Fretless with Internal Resonator




This is another banjo that I built specifically for myself. I actually put myself in the queue in order to complete it! I'd been wanting an "upgraded" fretless banjo - basically ever since I became addicted to playing this banjo.

So, here are a few of the details of the banjo. Other then being fretless, another interesting aspect of this banjo is that it has an old Bacon-style Internal Resonator. Not only that, but the internal resonator is removable allowing access to the inside of the rim for any adjustments. This, of course, also allows the banjo to have two distinct tones.

Materials include:

Ebony fretboard and peghead
Curly Maple neck
Walnut rim
Wormy Maple internal resonator
Raw Brass hardware from Bill Rickard
Brooks Masten tailpiece
Pegheds mechanical tuners

Here is a video demonstration, followed by a few photos.