Applewood Gourd Banjo FULL BUILD

Mostly the full build, not very comprehensive and a bit rough around the edges, but just got my new camera so I'll probably go off on the next one.
Link to Phoebe's channel: / @phoebesanders2487
Contact me at: [e-mail]

[@rebeckacanton2403]

Ur just such a vibe. Also! Looking forward to watching the in depth tuning peg video!

[@phoebesanders2487]

No way, that's the banjo I played! It sounds so good!! It's really cool to watch the build process like this.

[@bengreco]

thanks! it was so cool to see you play it, especially with that fiddle accompaniment!

[@kianwerner7487]

its so chiill to listen, and watch you working. + super interesting to hear about a topic i dont know shit about

[@d.randal.h]

I have a double car garage full of power tools that seemingly exist just to force me to park my cars in the driveway. You do great work with only a handful of tools. Your client should be very happy.

[@bengreco]

thanks! haha yeah, I've got all the tools I need now to do the one specialized thing that I do, and it's a good thing because I'm about at my max in terms of storage space

[@anna-katehowell9852]

Wow that's an amazing sound. Might have to get one of your banjos one day.

[@JacobvsRex]

Gorgeous!

[@3ndrillGaming]

this kind of craftsmanship is amazing. i hope that your videos inspire many more to create something amazing like you've made

[@singtomeofautumnleaves]

gorgeous looking and sounding banjo Ben. love your honesty

[@Moosefh]

That banjo is beautiful! I'm looking forward to a video about making tuning pegs. I've got a stash of fiddle pegs I bought on etsy, but they aren't going to last forever.

[@bengreco]

thanks! yeah hope to find the time to make that soon, the video will go into a lot of detail and tips about installing pegs too, so it'll be helpful for installing pre-made friction pegs as well as making them from scratch

[@skyguy27182]

Great work on the banjo! I have recently started making a banjo of my own, and a tuning peg video would be incredibly helpful. I think that I've found a way to make and fit them, but a video showing your process would help.

[@jesseheadluthierie]

I'm watching your videos while I'm in the Philippines! I always love your work, Ben. We need to hang out again when I get back to the States.

[@bengreco]

Oh wow that's funny timing, I literally just texted you like 20 mins ago but it probably didn't go through. I'll have to try whatsapp or something. Hope you're having a good time in the Philippines, we'll defintiely get together when you're back

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

Applewood is real pretty. Still got the trunk of my parent's old appletree in storage and I don't dare touch till I'm good enough on the shitwood I'm practising on xD

[@lucassoutherton]

Great job man. Had fun watching.

[@javierpenaespinoza]

muy buenos banjos, saludos desde Chile. great Job !

[@DavidAndersoniiVI]

Thanks Ben, I enjoyed it!

[@Frownlander]

I like the way you say “cherry burl” boy

[@5barkerstreet]

I have the same bubble stick

[@bengreco]

it's a good one, I got mine from a guy named Paul on a job I worked a few years ago

[@KHbanjo]

Awesome work

[@solenum1]

Do you think there's any aspects to building a gourd banjo like this that aren't really doable with basic hand tools? I have absolutely no (usable) power tools past basic drills, but would love to attempt something like this myself because Gourd banjos are very hard to come by in England. I was thinking for the neck I could hand saw the basic block shape and carve the rest by hand, but I'm wondering if any aspects of the build would be close to impossible without power tools or if it's just extra work. I'd love if you did a more detailed banjo build video one day, small things like how you cut and attach the neck firmly and stuff seems like the most daunting and tricky part of the build. The rest seems fairly accessible and doable (I hope). Edit; Also how do you come up with sizing's for everything, like the neck length and width, etc? if you ever get the opportunity to note down measurements that'd be awesome.

[@user-ky8qu7vr5f]

Not from a banjo builders' perspective but from a Greenland kayak paddle builders perspective; Banjos (and Greenland paddles) were originally built with primitive tools. Now we use high tech to try and copy them. :) Don't be reticent to build a banjo. Do it! They did it with primitive hand tools back in the day.

[@joshuawallerful]

J Daniel Graham has video on building banjo with hand tools. Clifton hicks too.

[@bleachfarms]

What are you using for the interior epoxying? I love to watch a video on you doing this step.

[@Orourkebanjo]

Do the gourds ever deteriorate? Or is the instrument good to play indefinitely?

[@bengreco]

the gourd is similar to a soft wood, so as long as it's taken care of it should last indefinitely, and with the fiberglass inside and shellacked outside, it's very durable

[@Orourkebanjo]

@@bengrecohow steep is the learning curve with regards to building a very basic fret less banjo? I have a woodworking bench, but I’ve never done anything close to it. Where would you recommend to start in terms of study material?

[@AFMR0420]

A cherry burl wood burned neck might be super sick though. If you’re not allergic to gourds, then it sounds like spider mites. How and where they are dried or how clean they are might be important for reducing irritation to your skin and lungs. You saying that you used to dip them in water to get a water line, and that you used to have less irritation makes me think you should at least wash the gourds before you work with them. I like your plants. Using the moisture meter as a make shift slide made me laugh. If you’re watering enough then try some microbes like yogurt or keifer and kombucha to improve microbiome in the soil. Cover crop and keep the soil cool if you’re in so cal, black pots heat up a lot in the sun.