We use cookies to make wikiHow great. For those who prefer limited effort, a tambourine can be used for the body instead. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. On maple, the result matches the finish of the drum quite closely. A length of 4.5 inches is enough. Store-bought alternatives:Metal: Banjos use plain metal for most strings, so the material advertised is only a wrapping on the fourth string. Modern banjos are precision engineered and constructed with specially chosen materials by skilled craftsmen, but if you are not too fussy about the sound or appearance, and have some basic shop tools and skills, building a homemade version can be fun. May snap if they hit a sharp edge. By using our site, you agree to our. K. Deuel. Make a tenor banjo. Did I mention the strings? A 31 inch maple 1 x 2 board (this length makes the banjo fit within a baritone ukulele bag). He is responsive to posts and questions! I recommend using something else or making a smaller banjo. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Don’t forget to file the edges of the frets with a flat file until they are smooth. After signing up, the course starts and ends whenever you want it to. Other approaches:Cut the circle with router or bandsaw instead.Make or purchase a circle-cutting jig for better accuracy.Use a plastic bucket or a tambourine as the banjo soundbox. The course will consist of 49 in-depth video tutorials showing every aspect of my building process. The best part about building a banjo is that, with the exception of the old-time banjos that had a dowel stick running through the rim instead of coordinator rods, banjos basically bolt together, so you can change parts out, etc. Spacing is critical, as this will set the spacing between strings. X To create this article, 47 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. I have wanted to build a banjo for some time and this type of banjo seems like one of the easiest to build. You may need to make the holes a little larger on top in order to accommodate the bushings. This project, as the title implies, is for fun only, and should not be expected to produce superior quality sound. # Posted by Pio Ryan 8 years ago. You might want to build a tenor banjo or a plectrum banjo. For a 21.5 inch scale like mine, I found regular “10” electric guitar strings to work quite well: about $6.00 online. [2] Your Instructor Noel Folstad Hi, I’m Noel Folstad of Capital City Banjos out of St. Paul, MN. This is the main simplification, which saves a lot of work. Thanks in advance. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund. Radius the edges on the back side of the neck. How does lifetime access sound? I’ve simplified the process to make a 4-string banjo, and it has turned out so well that I just had to share it. Learn more... Banjos are a simple stringed instrument that originated in West Africa. Research source Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Four pilot holes for the screw eyes where the headstock section meets the fingerboard part of the neck (see detail). These can be built either open back or resonator style. You can get it at Menards for about $6. I recommend stringing it up and attaching the drum at this point, so you can decide on the scale to use before cutting the frets. They must be exactly one octave apart for each string. A 1/4 inch radius is comfortable enough to play, but you can do more if you want. And then you put the hardware and strings up again, and tune it until it sounds nice. Materials Pros and Cons:[1] I used guitar tuners from CB Gitty: You’ll need some bushings so the strings don’t damage the wood where they attach: Instead of nut, I used a zero fret plus some stainless steel screw eyes: $1.33 at Home Depot for a set of 4. I once built a cigar box guitar, but that is it. Included with your tuition, I provide complete support via a Facebook closed group. According to the article, you will need 3/4 inch plywood, Masonite or similar bendable material, fabric for the diaphragm, fishing or other string, assorted fasteners and miscellaneous lumber. Can I use very thin rubber bands for the banjo strings? Am interested in making one in the future at some point. This article has been viewed 172,664 times. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Use a plastic bucket or a tambourine as the banjo soundbox. Four large holes through for the tuners, on the headstock part. 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