Banjo 15
Added 2018-07-31 14:35:17 +0000 UTCHere's my first serious attempt at an 18th-century style gourd banjo. I made this thing as quickly as possible using only hand tools, attempting to emulate a folk instrument made by someone living in harsh conditions (i.e. an enslaved person). The neck is poplar and the gourd was grown here in last year's garden. The head is Jamaican goat rawhide from Jeff Menzies.
^ Detail from "Liberty Displaying the Arts and Sciences" 1792
^ Detail from "The Old Plantation" c. 1790
Comments
Beautiful banjo. Looks like it came from a historical museum! So impressive.
John Welborn
2018-08-01 15:23:18 +0000 UTCLove the way you've done it. Using only hand tools...it's more than just making a banjo, it's a journey !
Willy Deutschi
2018-08-01 06:06:00 +0000 UTCThis is functional art. I could design an entire room around this banjo of yours. Can't wait to hear you fire it up.
Banjo Jane
2018-08-01 00:24:22 +0000 UTCGosh that's a pretty good attempt
Claire Marsden
2018-07-31 21:23:04 +0000 UTCI'm working something up!
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-31 21:15:41 +0000 UTCO yes. I've tried to film about ten times today, outside of course, but it keeps raining and whipping up a wind. About to try again.
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-31 21:15:29 +0000 UTCThanks. The person who commissioned this thing asked for "something wild" and "extremely rustic" so I did my best.
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-31 21:14:13 +0000 UTCNice patina, and distressing. Definitely got that been around for a while look. Great job.
Kurosh Ghodshowghi
2018-07-31 20:59:17 +0000 UTCHoly crap! Do we get to hear it played?
Luka Jovanovic
2018-07-31 16:59:18 +0000 UTCYou know we gotta hear hook and line on this thing seeing as it don’t have 5 strings
Patrick Campbell
2018-07-31 16:27:45 +0000 UTCVery organic looking. Unique and awesome!
Justin Hoffmann
2018-07-31 15:37:56 +0000 UTCI will post a video of it soon. I recently handled an exacting replica of the famous 1841 Haitian "banza" built by Pete Ross and I can attest that the action on my banza is just as terrible as the Haitian one!
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-31 15:22:53 +0000 UTCVERY, cool!
Alan
2018-07-31 15:12:25 +0000 UTCReally beautiful instrument Clifton, Hope we get to hear it as well!
Andrew John Boothman
2018-07-31 15:07:35 +0000 UTC
