This Curly Maple and Ebony banjo features an 11-5/8″ rim. A unique size to Seeders Instruments giving the banjo a little more low end without it getting too muddy while retaining some of the great clarity of an 11″. An excellent balance between 11″ and 12″ rims. This model features a fretless fingerboard Ebony appointments and Abalone inlays.

• 11-5/8″ Curly Maple Rim
• 25.5″ Scale
• 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
• EVO Fretwire
• Fretless Fingerboard
• 3/8″ Rolled Brass Tone Ring
• Antiqued Brass Hardware
• Abalone Inlays
• Flushmount Truss Rod Cover
• Rickard Cyclone Tuners
• Seeders/WA Cole Boat Heel
• Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish

This banjo started it’s life as an early Gibson MB-1 Mandolin Banjo. This banjo features a 10-1/2″ rim so I paired it with a slightly shorter scale length giving it a more focused attack.

This conversion was done for Andrew Marlin, of Watchhouse, who is an incredibly skilled and intentional musician so I know it’s in good hands.

• MB-1 10-1/2″ Gibson Rim
• 24.5″ Scale length
• Figured Hard Maple Neck
• Ebony Details
• Ivoroid Binding
• Mother of Pearl Inlays
• EVO Frets
• Gibson Snakehead Peghead Shape
• Fiberskyn Head
• Vintage Thin Satin Nitrocellulose
• Waverly Tuners

This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.

• 25.5″ Scale Length
• 12″ Curly Maple Rim
• Dobson Special Tone Ring
• Hand Engraved Custom Mother of Pearl Inlays
• Raw Brass Hardware
• Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
• Seeders Curly Maple Armrest
• Seeders Tailpiece
• Sustainer Neck Attachment
• Seeders 3 Foot Bridge
• Ebony Fingerboard and Peghead
• EVO Fretwire
• 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
• Black Rim Binding
• Golden Amber Brown Stain
• Rickard Cyclone Tuners
• Renaissance Head
• Cole Boat Heel
• Flush Mount Truss Rod Cover
• Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish

This custom banjo was created for a wonderful fellow artist and creator. They were fully involved in every little detail and aspect of the design and execution and together we came up with quite a special banjo that showcased my abilities as a builder while incorporating some very personal and special details for her. The owl inlay was influenced and designed by a photograph she had taken of a group of owls on power lines, a stunning and beautiful photograph. After considering multiple owls all over the fingerboard and a few other design ideas we ended up simplifying it into what you see here. The 5th fret inlay is a special treat for anyone who knows what it is, The Deathly Hallows. You could call it fairly simple in some regards but every little detail was placed with intention and thought for a cohesive design and specific tone and playability for her smaller stature.

• 11″ Claro Walnut and Hard Maple Rim
• Dobson Special Tone Ring
• Figured Maple Peghead, Backstrap, Rimcap, and Heelcap
• Hand Engraved Black and White Mother of Pearl and Copper Inlays
• 22.72″ Scale Length
• Slotted Peghead and 5th String Placed at 7th Fret
• Seeders and Brooks Masten Antiqued Hardware
• EVO Fretwire
• Flush Mount Magnetic Truss Rod Cover
• Seeders 11/16″ Three Foot Bridge
• No-Knot Tailpiece
• Jamaican Goat Skin Head
• Seeders Wide Relief Tension Hoop
• Schertler Tuners with Ebony Knobs
• Black Tusq Nuts
• Golden Brown Stain
• Hard Oil Finish

This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.

• 25.5″ Scale Length
• 12″ Walnut Rim
• Dobson Special Tone Ring
• Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
• Seeders Antiqued Brass Hardware
• Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
• Walnut Armrest
• Seeders 3 Foot Bridge
• Sustainer Neck Attachment
• Ebony Peghead and Fingerboard
• EVO Fretwire
• 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
• Black Rim Binding
• Golden Walnut Stain
• Rickard Cyclone Tuners
• Renaissance Head
• Cole Boat Heel
• Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish