Wood Selection

Once again...depending on type of banjo and style, you may want to select a wood conducive to the tone you’re looking for.  For a softer more mellow sound on a mountain banjo, you may choose butternut or American chestnut.  On a resonator banjo you may want the figured maple neck.  Some woods don’t bend as well for the bands and we’ll need harder woods for the neck for the stability. I personally like the woods native to the Bedford County area, like cherry and walnut. I started working on some quarter sawn sycamore, Osage orange, and persimmon. Other varieties woods available are spalded maple, sassafras, redwood, birch, mahogany, Brazilian cherry, ash, locust, hickory, and sugar maple.

We can slot fingerboards in persimmon (the Ebony of the Allegheny’s), Bolivian rosewood, purpleheart and gaboon ebony.

We’ve used quartersawn specially-treated ash for necks which removes the hemicellulose from the wood, which has properties similar to the sunken lumber. This wood is then so moisture resistant it can be used for bathroom sink basins! No moisture in, less neck issues.

More woods are available from several specialty mills in the area, so let’s talk.

I need your help!!! I’m always looking for interesting woods. Know of any persimmon, Osage orange, Ironwood, or other interesting varieties in the area? I would be interested in hearing about it to see what size is available.  Thanks!