E string (My theory is that this will give the banjo a near 6 string range)

• Someday I'd love to string it up with a set of guts, but in the mean time I think I'm going to go with Cordes Lambert strings (this means I'll have to modify my tuning pegs).

I have a few questions.

Has anyone used Pau Ferro for a fingerboard? Is it any good?

I'm also not quite sure about how to laminate the neck. I could make myself a 1" board and glue it onto the neck heel, but I'm not sure how that will effect the sound. I could also laminate a 3" board and carve the heel block out, but I'm not sure if the benefits would outweigh the extra cost and wasted wood.

I would love feedback on this idea if you would all be so kind.

[ClaytonH]

Go for it! I thought about buying a tambourine and adding a bass neck to it once. Just promise me that when your finished, post a video of yourself playing Iowan Gal.

[dug dog]

'Scribed. Can't wait to see how this goes.

As for your neck heel decision, I'd say it's a crap shoot as to which would be better depending on the particular pieces of wood that you choose. Myself, I'd go for the less wasteful method, but to each his own.

[moonshinegtrs]

Having built a banjo bass recently (though mine design was definitley cruder than yours! ), I don't know if it will provide the volume that you are looking for.

Please understand, I am not trying to deter you; I have always thought that having a banjo bass would be pretty cool. I have been planning on building a real banjo bass based upon Pete Seeger's Vega banjo (32" scale) every since I worked with a gentleman here in TN. building bluegrass instruments (mandolins, acoustic guitars, banjos & resonator instruments; that is what started me building reso basses as well).

You also need to check out Bruce Johnson's "Banjozilla" (http://xstrange.com/bassbanjo.htm). It is nothing like what you are going after, but you need to see it anyway. Bruce is an interesting guy; He would be a great source of information for you.

I'm sub'd. Good luck with your build.

Moonshine

[Dead Ed]

Originally Posted by moonshinegtrs

I have been planning on building a real banjo bass based upon Pete Seeger's Vega banjo (32" scale) every since I worked with a gentleman here in TN...You also need to check out Bruce Johnson's "Banjozilla" (http://xstrange.com/bassbanjo.htm).
Moonshine

Thanks for the link! I looked at Banjozilla a long time ago (when it was still a 6 string), but I forgot about it until now. A good resource for sure!

About the 32" scale bass banjo. I'm a firm believer in long scale = great bass sound. I'm not sure a 32" would be loud enough in the lower register to really bring out the "bass" of the instrument acoustically. That's why I decided to go with a 36" scale in my design. I saw your bass banjo post the other night just before I posted this. I really liked it. It seems down-home and hillbilly enough to embrace the true spirit of a banjo! You should check out the Foxfire Handbook series. It's a book series about country living and survival. One of the books has a section on building a banjo if you live in a log cabin in the Ozarks!! Good stuff in deed. I love your resonator basses by the way. I've got another idea for a future build that would incorporate a resonator and I'd love to pick your brain for some insight into that when the time comes.

Anybody have any more input into the heel block question?

[moonshinegtrs]

Originally Posted by Dead Ed

Thanks for the link! I looked at Banjozilla a long time ago (when it was still a 6 string), but I forgot about it until now. A good resource for sure!

About the 32" scale bass banjo. I'm a firm believer in long scale = great bass sound. I'm not sure a 32" would be loud enough in the lower register to really bring out the "bass" of the instrument acoustically. That's why I decided to go with a 36" scale in my design. I saw your bass banjo post the other night just before I posted this. I really liked it. It seems down-home and hillbilly enough to embrace the true spirit of a banjo! You should check out the Foxfire Handbook series. It's a book series about country living and survival. One of the books has a section on building a banjo if you live in a log cabin in the Ozarks!! Good stuff in deed. I love your resonator basses by the way. I've got another idea for a future build that would incorporate a resonator and I'd love to pick your brain for some insight into that when the time comes.

Anybody have any more input into the heel block question?

"Hillbilly"...I like that! I think your right about the whole "longer the scale the better" thing, but you have to factor in playability as well. I think the 36" scale will work out fine. I will be glad to help in anyway I can when it comes to "reso" questions.

I'm looking forward to seeing this completed.

Moonshine

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by Dead Ed

Has anyone used Pau Ferro for a fingerboard? Is it any good?

Lots of people have used it.

Ken Smith uses it a lot. Calls it by another of its names, morado.

A bunch of boutique builders use it.

Fender used it for a while on all its five-strings. I think they still do, although it says "rosewood" on the price lines on the site.

[Dead Ed]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to go with the carved heel block. I'll post pictures when I get parts and stuff. See ya soon.

[f64]

You might want to check out the Fall 2010 Fretboard Journal pg. 65. The 1915 S.S. Stewart banjo has been giving me ideas all month. Although it's a cello the idea is limitless.