Banjo building

When looking into purchasing an open back banjo, there are an overwhelming amount of different variables to consider – the list is extensive, spanning from scale length to bridge placement. But at the end of the day, how your banjo plays and sounds mainly comes down to the setup and how all of these different

A minstrel style tailpiece made from walnut with a MOP dot inlay decoration

Learn how to do a proper banjo set up by adjusting the truss rod and coordinator rods in your banjo. Find out now!

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Brooks Banjos

Banjo Peghead Design Chart by Oldgroove.

Photo blog showing the production of a short scale travel banjo.

Beginning of my first Banjo. Polar ring and neck. Based on what I can build with limited tools. From what I've read in FoxFire 3

Banjo Hangout banjo Discussion Forums

Explore Sceeterpye's 1860 photos on Flickr!

banjo tone rings - Google Search

photos of jigs and processes for building a banjo

Building a Banjo. Based on instructions in FoxFire 3.

I don't claim to have invented this design, but here's how I make a robust neck through with a heel, leaving plenty of space under the lid for pickups/bracing etc. There are plenty of ways to go about this, and no right or wrong way. However this design helped me overcome a number of obstacles in my early builds. I will skip over quite a few basic aspects of CBG building so it might be an idea to have a grasp of scale lengths etc. first. This article is not aimed at seasoned builders, but...