For this banjo, I sourced a beautifully figured plank of flat sawn maple from central PA (there are still two banjos worth left). After working with Black Locust, the hard maple cut like butter with carving tools and on the lathe! The integral tone ring is Black Locust.
This banjo will be heading back to the shop in a little while. I made an oops in finishing the end grain of the head stock, leaving a couple of unsightly chips at the top edge. And also, as beautiful as the figure is in this plank, there is some graying in the center grain. It doesn’t show in the side grain of the neck, but the end grain on the back and end of the headstock have an unattractive dirty look. To date, all of my banjos have been finished without stain… just letting the beauty and color of the wood show through. This re-work will be my first foray into staining! Should be fun!
This banjo is living its life with a new owner in Catharine, NY!
