Flatfoot Johnny: July 2012

In my old wooden cabin up in the hills of south east London I make banjos, canjos, cigarbox guitars and other things that go twang. Every instrument is fully hand made in the traditional way with a minimal use of power tools and usually using reclaimed timber (that way i can use exotic hard woods and sleep well at night). So if you are interested in buying a high quality unique instrument keep checking here or contact me if you would like to commission something. flatfootjohnny@hotmail.com

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Gourd banjo #3

Just posted my latest gourd build to its new owner... I always get nervous at this time... did it get there in one piece? does he like it?...

This is an 8 1/2" U.K. grown gourd. with a walnut neck, calf skin vellum and leather tailpiece. The gourd has been reinforced with polyurethane resin which helps to strengthen it as well as improve the resonance. This banjo has a love deep tone and plenty of "plunk".

The figuring on the walnut was really nice and came up a treat with some shellac and rottenstone.

The bridge is hand made from spruce. The spruce is from the sound board of an old piano

"f" sound hole

Appalachian Mountain Banjo #3

My third mountain banjo is on its way.

The body is made from an antique Edwardian solid mahogany wardrobe door. The inlay is being incorporated into the back of the banjo. The neck is made from the same piano that my previous two mountain banjos were made from. Amazing how many banjos you can get from a single piano!

All the parts roughly fitted together now to carve, scrape and sand sand sand.