Restored Banjo

[Stub Mandrel]

I've finally finished my 100 year old(ish) John Gray and Sons 'Dulcetta' zither banjo. I had to silver solder the tailpiece and tension ring, then make a flesh ring (I cut down an embroidery ring). I fitted the goatskin myself, having last done this on a banjo mandolin in about 1983. I also had to make the bone nut from a guitar size blank. The first string snapped twice but I was able to thread it through a bit of plastic tube for protection from the rather severe ben in the tailpiece.

 

Strings are Aquila nylgut. Tuned GDGBD. Or will be when they stop stretching!

 

I love the engraved cover for the tuners. The positions of the tuning knobs bears minimal relationship to the strings. I fitted them all so winding away fom me increases tension... for my sanity.

 

 

 

[Norris]

That headstock looks insane! Like something drawn by AI 😄

 

Is the 5th string threaded through the neck at the top there? And it uses the middle tuner?

[Mediocre Polymath]

That's a beautifully weird looking thing. I love how it looks so completely of-its-time with that big engraved panel, like a Winchester repeater or a florid advert for some dubious patent medicine.

Edited May 17 by Mediocre Polymath

[Hellzero]

You know you could be banned for having showed this...

 

Nice work, that said and I like some Béla Fleck from time to time. 😉

[PaulThePlug]

Relived... I thought the thread was gonna be about that bit on ya healing up after a bit of a YKK encounter...

[Stub Mandrel]

14 hours ago, Norris said:

That headstock looks insane! Like something drawn by AI 😄

 

Is the 5th string threaded through the neck at the top there? And it uses the middle tuner?

 

Yes. Not unusual a century ago! What glorious engraving.  But the tuners are totally insane!

[pete.young]

Very nice work. Saved another one. More Abigail Washburn than Bela Fleck, I think that's going to sound very authentic for old-time.

[Phil Starr]

That's a great job, I need to find time to look at mine, bought when I was 14 and it was only 50 years old. It's a lot of fun fitting a real vellum, trying to work out just how much it will shrink to fit. My problem is that the frame of the back/resonator or wahtever it is called has softened and distorted so it needs a new back forming or some significant bracing. Making that ring would need me to steam some timber and make a former which is a significant task.

 

I do love the sound of a real skin. I'm not sure I should admit to loving the sound of a banjo here though

[Stub Mandrel]

I used a 16" skin for a 10" ring, it was only a couple of quid extra. Made it easy to pull tight. Got it way tighter than the old banjo mandolin I did about 40 years ago!