Inksplosive AL
Well-known member
So on a whim I bought this banjouke from another member as it came up for sale and Ive been wanting one for awhile. This one has a metal body and was said to be from the 20's. It has wooden tuning pegs and no markings other than PAT on the back of the pot. There are no fret markers on a blonde neck/fret board combo.
In researching banjo ukuleles and skin art I came across this rooster uke seen here. http://www.xylocopa.com/category/tags/musical-instruments Funny thing is its a sister to my little banjolele from what I can see. No tailpiece with the strings stuck through holes drilled in the rim clearly spaced by hand. They also state its a 20's era uke of dubious original quality and claim theirs needed much restoration. Heck they even have a video and when she sits down the back of the uke appears the same as mine.
So far I want a set of aquila reds for it but I'm not in a rush. I was also thinking of buying an old rosewood bridge for sale on ebay for 4 string banjos that has three legs. Currently I have a modern two legged grover unit which looks like maple and ebony but again no rush it plays fine. The fret ends are a little sharp and I wonder if I should file them or try to rehumidify the neck a bit. Being its so old I'm likely going to file them. Thoughts?
I also think about decorating the skin but like a tattoo its a one time decision. Ive thought of popeye, snoopy and woodstock, a flapper girl face or even a political cartoon of the time, I also need to find a sliding booth style mute. They seem to only be sold in the UK and look simple enough to build. I'm going to stop by the local homedepot or lowes and see what they have for brass stock in an hour or two. Putting a sock in it dulls the sound too much it being so small. Included are pictures from the previous owner. I really need to fire up my good camera.
Thanks for reading.
In researching banjo ukuleles and skin art I came across this rooster uke seen here. http://www.xylocopa.com/category/tags/musical-instruments Funny thing is its a sister to my little banjolele from what I can see. No tailpiece with the strings stuck through holes drilled in the rim clearly spaced by hand. They also state its a 20's era uke of dubious original quality and claim theirs needed much restoration. Heck they even have a video and when she sits down the back of the uke appears the same as mine.
So far I want a set of aquila reds for it but I'm not in a rush. I was also thinking of buying an old rosewood bridge for sale on ebay for 4 string banjos that has three legs. Currently I have a modern two legged grover unit which looks like maple and ebony but again no rush it plays fine. The fret ends are a little sharp and I wonder if I should file them or try to rehumidify the neck a bit. Being its so old I'm likely going to file them. Thoughts?
I also think about decorating the skin but like a tattoo its a one time decision. Ive thought of popeye, snoopy and woodstock, a flapper girl face or even a political cartoon of the time, I also need to find a sliding booth style mute. They seem to only be sold in the UK and look simple enough to build. I'm going to stop by the local homedepot or lowes and see what they have for brass stock in an hour or two. Putting a sock in it dulls the sound too much it being so small. Included are pictures from the previous owner. I really need to fire up my good camera.
Thanks for reading.
