Inlay work deserves more space than I have devoted to it here, but I’ll go over it a bit. Mac often cuts his own inlay by hand. Unique one of a kind design work can be achieved in this way. If you choose to cut your own inlay use aContinue Reading

The fifth peg hole holds the fifth string tuning machine, sometimes called the fifth peg. This is a hole in the side of the neck just above the fifth string bump out. Take a look at a fifth string machine tuner and you will likely find that it features aContinue Reading

A German made "Ox-Head" draw knife.

Carving the banjo neck is my favorite part of building a banjo. I use a drawknife for shaping along the length of the banjo neck and chisels for roughing out the shape of the heel and fifth peg area. Always keep carving and shaping tools sharp. Dull tools can easilyContinue Reading

Check to make sure that the peghead is not too thick to accommodate the tuners. You can measure or just hold the tuner up to the thick side of the peghead. If it looks as though the tuners will not be tall enough for the bushing bolt and washer toContinue Reading

Banjo neck front profile layout.

The front profile of the neck represents the available space for playing. It is a good idea to use a pattern or another banjo as a template for this part of the design because the front profile of the banjo neck is an irregular shape. Think of the banjo fingerContinue Reading

The peghead presents an opportunity to show off some creative flair. There are many attractive peghead designs out there and it is easy to come up with your own. Aside from aesthetic opportunities, the peghead has a job to do: it holds the tuning machines. The peghead needs to haveContinue Reading

Because the neck bears against the rim of the banjo a ledge needs to be cut into the neck to allow the tension room to sit down over the rim without running into the neck. I call this ledge the banjo neck heel tension hoop rabbet. It makes a spaceContinue Reading

The banjo neck heel radius is a subtle detail that makes all the difference. Nearly all stringed instruments have the neck attached at an angle. Fiddles, cellos, guitars, and yes, even banjos have a small angle built into the neck/body joint. This small angle allows for adjustment to take place.Continue Reading

Be very sure of your measurements before you drill this hole. It may be helpful to look back at the Dowel Stick post. The dowel stick hole can be drilled either before or after the neck has had its radius cut. It is typically drilled using a jig with theContinue Reading