• Quartersawn three piece neck with non-adjustable truss rod (1 1/4" @ nut)
• Handcrafted, steam-bent, laminated rim (~1/2" thick)
• Short scale length - 25 1/2"
• Ebony fretboard, peghead overlay, heel cap and rim cap
• Handmade rolled brass tone ring
• Nickel plated hardware (round hooks with closed end Vega reproduction nuts)
• Handmade cherry bridge with ebony tip
• Satin oil finish
• Traditional wooden dowel stick
• Gotoh tuners
• 17 frets with frailing scoop
• Mother-of-Pearl dot position markers (top and side of fretboard)
• 18 hooks in notched tension hoop
• Fairbanks style heel
• Tapered peghead thickness
• Bone nut
• No-Knot tailpiece

Building Details

For optimal strength I construct my banjo necks using two pieces of straight grained, quartersawn wood with a center laminate and a rigid, non-adjustable truss rod. I make the rims using three layers of matching steam-bent wood. I like using a short scale length, like that used by Kyle Creed, which moves the bridge closer to the center of the head providing a deep, rich tone.

For my bridges, I use a solid foot design with a hole under each string. This design, inspired by the work of Roger Siminoff and Ray Alden provides continuous contact with the banjo head for excellent sound transmission, resists sagging and, like a violin bridge, provides an equal mass of wood under each string, creating an even, balanced response between strings. I construct these bridges of cherry with an ebony tip. 

  I cut and engrave all my inlay by hand. Although hand-cut inlay is not as perfect as that cut with a CNC machine it has a warmth to it which I prefer. My peghead designs are inspired by the great makers of the late 20th century, athough not exact copies. I finish my banjos with polymerized-oil rubbed out to a warm, satin finish.

For banjos with nickel plated hardware I use standard L-shoes and ball-end Vega reproduction nuts.  For banjos with brass hardware I use custom designed L-shoes and open ball end nuts.