IT MAY SOUND WACKY, but a couple of years ago I made a very successful tenor banjo-uke by inserting a tambourine inside a turned wooden ring and clamping it in with a resonator back. it sounds terrific. A friend wants one badly enough to pay for it plus I thought it would be fun to have another with my updated peg head and a few refinements. Today I worked on fitting the necks a little, and successfully joined neck to the body ring with two huge bronze screws. I will also glue them together.
 Here is the tenor banjo/uke drilling that hole in the neck straight is a bit of a challenge. my drill press table swivels so I just turned it |  like this. It is a bit awkward but using clamps top and bottom I was able to drill straight down the neck deep enough to accept a three inch screw. You need to drill a short hole wide enough to accept the shank and a very long hole that is narrower to take the threads. Mandatory tip, put a little beeswax or grease on the threads or you will never get it screwed in. |
And here are the two banjos. I am thinking I should call them "Tambos". They have a great banjo twang and are really fun but be sure to take the bangles off. I have turned to curley maple resonators and they will be screwed to the back of the rings which will hold the tambourines tight against the lip turned in the ring. Standare fret board, the strings will span a typical 4 string banjo saddle and lead to holes drilled into the back lip of the ring where a knot will hold them perfectly. I will probably put ebony fret boards on these although I have some Indian Rosewood that might look good.
Earlier today I thinned the six tenor sides down to .70 or just a hair higher. They are ready to bend now. Maybe tomorrow.
Earlier today I thinned the six tenor sides down to .70 or just a hair higher. They are ready to bend now. Maybe tomorrow.