This is a godsend to me!! I am on the verge of starting my first gourd banjo, having gathered as much information as I can, and then this shows up!!! First question: what is the angle of the peghead? Second question: what kind of gourd is that with the natural sunburst patina? Holy moly!!! Stoked for part two.
So glad this could be timely for you. Just be aware that this is only ONE way to do things. It isn't the way I build for every gourd banjo and at least one thing in this series I don't do anymore at all. When cutting the top off the gourd I now use a small panel saw and get it done in pass more or less eyeballing it. 1. The angle of the peghead is more or less inconsequential. All throughout history luthiers of various instruments have used everything from zero to ninety degrees. I honestly don't measure the angle. As you can see in this video, I have it marked on a bevel gauge and set it to that every time. It's around fifteen degrees. The critical point is to make sure the string at the tuning peg is below the nut to ensure a tight stretch over the nut. Otherwise you'll get string buzz or even risk the string not contacting the nut at all. 2. Gourd species are sort of funny because they are constantly cross-pollinating. I get my gourds at a local farm and they tell me they're more or less mutts of bottle gourds, apple gourds, goose gourds, bushel gourds, and some others. The patina is going to be the same on most gourds and the sunburst coloring you're noticing is because that was the part of the gourd that was sitting on the ground while it was drying. You never really know for sure what you'll get, but they can be dyed etc. to achieve a particular effect.
@@LowlyMountainBanjos I got you. I have marked by peghead at 20 degrees, only bc that was what I got off another banjo I have. Right now I'm frustrated because the bandsaw that I got to cut my neck with turns out to have a problem, so it seems I'll be research mode for a bit longer.🥲 Perhaps it's for the best! Thanks also for the tips about the gourd. I got mine from Amazon, believe it or not. It's sort of a fat bottle gourd, almost guitar shaped.
@@LowlyMountainBanjos ah right. I thought it might be something like that but figured the video colour could be off. Took my best guess at a local species.
@@Nomadboatbuilding the lumber store I go to is local, but carry lots of domestic and exotic hardwoods. So Ipe neck, dowel, nut, and bridge. Ebonized Tigerwood peghead veneer, tailpiece, and tail wedge. Indian ebony tuning pegs.
sweet job
Do you have any information on how to make horse hair banjo strings?
Hi. I wouldn't know the first thing about that. Sounds like a fun challenge, though.
This is a godsend to me!! I am on the verge of starting my first gourd banjo, having gathered as much information as I can, and then this shows up!!! First question: what is the angle of the peghead? Second question: what kind of gourd is that with the natural sunburst patina? Holy moly!!! Stoked for part two.
So glad this could be timely for you. Just be aware that this is only ONE way to do things. It isn't the way I build for every gourd banjo and at least one thing in this series I don't do anymore at all. When cutting the top off the gourd I now use a small panel saw and get it done in pass more or less eyeballing it.
1. The angle of the peghead is more or less inconsequential. All throughout history luthiers of various instruments have used everything from zero to ninety degrees. I honestly don't measure the angle. As you can see in this video, I have it marked on a bevel gauge and set it to that every time. It's around fifteen degrees. The critical point is to make sure the string at the tuning peg is below the nut to ensure a tight stretch over the nut. Otherwise you'll get string buzz or even risk the string not contacting the nut at all.
2. Gourd species are sort of funny because they are constantly cross-pollinating. I get my gourds at a local farm and they tell me they're more or less mutts of bottle gourds, apple gourds, goose gourds, bushel gourds, and some others. The patina is going to be the same on most gourds and the sunburst coloring you're noticing is because that was the part of the gourd that was sitting on the ground while it was drying. You never really know for sure what you'll get, but they can be dyed etc. to achieve a particular effect.
@@LowlyMountainBanjos I got you. I have marked by peghead at 20 degrees, only bc that was what I got off another banjo I have. Right now I'm frustrated because the bandsaw that I got to cut my neck with turns out to have a problem, so it seems I'll be research mode for a bit longer.🥲 Perhaps it's for the best! Thanks also for the tips about the gourd. I got mine from Amazon, believe it or not. It's sort of a fat bottle gourd, almost guitar shaped.
@@drewby613 yes slow and steady is good. And frustrating too!
@@LowlyMountainBanjos For real!
Is that osage that you are using for the neck?
Ipe.
@@LowlyMountainBanjos ah right. I thought it might be something like that but figured the video colour could be off. Took my best guess at a local species.
@@Nomadboatbuilding the lumber store I go to is local, but carry lots of domestic and exotic hardwoods. So Ipe neck, dowel, nut, and bridge. Ebonized Tigerwood peghead veneer, tailpiece, and tail wedge. Indian ebony tuning pegs.
You build the osage good sir