Trad with a twist. Here is a recently finished little open back tenor for a customer in America.
Taking inspiration from a number of little open-back banjos from the 1920s I have been lucky enough to have in my possession over the years. This is a new take on a classic.
I have always found something quite charming about the 17 fret banjos of the 20s and 30s, but there is no doubt that for a gigging musician the stability of tuning is a real issue. Adding a more substantial pot, dual coordinator rods and a two way trussrod to the three part neck has brought this right up to date.
17 frets to the body on a 20.75" scale it a comfortable little banjo to play. A soft V shape neck rather than the modern C allows for more meat on the neck while feeling more slender in the hand. With a nice sharp volute to add some crisp lines to the neck.
I really enjoyed using purpleheart wood, very strong and super stable adding a cheeky touch of colour to the banjo. But I have to confess, it has made the rosewood stripe on my own banjo look rather boring in comparison.
