The Midgett Five String BanjoHere is a tiny little banjo that actually plays! A real skin head, flesh hoop, tone ring, ivoroid bound rim, custom tailpiece, ebony fingerboard and friction pegs, and bone nut, including one for the fifth string.The peghead is a SS Stewart style from pre 1900 and the overall proportions are I guess closer to banjorine than a full size five string. The tension hoop is adjustable with 00-96 threaded "ears" that I soldered on to the brass hoop. There is also laminations for contrast under the peghead and the ebony heel cap. I carved my trademark "shoulder" on the fifth string, something I have been doing on my custom banjos since the 1970's. Oh... I also made a tiny nameplate that says "The Midgett" on the side of the dowel stick. I didn't think a neck brace was necessary. Oh.. the strings. It helps to be a fly fisherman..... we use tapered knotless monofilament "leaders" to tie the fly on the line. This gets worn and frayed pretty easily and shortened as you tie on different flies so I keep the old leaders around. This gives me a wealth of diameters to choose from for this project. And yes, drilling the little(!) holes in the tiny ebony pegs wasn't easy, neither. They actually work, if you can get your fingers on to the little guys. |
