Fuller Banjo

coffe/tea table

2012-01-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a coffee table I designed and built for my first project of the new year. The table features a Wenge top and Sapelle legs. I love how the Wenge finished. It is so glassy and polishes well. However, I(my tools) found it a pain to work with. Each mortise required 2-3 trips to the waterstone for honing.

Mahogany Soprano Ukulele

2011-07-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Lucky #7 is all ready for strings. The back and sides are Honduran Mahogany with flamed maple bindings. The top is Cedar- Order yours now for Christmas delivery!

Finished Soprano Ukulele

2011-04-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay on the photos. The shop has been a mess and I have a list of projects growing by the day. Here is the the finished California Bay Laurel Soprano Ukulele. It sports a Western Red Cedar top and Claro Walnut Binding. The bridge and fingerboard are made from Macassar Ebony.

California Bay Laurel Ukulele

2011-04-11T16:49:00.001-07:00

Aloha, I'm stoked on this California Bay Laurel (Myrtle) for back and sides. It works easier than Maple and has beautiful gray streaking. The way it pairs with the Walnut binding is quite striking too. The neck blank is waiting for final shaping in the shop and then this uke will be off to a new home.

Finished Soprano Ukulele

2011-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here it is all strung up and in tune. California Claro Walnut back and sides, Western Red Cedar top, and Cocobolo binding. Its really loud and warm, a pleasure to play. It's waiting for pick up in my shop. I have already started on another Soprano Uke, more photos soon.

Uke Boxes Closed

2011-03-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Aloha,
Here are the uke bodys ready to be routed for binding. The end graft/binding is cocobolo. Turns out that cocobolo is a bitch to bend and it took many attempts to get a set bent right. Now I'll be shifting my focus to the necks. Stay tuned.

Ukulele Neck Blank

2011-03-21T17:00:00.001-07:00

This morning I laminated a bit of walnut into this piece of mahogany which will become an ukulele neck tomorrow. I used hand tools to thickness the blank. It's great to be able to listen to music while woodworking without the screaming machines.

Electric guitar work and Uke fret board

2011-03-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

New tuning machines for this Gibson Les Paul. I found the perfect piece of Macassar Ebony for the two ukulele fretboards hiding in the wood pile.

Sexy Curves

2011-03-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

The old claro walnut bent like butter. Nice tight waist!

Soprano Ukulele Twins

2011-03-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Here are the braced tops and backs for a pair of Soprano Ukuleles that have recently been commissioned. The backs are very special 50 year old claro walnut and the tops are 20 year old western red cedar. I am thrilled to be working with such amazing wood. The cedar has great tap tone and the walnut's grain is like a rainbow of purple, browns, and gray. Stay tuned for more shop progress.

Finished Wood Rim Banjo

2010-12-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots of the final bridge profiling and the finished set-up Fuller Banjo! It plays great, lots of sustain, warmth, and a little dash of mountain growl. Stay tuned for more banjos and ukuleles in the new year. Happy Holidays from the work shop.

Just Need Strings

2010-12-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

Today I spent 7 hours in the shop. Most of the time was spent finish sanding the neck and rim. The Walnut and Cocobolo took the finish beautifully. Tomorrow I plan to make the bridge and set it up to play.

Rise of the Resonator

2010-12-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

I am building this resonator much like a guitar is braced and built. The idea is that this will cut overall weight of the instrument and make the back more responsive and musical. This is the form that i used to bend the 14 inch diameter resonator. Here is the dry fit looking good and ready for glue. The little squares glued in will hold high powered magnets to fix the resonator to the banjo rim.

Neck Progress

2010-11-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I joined the Claro walnut that will become the banjo resonator. Walnut like this is a joy to work with. Here is my new peghead design, inspired by the pre-war Gibson peghead shape with a modern curve. A Japanese carving knife made fast work of the neck heel. Stay tuned for the rise of the resonator.

Banjo rim Progress

2010-11-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

Tightened up the banjo head to the rim for the first time. The head sits perfect on the Cocobolo tone ring. Played like a drum it has lots of sustain and character. It'll sound even better when it gets some strings!

All Wood Banjo Rim

2010-11-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Cocobolo (Mexican Rosewood) tone ring on top of Claro Walnut rim.

Spring Banjo Fever

2010-05-05T16:41:00.001-07:00

I was so happy with the Spruce top banjo. I decided to start a traditional bluegrass banjo, with some modern spins. This piece of Claro Walnut was enough for two neck blanks and a rim, look at that figure! This is the beginning of the pie-rim, glued up in a band clamp. It's a Spring workathon in the shop, check back soon for updates.

Spruce Top Banjo

2010-05-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

This banjo was born of spare parts. All left over material from other projects. Koa veneer over a Maple/Black Walnut rim with Indian Rosewood binding. The top is Engelmann Spruce with Walnut arm rest. The neck is also Black Walnut with Indian Rosewood veneers and fingerboard. The soundboard is a thin braced wood top instead of a drum head. The result is a no twang, soft, subtle, warm sound. Almost like a tenor guitar. I hope to post a sound clip soon.

2010-03-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

A little break from the wood shop. My band American Primitive played a great show on St. Patrick's Day at the Stronghold.

If you're at the news stand flip through the spring issue of Fretboard Journal. I wrote an article in the "fret files" section about local guitar builder Jack Sanders. Thanks, I'll be posting photos of the finished banjo rim soon.

2010-03-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

70 plus hours later here is my first guitar. It plays great, very loud and crystal clear tone. My next project is already under way, a spruce top banjo. Stay tuned.
This guitar is for sale. Contact me for details.

Parlor Guitar- Neck

2010-03-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

After hours of work, here is the fingerboard with my logo inlay of mother of pearl. Below is the neck (Honduran Mahogany). The next step is to fit the neck to the body.

Parlor Guitar III

2010-02-19T13:12:00.000-08:00

I am currently waiting for some materials to arrive in the mail, so i can continue building. In the mean time, I have fashioned this bridge from Macassar Ebony to match the fretboard.

Parlor Guitar II

2010-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Here is the top all braced and glued tight to the body. My next step is to make the neck and fit it to the body before I glue the back on. I hope to have it all strung up before March.

Parlor Guitar

2010-02-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

This red wood top is braced with Sitka spruce. I used a piece of Macassar ebony for the bridge plate. Special thanks to Jack Sanders for his sage instruction and assistance with the sound hole rosette.

Finished Ukulele

2010-01-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

There she is. I sprung for nice tuning machines and strung it up yesterday. It has a great sound. Very warm, balanced tone, and loud!
This soprano ukulele is for sale. Contact me about pricing. I have just started on a 1920's style parlor guitar. Stay tuned for the progress.

New Uke part III

2010-01-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

Koa and Purple heart binding with a little coat of shellac. The Koa bent like hot butter. However, it didn't sit in the binding channel well. That resulted in a few gaps here and there. It's nothing a little super glue and sawdust wont fix. Tomorrow I plan to fit the neck to the body.

New Ukulele part II

2010-01-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

With all the bad weather rollin' through so-cal, I've been able to make quick progress on this instrument. Here is the braced soundboard sitting nice and snug.

New Ukulele

2010-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I have been busy in the shop with two new Uke models. I am excited about this sinker redwood top. It was salvaged from the bottom of a river in the Pacific North West. Can't wait to hear it sing.