084 – 11″ Tubaphone Chubby Dragon Banjo
This custom Fairbanks Vega style banjo is one of the fancier most involved banjos I’ve yet to build. It features a lot of classic Fairbanks/Vega details with a few really interesting and fun twists. The classic Consalvi style ‘Chubby Dragon’ peghead inlay and other fretboard inlays were made using Black Mother of Pearl instead of white and the engravings were filled with a green fill instead of the traditional black. Instead of the more common traditional heel shape a WA Cole/Faribanks and Cole style boat heel was used. I combined influences of all of these makers to design the heel carving as well. The rim is classic a Vega Tubaphone design with a little added depth. The majority of the hardware was hand fabricated and nickel plated in house as well. Quite the involved process but the results were well worth the effort! If anyone is curious why this banjo has a low number for when it was built, the client reserved a number ahead of time that held special relevance to him and his family.
- 11″ Curly Maple Vega Bracket Band Rim
- Tubaphone Tone Ring
- Curly Maple Neck
- Ebony Fingerboard, Backstrap, and Peghead Overlay
- Hand Engraved Black Mother of Pearl Inlays
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- Nickel Plated Hardware
- Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
- Seeders Tailpiece
- Sustainer Neck Attachment
- Seeders Bone Topped Violin Bridge
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Bone Nut
- Ivoroid Binding on Rim and Neck
- Honey Maple Stain
- Rickard Cyclone Tuners
- Calf Skin Head
- WA Cole Boat Heel
- Heel Mounted 2-Way Truss Rod
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
062 – Style 5 Dobson Special Banjo
This is a custom built variation of the Seeders Style 5 Dobson Special made with Walnut with a Fairbanks and Cole style peghead inlay. 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
- 12″ Walnut Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Striped Ebony Fingerboard
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Black Tusq Nuts
- EVO Fretwire
- Ivoroid Rim Binding With Internal Rim Bevel
- 1-3/8″ Bone Nut
- Cole Boat Heel
- Rich Brown Walnut Stain
- Hard Oil Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos