Buzzard Mountain Blog

This banjo was a blast to design and build! The BM09003 features a simple design with a Bubinga Wood tone ring and rim cap, elegant Dobson style heal and clean rosewood fingerboard and headstock overlay. The Bubinga tone ring gives this banjo a wonderful, rich voice. This banjo has inspired me to create a Banjo on a Budget model, that I have dubbed the "Road Kill". The budget model will have a standard headstock shape vs. this traditional one, but be identical otherwise and will sell for $800. If your interested in such a banjo please contact me.

BM09003 Front


BM09003 Side


BM09003 Back


BM09003 Pot


It's hard to see in the pictures, but the Bubinga has a 3 dimensional iridescent quality about it that is just striking!

I am currently working on a custom banjo for a client that I designed around his budget, my goal was to create a great banjo that will last for years and years, sound great and be affordable to us working class folks. I am planning on making this type of banjo a standard offering at Buzzard Mountain. It should retail for about $800 and be about the best banjo available in that price range. It will have the following features:
- 2 Ply Hard Maple Rim
- Bubinga Wood Tone Ring
- Bubinga Rim Overlay
- Standard square headstock profile with Rosewood overlay (The custom I am currently working on has a upgraded headstock profile)
- Rosewood finger board
- White Side dots
- Grooved Tension hoop with 14 brackets & shoes
- Fyberskin, Amber or Frosted head.
- Dobson style heel
- Bone nut & 5th Pip
- Planetary tuners with ebony knobs

Here are a couple of photos of the custom version I am working on now:

Here is the rim, it has been turned and the holes are drilled and it just needs to be sanded and finished.


Here is the neck blank in my jig getting the finger board glued on.


This banjo is turning out great! I will keep some progress photos going here. If your interested in one of these please contact me at the link above. I am still trying to think up a good name for the standard model, not sure yet but I am leaning towards the Buzzard Mountain "Road Kill" Banjo.

I am also working on the S6 Guitar banjo prototype, here is a sneak peek at what its shaping up to be.