How to Make a Banjo

Banjo music has been around for hundreds of years, fueling the foot-stomping, finger-snapping fun of hoedowns and bluegrass festivals all over the world. This article will show you how, with some basic information and a few supplies, you can make a custom banjo of your own and get in on the fun.

Things You'll Need

• Banjo neck Tuning Pegs Armrest Tailpiece Strings String Nuts Resonator Pot Assembly Bridge Rods or Mounting Nuts

Instructions

How to Make a Banjo

1. 

   Decide which type of banjo you want to make. Banjos come in four-string and five-string models, tenor, clawhammer, and open-back models. Decide the type of music you want to play before you decide on the type of banjo you want to make, however, most banjos bolt together quite simply so the parts can be swapped out easily if you want to change your instrument later on.

2. 

   Order your supplies. You can order everything you need to make your banjo at many specialty music shops, either from a brick and mortar establishment or from one of many online suppliers (see Resources for a few). Buying finished necks with the fret inlays already in place from a professional luthier can be expensive, so if you have some woodworking talent, order the neck, pot assembly, and resonator kit unfinished. Doing the work yourself will save a lot of money.

3. If you've gone the semi-finished route, start by finishing the neck. Use a light-grit sandpaper to ensure smoothness, then stain and paint the neck as desired. Notch the seating for string nut and glue the string nut in place. When the neck is dry, it's time to lay down the fretboard. If you've purchased a fretboard with inlays already in place, you can glue the fretboard to the finished neck and let it dry before you install the tuning hardware. If necessary, cut slots for the frets and install them. If your fretboard does not have inlays, you will need to use a small hand saw and jig to cut and place the inlays.

4. 

   Assemble the banjo pot. This consists of tone ring, flange, and rim. If you've ordered one already assembled, you can go ahead and attach the finished banjo neck to the banjo pot with a coordinating rod or lag bolts. Make sure the neck is flush with the assembly pot and centered to the coordinating rod before you secure the neck in place.

5. 

   If your banjo pot is not assembled, you will need drill the appropriate holes and fit the banjo pot together. Refer to specific instructions for your banjo style. Assemble the resonator hardware and attach the resonator to the banjo pot. Your resonator kit may or may not come with a back, depending on banjo style.

6. 

   Glue the bridge to the top of the pot assembly and screw on the tailpiece. Once this is done, it's time to string the banjo and tune it up. You can use a pitch pipe or an electronic tuner. Make any adjustments to the hardware that might be necessary to ensure your banjo stays in tune, then find yourself a hoedown and play all night.

Resources

• Banjo Wizard
• Janet Davis Music
• Poular Mechanics
• Building a Banjo