Red Rocking Chair on Fretless Tack Head Banjo

A recently completed fretless tackhead banjo. I can't take credit for the inlays - the fingerboard came like that from someone else's uncompleted project so I got it at a good price. Walnut pot with tacked on calfskin head and a 3 piece walnut and maple neck. Modal tuning somwhere down around C.

[@bearshield7138]

beautiful instrument, and beautiful song Thank you for making quarantine better

[@rattyfingers8621]

Now that's pure magic. The combination; fretless slides, voice, tuning, n red rockin chair.

[@garycowger9579]

Wow that is about the nicest sounding tackhead fretless banjo I heard in a long time looks great too

[@joemarvin2303]

Sounds and looks great. The banjo and you. Did a search for fretless banjo KZbins. Yours was my fave. Thanks for the vid.

[@morbanjo]

+Joe Marvin Thanks for the kind words Joe. I love the sound of fretless banjo. Maybe a bit harder to play but well worth it.

[@jeremyreagan9085]

Thanks so much for your designs and for displaying the Banjos so well it helps with us who are wanting to see the parts to see how it is properly done. I agree I find Frettless Banjos to be my favorite I've played guitar for 20 years and realize how hard it is to Play frettless Instrument but if you work at it and listen closely I think it is doable for sure. I am thinking of a calfskin head for the build I wrote about could I use tacks to place it tight on the bowl and guitar Tuners for the strings? For I recall you stated my would work however I needed away to tighten the strings and I figured steel guitar Tuners would work well. Have a good day sir!

[@morbanjo2503]

I usually use either upholstery tacks or thumbtacks to attach the head and both work pretty well. Guitar tuners will work fine for the 4 long strings but the 5th string is another matter. You can still use a guitar tuner for the 5th but you have to figure out a way to get it on there. It's easiest for me to use a regular banjo 5th tuner for that. They run 10 - 15 dollars on ebay. I've also used a zither pin but then you need a tuning hammer. Good luck with your build!

[@jeremyreagan9085]

Thanks very much for your advice it means a lot to me and good luck with your next Project as well!

[@93Quizno]

I enjoy your work, thanks for all your videos!

[@morbanjo2503]

Thanks Edward.

[@luisitocigarbox]

Good sound and nice played!

[@morbanjo]

Thanks Luis!

[@N4JAB]

I would like to hear this played on a fretted banjo you've made...I bet it's really catchy as neat as it sounds on the fretless.

[@morbanjo]

Thanks Joe. Maybe I'll do this again on my next fretted banjo. I really like sliding into notes on this song which sounds very different with frets.

[@SWAviatorII]

Beautiful banjo...great tube...great singing and playing. I've got to have fret less. What tunning?

[@morbanjo2503]

Bob Kemper Thanks Bob. This is tuned in modal tuning which would be G modal g,D,G,c,d on standard banjo but I've got this tuned down to something around C. so c,G,C,f,g should be close.

[@OwlAndAntler]

Is there a name for banjos like this that haven't been lathed? I want to make a block banjo hoop but don't have a lathe and have been having trouble finding info on banjos like these. Im doing a tack head right now.

[@allisonfoster3935]

love this!

[@morbanjo2503]

Thank you!

[@Notes-de-l-autre-monde]

Like the deep mood

[@morbanjo]

Thanks santour oud.

[@slimwillywilliams]

Fantastic! What is the fretboard radius on your fretless instruments? Is it more or less than fretted?

[@morbanjo]

Thanks Slimwilly. Most of my fretless and fretted banjos have flat finger boards. This particular one does have a radius since I'm using a re-purposed guitar fingerboard. Not sure of the radius but it appears the same as most acoustic guitars.

[@jimbajim]

This is fantastic. I would love to get myself a fretless some day. What tuning do you use? Is there a standard minstrel tuning?

[@bobhohi]

Hi can you provide any help applying a head like that? Just tack it on and let it dry?

[@morbanjo2503]

+Rara Sure, after soaking the skin about 20 min I begin with a staple gun (easier to use one handed) and begin stapling and pulling the skin tight opposite the staple. After it's attached with staples I start tapping in the tacks and removing the staple closest to the tack until all staples are replaced with tacks. The head is then allowed to dry overnight before doing anything else. Hope that helps! I may do a demo video next time I make one.

[@morbanjo2503]

+Rara Oh, I forgot to mention that the head tightens up quite a lot when dry so it takes some trial and error to figure how tight to pull by hand while stapling.

[@bobhohi]

+morbanjo This is very helpful. I haven't found very much information on applying a tack head. Sounds very nice.

[@morbanjo2503]

+Rara Give it a try! I made the pot (body) for this one but I've also used round wooden salad bowls found at yard sales and thrift stores to make tack head banjos. Of course a gourd is the traditional material and you can push the tacks in by hand with a gourd so you can skip the staple gun. Good luck!