Appalachian mountain banjo

"The Old Timer" model

 

This banjo has been built to look real old - left in the roof of a barn in the hills of Appalachia not been played since 1924 kind of old. The pot ss made from reclaimed English elm (from an old table top) and the neck is oak from a 500 year old barn. Its had lots of aging techniques, including burning, scuffing, woodworm holes. The pegs are made from Iroku, the nut is bufalo horn and the tailpiece is from an antique shoe last.

 

All of my mountain banjos have been built using the Stanley Hicks instructions in Foxfire 3, but with some modifications to geometry in order to improve playability and tone.