Commissioned 3-7-10
for
ROB WRIGHT

http://robwrightbanjo.com/

I have played the banjo since I was ten years old, which makes it my first musical instrument and love.  Although I was fortunate enough to make a living traveling around the country for several years in my youth, most of my time was spent playing guitar and singing.

Now I spend my days as a partner in an independent financial advisory company, Schannep Investment Advisors.  But my nights and weekends are often devoted to playing and singing with the banjo!  I'm proud to be a member of a world class traditional jazz band, The Original Wildcat Jass Band out of the University of Arizona.  Indeed, it is my relationship with this group of talented players that has inspired me to bring my banjo skills back up to an elite professional level.
Visit the band's webpage by clicking the image below

In Tucson, a committed and energized group of talented jazz stylists is helping to spread the "gospel of traditional jazz" in southern Arizona. The Original Wildcat Jass Band offers traditional New Orleans and Chicago jazz, performed in a spirit and style that is true to its musical roots and wildly popular with audiences around the Old Pueblo. An outgrowth of the renowned University of Arizona School of Music and Dance, The Original Wildcat Jass Band offers its highly entertaining, uniquely toe-tapping music to Arizona and the world.

22 fret plectrum
Walnut neck, bound peghead
MOP inlay (To be engraved)

3rd from the left

 Ron Raymer 9-9-2009
Carving - Inlay work- Painting
NECK

BEEP BEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would say that is a fantastic start to another Small/Raymer/Mondello creation

Ron sent me the pics of the detail painting today and I can just imagine how the detail will POP out at you with the clear coats, even more than it is now!
 

After I fret it and get going on the clear I will start on the rim design.
 

Back in from Ron, and taking on protective clear coats

Adding abalone side dots

11-1/2" Maple rim assembly, stained Dark Walnut
Silver Bell style tone ring with inside brass ring.
Brass shoes with round head slotted anchor screws.

This is unplated brass, ready for choice of plating and engraving.

Neck Hardware installed
Extra long Oettinger style tailpiece, made for the larger rim.

Heel angle set
 

Strung to pitch and settling in
I want to check neck angles and playability,  then start the adjustments.
 
 
 

Starting the base color of resonator
Dark Walnut
I have a nighttime desert theme in my mind for Mr Raymer to ponder.
The back will not be carved ,only the heel will have carving
I can protect Ron's work with a special application of Nitro that will not allow the painting to stand proud and will give a mirror look.
The resonator will be bound in Ivroid with a black breaker line ,same as the neck
 
 

The Sound hole piercing's for the flange will be Southwestern theme as will the tension hoop and tone ring engraving.
You can see it is a little deeper than a Silverbell and with the large rim this plays into a bigger deeper tone chamber.

The action is good and the neckset is as I wish
The banjo has a wonderful tone even with no tweaking at all, and that is very encouraging!
Exceptional bass and really singing notes up the neck.

I also plan some Southwestern paint schemes in between each tension hook set on the rim side.

I will let it settle down and mess with it while I dream up the rest.

Im planning a nice Bacon Style armrest for it now instead of the wood.
I cut one out of my brass stock and will send it for engraving with the rest.
 It will be Tension hoop mounted.

Parts back off that are going to Ron Raymer for piercing, and then engraving
I buffed them back to shiny brass.
After this Ron will send them off to FQM for the plating and hopefully we will have it for the AZ show.

Prepare to be "WOWED"

After doing the very complicated piercing's for the soundholes. Ron went all out trying to get all of Rob's chosen motifs interlaced into the Navaho weave blanket and I can tell that after the brass is plated, this is going to be a wonderful example of emulating  The Great State of ZONIE

It blurs my mind..and my eyes and I cannot wait going back over it all just wide mouthed!

Anyone out there that does custom engraving can appreciate the time thats involved

It almost makes be want a "Burnt orange" resonator inside, to reflect  colors thru the sound holes

Object D'art!

Im sure these pics will not do the actual work justice, that never happens

Tension hoop and tone ring incorporates true Navaho patterns
Ron studied long and hard to gather this complete design and roll it all up into one.

I can't wait for it to land back in Tejas!

Now to head them off to the plater to see if I can get it back in time for the AZ show!

BEEP BEEP!

Final coat, ready to buff

I want to fit everything on the rim one more time and see how it all looks before heading it off to the plater.

Back buffed to High shine and waxed
 

Mounted to the flange

The big 11-1/2 " deep rim will most certainly give good service and I plan a multi colored plating for it.
Gold flange, Nickel tone ring, Nickel shoes, Gold hooksets, Gold Tailpiece and Chrome armrest

I like the dark blood red finish, it gives good contrast
 

These parts will head up to Mr. Paul Poirier and Mr Steve Caddick, for a nice multi colored plating job.

All parts with the exception of the tailpiece are raw engraved brass
Tailpiece is factory Gold  plate, I want it to match this new gold however.
Requests
The tone ring-Nickel
The tension hoop -Gold
The flange - Gold
The Armrest-, Heavy Chrome
The tailpiece - Gold

Other new parts not sent for plating
Nickel Tension hooks
Nickel Shoe Sets
Nickel End bolt
Gold Neck attaching hardware
Gold Tuners

Everything looks extremely nice because Paul is a stickler for detail, and this shows up in the final product.
An excellent job on some older metal that had a few issues.
The nickel Gbson style armrest shows the color differential in the other armrests

One armrest in Chromium and One in Rhodium
And a skin head shiny enuf to reflect light!
 

Reinstalling the 1/8 brass ring into the tone ring

Ready to pull down the head.
The Renaissance I special ordered from Elderly.., High crown would not work, only mediums will work on this banjo.
Its a special order from REMO, no one has them in medium so back on with the Remo milky.

Armrest installed
Using the gauges I prefer.
26-18 bronze wounds, and 14-11 steel

I will let it settle in a day and get a case ordered in here for it

It still has a great tone, nothing has changed there.
 
 

MORE TO COME