Banjos
I build open back banjos, everything from the neck to bridge and pot is made by hand.
The pots are steam bent from solid timber, the hardware is raw brass or nickel plated sourced from Bill Rickard in Canada, i make up my own brass tone rings and tension hoops. Goat or cow skin are my choice for the banjo head.
11’ pot and 25’ scale length, i like the shorter scale length for soft playing feel and slightly shorter neck can make it light on the arm, also it sounds great when tuned to D and A. I make radiused ‘moon’ bridge from maple and ebony.
The fingerboard has a radius for ease of playing and cut away near the body to give extra clearance for clawhammer style playing.
The pots are steam bent from solid timber, the hardware is raw brass or nickel plated sourced from Bill Rickard in Canada, i make up my own brass tone rings and tension hoops. Goat or cow skin are my choice for the banjo head.
11’ pot and 25’ scale length, i like the shorter scale length for soft playing feel and slightly shorter neck can make it light on the arm, also it sounds great when tuned to D and A. I make radiused ‘moon’ bridge from maple and ebony.
The fingerboard has a radius for ease of playing and cut away near the body to give extra clearance for clawhammer style playing.
Fretless Tac head
All Australian timbers, this banjo weighs in at 998 gram, it has an adjustable internal tension hoop to adjust the head.
Guitar
This is my own design of guitar, partially based on the traditional selmer style gypsy jazz guitar, it uses the same parallel bracing pattern that gives it that dry load tone distinct to the gypsy jazz style.
Top is cedar, back and sides African mahogany, ebony fingerboard, Mop inlay, ebony bridge, handmade nickel silver/brass tailpiece mahogany neck, grover tuners, zero fret with bone nut.
Tamburello
The tamburello is a traditional Italian tambourine used in pizzica and tarantella music. I have been playing and building these instruments for the last few years, the frames are bent from beech timber and jingles are hand cut from olive oil tins in the traditional fashion, skins are goat. The standard size is 11 inch but can make larger or smaller sizes upon request.
I have also been working on some prototypes for the Brazilian pandiero.
I have also been working on some prototypes for the Brazilian pandiero.
Ukulele
Blackwood soprano Ukulele.