Expert to Beginner

seeders instruments banjo 12

will wrapped up banjo #12 last week and his client/friend is coming to pick it up tomorrow afternoon.  jeremy is going to be one happy banjo picker.  his friend is a part time professional musician and you can here jeremys band, the flat top trio, at this link .  click the photos to enlarge them.


will used his newly learned engraving talents on this project.   he learned his new skills in west virginia this summer in a class taught by kevin enoch, a banjo maker and master engraver.  coincidentally, kevin lives in beltsville, maryland, and will and i were able to visit him when we were on our way to deliver the pool table we took the virginia in august.  it was about 5 minutes out of our way and it was a unique experience for me.
kevin enoch, of enoch banjos, is a master banjo builder and master engraver and he was kind enough to give us the tour of his studio. 
 he had a work in progress and i wish now i had taken a little more time to get a good photo of it.  amazing, artistic craftsmanship, and i know will was totally inspired by the course, and by the studio visit.  its not often we get to beltsville.


#12 has a 12" pot with a very mellow sound.  the pot is constructed from blackened claro walnut, of which we seem to have many scraps of lately, with a mahogany end cap and a wenge tone ring, an ebony fret board, and a figured mahogany neck.  a handsome combination for sure.

 vermont pride is strong here, and at the 5th string fret and a few frets below, will added new versions of his vermont touch.  these are the counties engraved on a miniature map of vermont.
 the little flowers are actually dots with engraved dividers that make them look like multi piece inlays.  clever.

 a little carving by the 5th string tuner
 the whole deal ... 


and on wills website, seeders intruments , there are a couple short videos so you can hear it as well as see more photos and a list of the banjos vital statistics.  this is the banjo will was working on when the made in vermont video was made for WCAX.  in case you missed that profile, you can see that short video here.
all for now ...