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PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:09 pm 
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Reader Spencer Thury sent this note:

Before i could find a left handed 6 string banjo, i built one out of spare parts with a lot of help. its sounds better than any I've heard personally, but i have a specific goal in mind: more volume than an acoustic guitar but still warm... more below ..

I know , crazy, but ... I put a 12" pot on (homemade from a leftover tom), shortened an electric neck for better placement of bridge and added a tone ring. I ended up with a resonatorish high mid rasp. Terrible when flat picked but ok when finger picked. my question.

What about a fyberskyn head? 12" what happens then? no one has mentioned it. Do you gain sustain? i want it for travel and volume at outdoor gigs like mardi gras, NOLA.

Ill try and respond with a short video of me playing it.

-------Our response ------Feel free to add your own, but be nice. :-) ------------------

Spencer,

I'd love to see photos of this thing. And hear it in action, for sure.

On drums, the fiberskyn is supposed to provide a warmer, deeper tone like calfskin. It's also being recommended for ethnic instruments. I haven't tried one, but I suspect it would give your banjo a more mellow tone, which may not be what you want.

A fellow on AcousticGuitarCommunity's 6-string banjo blog used to make what he called "tele-joes," banjo pots attached to Fender-style necks.

http://www.acousticguitarcommunity.com/ ... banjogroup

Do you mind if I copy your comments to the 6-string banjo forum at:

viewforum.php?f=14

Paul


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:09 am 
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Here's more from Spencer:

My 6 string banjo. (temporarily strung righty) specs: Washburn electric neck. Shortened at the peghead (I totally regret that now) and at the screwed end for better placement of the bridge. Layered Cherry outer ring, 12” tone ring from hobby lobby, maple stick mount for neck through to the tailpiece. 12” pot made from 12” tom dumpster find. Pot has Birdseye maple laminated on the outside by a friend. Free tailpiece from dumpster guitar. Roadside Piano lid top cut and shaped for supports for head bolts. Single coil under the head near the bridge works well and brings out the lows for finger plucking bass lines with treble chording. 12” Remo banjo head which came with an invisible cut in the head – hence the offset placement of head marker. Some day Plans: replace cheapo bridge, replace head with 12” Fyberskyn or renaissance, and install GHS white phosphor strings.

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Paul Race playing a banjo. Click to go to Paul's music home page.Whatever else you get out of our pages, I hope you enjoy your music and figure out how to make enjoyable music for those around you as well.

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    - Paul Race Click to see Paul's music home page Click to contact Paul through this page. Click to see Paul's music page on Facebook Click to see Paul's music blog page Click to hear Paul's music on SoundCloud. Click to sign up for the Creek Don't Rise discussion forum. Click to learn about our Momma Don't Low Newsletter. Click to see Paul's Twitter Page Click to see Paul's YouTube Channel.



All material, illustrations, and content of this web site is copyrighted 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,
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Note: Creek Don't Rise (tm) is Paul Race's name for his resources supporting the history and
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