3 String Electric Cigar Box Banjo
This started out life as a 2 string guitar that I wasn't quite happy with. The neck was too wide for 2 strings, but the headstock wasn't quite wide enough for a 3rd tuner. I was thinking about this while working on a banjo and got the idea to put a 3rd tuner part-way up the neck like a banjo. I've only ever done this for 5 string banjos, but figured I'd go ahead and give it a try. Now I really like it and am planning on building some more when I get a chance.
So here's the details on it. The neck came from a piece of shelf and has a dark stain everywhere except the fingerboard which has the original finish from the shelf. The "frets" are dyed scores in the original finish of the wood spaced for the 24 inch scale. It has 2 open geared tuners, and a geared "5th string" banjo tuner. It's tuned to an open G like a banjo (D-B-G from the bottom up) I don't play much banjo, but if I think about it, I can make the one tune I know work on here.
When I first build this guitar, I didn't notice the sticker residue on the cigar box. (Must have been dark in the garage). It's not terrible, but you can see it in the picture below. This has a piezo pick-up with a standard 1/4 guitar jack so you can run it through an amp.
$95 + $15 shipping
So here's the details on it. The neck came from a piece of shelf and has a dark stain everywhere except the fingerboard which has the original finish from the shelf. The "frets" are dyed scores in the original finish of the wood spaced for the 24 inch scale. It has 2 open geared tuners, and a geared "5th string" banjo tuner. It's tuned to an open G like a banjo (D-B-G from the bottom up) I don't play much banjo, but if I think about it, I can make the one tune I know work on here.
When I first build this guitar, I didn't notice the sticker residue on the cigar box. (Must have been dark in the garage). It's not terrible, but you can see it in the picture below. This has a piezo pick-up with a standard 1/4 guitar jack so you can run it through an amp.
$95 + $15 shipping
$
110.00
4 String Cookie Tin Banjo - SOLD
$
90.00
Need an inexpensive banjo for some front porch picking? This could be the clear ticket. I built this to practice doing scarf joints, so it's a super basic 4 string banjo. It has a pine neck with 18 metal frets set up for the 24" scale. It's currently strung up with light banjo strings and tuned to an open G, but it could be tuned like a guitar or tenor banjo.
$70+$20 shipping.
$70+$20 shipping.
4 String Brass Electric "Tenor" Banjo - SOLD
$
135.00
When I first saw this brass pot at the thrift store, I just HAD to bring it home. I knew it would make a good instrument one day. Well, the other day while going through my cupboard of all the metal things I've brought home from the thrift store, this one caught my eye. I mated it up with a neck made from a piece of shelf I pulled out of a nstruction dumpster. (There was quite a bit of it, and it's made a bunch of nice instruments) The two together make for an instrument with a really unique look and sound. The smaller size makes this a great travel banjo, and the neck-through design & lack of plastic skin makes this instrument practically indestructible.
It's strung up with a set of banjo strings, minus the short 5th string. It has a shorter scale than a traditional banjo too about 23 inches) so I suppose this would be considered a tenor banjo. It has 18 metal frets, and 4 geared (guitar style) tuning machines. It also has a piezo pickup, so if you need some more volume, you can run it through an amplifier.
$120 + $15 for standard shipping. (contact me for priority rates)
It's strung up with a set of banjo strings, minus the short 5th string. It has a shorter scale than a traditional banjo too about 23 inches) so I suppose this would be considered a tenor banjo. It has 18 metal frets, and 4 geared (guitar style) tuning machines. It also has a piezo pickup, so if you need some more volume, you can run it through an amplifier.
$120 + $15 for standard shipping. (contact me for priority rates)
4 String Cereal Tin Banjo - SOLD
$
95.00
Looking for a guitar that doesn't look just like every other
guitar? This guitar might just be right up your alley. The body is a vintage looking Grape Nuts tin that I picked up from a garage sale. The metal resonates kind of like a banjo (or dobro) and gives you a unique sound. The neck, which was made from a piece of salvaged wood, has 16 metal frets. It has a 24" scale which is just a bit shorter than a standard guitar, but really comfortable to play.
It's strung up with the bottom 4 strings from a guitar, and tuned the same way. So if you know guitar chords, they will transfer right over. (Just ignore the fingering for the top two strings). A quick turn of the first tuning machine changes the E string to a D string and this becomes a 4 string banjo instead.
Although there are no sound holes, the metal of the guitar resonating gives this guitar pretty good volume. However, it also has a piezo pickup built in, so if you need some more volume or just want to add some effects, you can plug it into your amp.
$80 + $15 standard shipping (contact me for priority rates)
guitar? This guitar might just be right up your alley. The body is a vintage looking Grape Nuts tin that I picked up from a garage sale. The metal resonates kind of like a banjo (or dobro) and gives you a unique sound. The neck, which was made from a piece of salvaged wood, has 16 metal frets. It has a 24" scale which is just a bit shorter than a standard guitar, but really comfortable to play.
It's strung up with the bottom 4 strings from a guitar, and tuned the same way. So if you know guitar chords, they will transfer right over. (Just ignore the fingering for the top two strings). A quick turn of the first tuning machine changes the E string to a D string and this becomes a 4 string banjo instead.
Although there are no sound holes, the metal of the guitar resonating gives this guitar pretty good volume. However, it also has a piezo pickup built in, so if you need some more volume or just want to add some effects, you can plug it into your amp.
$80 + $15 standard shipping (contact me for priority rates)
4 String Mineral Spirits Banjo - SOLD
$
115.00
A piece of shelving pulled from a dumpster meets an old mineral spirits can
that spent too much time in a damp garage. What do you get?
4 String Banjo (or guitar)
This instrument currently has a set of banjo strings minus the short 5th string and is tuned like a banjo. However, a quick turn of the first tuning machine tightens the D to an E and you have a 4 string guitar instead.
Either way you're working with a 24" scale. You even get a piezo pickup so you can run this through your amp. You will find that the jack is in a strange place (on the cap) due to the difficulties of building inside a can that doesn't open.
You'll find this to be an incredibly fun instrument to play, and in fact I'm loath to part with it, but I'm gonna keep my eye out for a vintage gas can and build a 5 string banjo next
time.
100 + $15 shipping
that spent too much time in a damp garage. What do you get?
4 String Banjo (or guitar)
This instrument currently has a set of banjo strings minus the short 5th string and is tuned like a banjo. However, a quick turn of the first tuning machine tightens the D to an E and you have a 4 string guitar instead.
Either way you're working with a 24" scale. You even get a piezo pickup so you can run this through your amp. You will find that the jack is in a strange place (on the cap) due to the difficulties of building inside a can that doesn't open.
You'll find this to be an incredibly fun instrument to play, and in fact I'm loath to part with it, but I'm gonna keep my eye out for a vintage gas can and build a 5 string banjo next
time.
100 + $15 shipping
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