Boston Globe Sunday Magazine Feature
Quoted from The Boston Globe Magazine photo essay “Inside the workshops of some of the region’s premier musical instrument makers” featured in the March 11th 2022 Sunday Magazine. For full article and to see the other makers featured see link below.
“One half of the folk duo Carling & Will, William Seeders Mosheim knows a thing or two about making music. When it comes to his livelihood of building instruments, he’s learned that the more parts one makes by hand, the better.
At Seeders Instruments (seedersinstruments.com, 802-768-1215) — nestled on a wooded hillside in Dorset, Vermont — he shares a bright workshop with his father, a maker of fine furniture, and his metalworker brother. There, he makes banjos with painstaking care, crafting almost all of the parts himself. “I don’t have to rely on any other makers to supply my rims, supply my inlays, to supply my hardware,” Mosheim says. “I can really fine-tune all the bits and pieces that go into my instruments.”
He adds, “There is nothing better than to see the instruments I create go on to make beautiful music in the hands of other artists.”
- Published in News
094 – 11-5/8″ Curly Maple and Zircote Banjo
This Curly Maple and Zircote banjo features an 11-5/8″ rim, a relatively new size for Seeders Instruments. I believe this one is the third or fourth one I’ve made with great results. You get a little more low end without it getting too muddy while retaining some of the clarity of an 11″. A great balance between 11″ and 12″ rim choices. This model features Zircote appointments and hand engraved mother of pearl inlays.
- 11-5/8″ Curly Maple Deep Rim
- 25.5″ Scale
- 1-5/16″ Tusq Nut
- 1/8″ at the 12th fret action with 11/16″ Seeders Violin Bridge
- EVO Fretwire
- 3/8″ Rolled Brass Tube Tone Ring
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Black Mother of Pearl Engraved Scalloped Square Inlays
- Flushmount Truss Rod Cover
- Gotoh Tuners
- Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin and Eco Friendly Satin Waterborne Laquer Finish
- Published in Banjos, Uncategorized
072 – Curly Maple Style 3 Dobson Special Banjo
This is a variation of the Seeders Style 3 Dobson Special made with Curly Maple. 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 adding modern play ability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 11″ Curly Maple Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Striped Ebony Fingerboard
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Bone Nut
- Gotoh Tuners
- Red Brown Stain
- Cole Boat Heel
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
071 – 12″ Mahogany Custom Grenadillo Tone Ring Banjo
The Mahogany Custom model is designed using only wooden inlays and unique green purflings paired with Zircote. The combination creates an elegant look while being quite unique to anything seen before. The 12″ rim paired with a Grenadillo tone ring and calf skin head gives it a strong punchy tone with plenty of depth and a well rounded attack.
- 12″ Mahogany Deep Rim
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 1-5/16″ Nut
- Zircote Fretboard, Peghead, Heel and Rim Cap
- Dyed Calf Skin Head
- White and Black Ebony Inlays
- Green and Black Purfling Details
- Grenadillo Tone Ring
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Seeders Violin Bridge
- Gotoh Tuners
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
070 – Curly Maple and Brass Custom Banjo
This banjo was based on the Mahogany Custom Model with some great twists. The green purflings were swapped with a classic violin style purfling, the inlays were changed to abalone and brass dots, and some brass inlays were added to the scoop and rear of the peghead. The heel carving and brass inlays are heavily influenced by the work of Jason Romero. The striking red stain creates a wonderful contrast with the Zircote appointments and maple accent lines. The Honduran Rosewood tone ring paired with the calf skin head gives it a rich and wonderful well rounded tone that is the desire of every clawhammer player around.
- 12″ Curly Maple Deep Rim
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nuts
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Dyed Stern Tannery Calf Skin Head
- Brass Side Dots and Inlays
- Zircote Fingerboard, Peghead, Heel, and Rim Cap
- Honduran Rosewood Tone Ring
- Seeders Violin Bridge
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
069 – Tunneled Fifth String Birdseye Maple Banjo
This banjo was built in companion to #068 and both feature a tunneled fifth string and similar details to each other. They feature calligraphy inlays in the scoop designed by the owners talented friend Kathryn Darnell. Simple and elegant was our approach to this pair of instruments. The tunneled fifth string make them incredibly comfortable banjos to play while giving them a unique look. The rare Quilted Cuban Mahogany came from a good friends wood stash that he’s been sitting on for 50+ years that made for a beautiful accent.
This banjo features a 10″ rim and short scale length for a very comfortable banjo that is easy to travel with. The 10″ rim has a remarkably rich well rounded tone that has plenty of volume and attack. It can hold it’s own against many banjos with larger rims without being too bright and tight sounding like some smaller rims can be. The engraving on the rim cap are words chosen by the owner that make for a very beautiful and personal touch.
- 10″ Mahogany Rim
- 24.5″ Scale Length
- 1-5/16″ Bone Nut
- Brass Tube Tone Ring
- Raw Brass Hardware
- Tunneled Fifth String
- Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Honduran Rosewood Fretboard, Heel, and Rim Cap
- Quilted Cuban Mahogany Peghead Overlay
- Birdseye Maple Neck
- Ivoroid Binding
- Antique Maple Stain
- Custom Rim Engraving
- Gotoh Tuners
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
068 – Tunneled Fifth String Whyte Laydie Banjo
This banjo was built in companion to #069 and both feature a tunneled fifth string and similar details to each other. They feature calligraphy inlays in the scoop designed by the owners talented friend Kathryn Darnell. Simple and elegant was our approach to this pair of instruments. The tunneled fifth string make them incredibly comfortable banjos to play while giving them a unique look. The rare Quilted Cuban Mahogany came from a good friends wood stash that he’s been sitting on for 50+ years that made for a beautiful accent. The wood choices and contrasts of this particular banjo made a very stunning and unique instrument.
- 11″ Curly Maple Rim
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 1-5/16″ Bone Nut
- Whyte Laydie Tone Ring
- Raw Brass Hardware
- Tunneled Fifth String
- Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Honduran Rosewood Fretboard, Heel, and Rim Cap
- Quilted Cuban Mahogany Peghead Overlay
- Birdseye Maple Neck
- Ivoroid Binding
- Gotoh Tuners
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
