Brass banjo

This old Fairbanks Vega had been water damaged. The wood that makes up the pot was separating and maybe slightly rotted and coming apart on the bottom, the tourtous shell laminant was peeling. Part of the heel was missing and the veneer on the headstock warped, cracked and partially missing. There was no fret board. No ring, no rim, no bolts, no head. Pretty much not even much of a wall hanger, considering how badly damaged it was.

I didn't want to do just a normal restoration, for two reasons. Style F's don't sound all that good anyway, and this one was just about toast. But I always loved the Fairbanks' and wanted to save it, so instead I decided to do something unusual.

I had this old brass serving tray I'd been saving in my collection of junk, that I thought would possible work as material for a tone ring project some day. The bulk of the tray fit inside the pot and the edges just sat on top of the pot. I notched the edges of the tray and bent them up, turned it over and slid the whole thing inside the pot.

I built a 5th string shelf out of oak, glued and pegged it to the side of the neck. I didn't have a fretboard, except for old one that had come loose from a guitar in my collection, so I cut it down, sawed it up with a carbon tipped steel table saw (frets in place and all) and fitted it to the neck, then ground the edges smooth.

Strung it up, got 3 of the 4 pegs that came with it to work, added another and a 5th, and a bridge and an old Elite tail piece. And here it is. Got $46 invested, not counting strings, bridge, tailpiece, and other parts that came out of my pile....

I'm lovin' it!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Fairbanks
• Vega
• banjo
• brass
• string
• clawhammer
• home
• made
• instrument
• restoration
• open
• back
• drop
• thumb
• frail

[nasty5oh]

That is very cool.

[rpeek]

@nasty5oh  Thank You!

[maeran1]

Yes, I'm very much into craftsmanship and great ideas. You can hear one of my banjos on youtube with a short vid I did of building a pot. I love the sound of it and it's all made from scrapwood and imagination. See my video reply to your vid.

[rpeek]

@maeran1 That's totally cool.... I hope it linked. I didn't see the usual email asking me to approve it. How'd you like to make me one? I've got a part of the dynaflow that I want to use as a tone ring and need a wooden pot made to a specific size so I can fit it inside.... Interested? We could video the process..

[maeran1]

@rpeek I could have a go certainly. I use pine a lot as it creates an amazing sound but obviously it is a softer wood, so more care needs taking with it. Let me know what sort of dimensions you are thinking of and I'll see what I can do. I would also have to ship it to you cos I'm in the UK, but I'm game if you are.

[rpeek]

@maeran1 Sounds like a cool plan.. I'll dig out the thing and do some measurements and stuff. Maybe I'll just ship it to you and let you make a pot to fit it into.. Or something like that. That'd be cool..

[tattoocozzi420]

wow i like that 1 the beat out of what u got other then your gas can

[sphinxart]

She's a beaut! I like your pick'n style as well!

[bangwezl]

GOOD JOB, daggone it! That's how it's done: look around, and whatever you need is right there.

[rpeek]

@maeran1 Around the turn of the century, before electricity, the best banjos were made. Ingenuity went into them, and there were some awesome instruments crafted. Now days they just stick a mic in one and it doesn't even matter. I like the old ways best.