I built a BANJO out of FRUIT. And so can you!

Don't throw that decorative gourd in your free box! This bitter-ass fruit can become a sweet-as-honey musical instrument. I believe almost anyone can achieve this #diy project with a minimal amount of tools and investment. Let me know if you have ever built a gourd banjo or other instrument! #careersuicide #banjos? #forrealsies? #nooneisinterestedinbanjos #letalonegourds #literallytheworstfruitiveevertasted why don't I make a video about something reasonable like #guitars ? For example a #fender or a #Martin or better yet, a #gibson . #prewar #postwar #midwar #nardwar #warandpeace #warrenzevon #levon #levonthelights . If you're reading this, is it upsetting you? Or are you finding it amusing and/or perhaps cathartic. Something else? Nothing at all? Do you know why? Does anyone? What is life? What does 'Cathartic' mean? #banjo #gourdbanjo #luthier #woodworking #driftwood #redcedar #gourd #musicalinstrument #notaluthier #koa #notaluthier
find me on instagram @notaluthier for almost daily Luthiery content

[@awogbob]

Probably best luthier content on youtube: -High output -Creative projects -'Interesting' Humor -Not pretentious or just advertising the same shitty fix up guitar builds like other youtubers Keep it up

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks! That means a lot

[@Jimmy-ts7gk]

I might have accidently made a cannon

[@Notaluthier]

Hate when that happens

[@runrin_]

if one the primary goals of these videos is to make people feel like this type of work is accessible for everyone regardless of experience or financial situation, you're doing an excellent job.

[@Notaluthier]

I wish I had more insight into my goals, but so far, I’m just winging it, and this is what’s coming out. 🎉

[@BaBaBaBenny]

"I built a banjo out of fruit and so can you" not even two minutes in: *Don't try this at home"

[@Notaluthier]

Hahahah, I mean…do what you like…but…keep your fingers.!

[@LightBranches]

@@Notaluthierpreferably still attached to the rest of the hand!

[@limethefemboy5205]

I wanna make instruments with gourds, maybe a bowlback mandolin? You inspire me to make homemade instruments. I do wanna go to luthiery school to make more difficult things like lutes and Spanish guitars and stuff but I love that music isnt restricted by material or technique

[@zacktaylor3441]

Thanks very much for the video. Enjoyed it a lot. I vote for more POS Guitar salvage videos and videos like this with instrument builds using garbage/found stuff etc. I appreciate the focus on simple tools and techniques. The niche kink stuff was fun too. Wasn’t expecting that with a gourd banjo build but yeah

[@Fraik]

We've got the same haircut and beard, and I have some ill-advised guitar projects of my own I'd like to make videos about, this is pretty inspirational, thanks !

[@Aethalops]

You can tune your Helmholtz resonator by changing the size (area) of the hole. That will also affect the volume of the instrument

[@StevDoesBigJumps]

It's impressive how much bass you squeeze out of what looks like a mandola sized body. It must have something to do with the hardness of the body transferring the sound well. The guy behind boxwood guitars talks a good bit about how he can get more volume out of his box guitars, as the sides can be thicker than the shaped sides on most guitars. This is supposedly also the reason banjos are louder than guitars.

[@bubbyis1337]

cant stop watching all of your vids, love it

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@oliviajoy69]

Part of the 4.8%, an amateur woodworker, has a dog named Bug, and enjoys shibari. Subscribed!

[@Notaluthier]

Bug! Nice! My dog was named after my daughter’s first dog June….June-June bug-buggy.

[@ast3663]

the end..lol

[@grooooved]

Nice werk, Brotha! Banjo's cool, too!

[@betterl8thannvr]

That thing you ground down was a clay sculpting tool. I don't work with clay but have multiple sets because they're incredibly (mis)useful tools.

[@Notaluthier]

Oh right! Thanks! Yeah I have two of them and use them all the time for extremely random tasks.

[@tom5112]

Appreciate your sense of humor and ingenuinity ✌ Your dog's the cutest!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks! Welcome!

[@gogotrololo]

Banjo is the best instrument to start with, if you're interested in doing luthier stuff. It's also the best when you just want to have a chill project to use up some old material you cant figure out how to make use of.

[@Notaluthier]

Especially when it’s fretless

[@WansbeckBikecam]

Brilliant. Sounds great. 👏🏻👏🏻

[@Notaluthier]

Many thanks!

[@zxspectr195]

Great job man! I actually find ur channel after ur mustang rebuild. And absolutely happy with this! Please do more content like this. With love from Russia 🇷🇺.

[@Notaluthier]

Thank you!

[@guitfidle]

Well that's a fun one. I actually did know gourds are fruit.... I tried growing some in my backyard so I could make weird stuff like this..... they were smaller than baseballs, and when dried the shell was like crappy paper mache. I did end up buying some other ones, but haven't gotten much farther than cutting one in half. My Japanese saw worked really well for gourd slicing BTW. I've built other stuff in this vein, and have some materials suggestions if you're interested.

[@Notaluthier]

Yeah, a Japanese saw is a better choice! Hahahha. I’m not in a climate to grow gourds of this kind either…maybe in a few years though ;) I put a wanted ad out for gourds but didn’t get any reply’s

[@guitfidle]

@@Notaluthier yeah, I've been up your way a couple times. I'm in Oregon, not terribly far off. I actually got a few from a local farm that does a pumpkin patch. If you can grow pumpkins you should be able to grow gourds (same family) however- I have successfully grown pumpkins a couple times, but the gourds just never worked out. I did also get a sitar a few years ago, the body is just a large guard, but I haven't been able to source anything that big for my own projects.

[@popefang]

FOLLOW THE GOURD!!

[@gagesusdorf9490]

Ive been a follower of your insta for a long time, im so glad you decided to start making content on youtube. keep it up, youre doing great!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks a lot!

[@rufgux]

That was fun to watch. Nice job. Keep ‘em coming!

[@mxgxhxdx1312]

Your videos are fuckin badass, sometimes the algorithm hits you with some gold

[@Notaluthier]

Glad it tracked you down 🤖

[@SierraAppa]

Another great video. Thank you 🙏

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks to you for watching!

[@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248]

Amazing! And I thought gourds were only used for carrying around magic potions. What a versatile abomination they are 🙂

[@Notaluthier]

Worst tasting/most useful fruit?

[@lizardswithhats]

Time to look for the perfect gourd 🫡

[@Notaluthier]

I tried to germinate the seeds from this one but I don’t think I’m in the climate for it. Might be a craft/thrift store kind of find. I seriously put a wanted ad in my local classifieds for gourds. No bites! I get a lot more hits when I ask for wasp nests

[@jayhassan976]

Dude I love your channel!!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks!

[@chazstewart4865]

Ha!.... Subscription justified.

[@jordmosselman3403]

Thank you! That was not a fruitless endeavour Slomo (en)taildpiece action was much fun. I see you have managed to avoid the onetimeonly srew action, nice job, the shitsel for the nutjob was an inventive side project. Dont worry about a file pretending to be a metal sandpaper stick, it just works. A goo(r)d project to do for anyone, oh, some slipnot gourd action when wearing that mask next time please? Love to hear goujometal! Good luck with the next builds, yes please!

[@Notaluthier]

Thanks very much

[@JagStar]

0:17, I do that all the time! 8:55, I do that all the time too. 😂 What a great instrument!

[@bengordon2330]

rock and roll !!

[@tallyankeegal]

gonna have to say I do like wood shavings, and let's leave it there! lol I'm about to do my first gourd build, thanks for posting!

[@Notaluthier]

Awesome

[@Notaluthier]

Send pics when it’s done!

[@red58impala]

My comment is not very pithy today so I'll just say, great video!

[@Notaluthier]

What a pithy indeed!

[@victorparis7189]

Your as hilarious as Ted @ Twooford!!

[@markgordon4368]

Bit gaudy for me 😂

[@ToolsAreToys]

neat!

[@STAY-GOLD-VINYL]

0:56 you look like one of the Pink Floyd Kids. Another Brick in the Wall anyone??!!!

[@ErickvdK]

Banjo was developed in the US, probably from its predecessor, the akonting. So American instrument with roots in Afrika. Lovely build!😊

[@RobHutten]

There’s something like 150-200 years of documented banjo presence in the Caribbean and eastern South America before it ever shows up in America. Kristina Gaddy’s book Well Of Souls is a fascinating read about this.

[@ErickvdK]

@@RobHutten Might have to get that one! I got "banjo, roots and branches", by Robert B Winans, covers pretty much much what they found out so far, including the banjar from Haiti.😊

[@Sammywhat]

Hashtag #letalonegourds brought me here.

[@Notaluthier]

Hahahahha, yep, gets them every time

[@kleatsmythe]

It's very similar to a setar, which is a small lute in Iranian classical music.

[@Notaluthier]

Nice! Is that made with a gourd? It also bears a resemblance to a Tamburica, a Ukrainian folk instrument.

[@kleatsmythe]

@@Notaluthier I think setars are usually made with pear tree wood but I could be wrong. Definitely wood of some kind. It also has movable frets that were traditionally made from some kinda animal intestine.

[@that_thing_I_do]

You're weird. I like you and your channel.

[@Notaluthier]

Gawrsh ☺️

[@jacquikerr-bell7850]

Here for the business tips! 😅 (from the 4.8% audience minority) and this is gourdgeous.

[@Notaluthier]

Hahaha!!you will find great success!

[@greendragon4571]

I cannot recall ever seeing a gourd in the UK, so maybe I can use a pumpkin

[@wellfuckyoumr]

My right ear really enjoyed listening to you speak

[@Notaluthier]

I realize a number of errors with regards to the audio choices I made. It’ll be Better next time.