I picked up this banjo lightly used from the original owner as I was looking for a very simple 5 string, open back fretless to continue to explore my recent clawhammer fascination. I am drawn to the basic design and aesthetic coupled with high quality materials and workmanship. Traditional dowel stick neck and good hardware. This banjo is super light and fun to just pick up and strike.
About this Banjo
Openback Banjo #214 by Nate Calkins in Portland, OR.
This banjo’s specs:
- Built in January 2022
- Cherry 2-pc neck w/ Richlite Fretless fingerboard
- Ebony Peghead Overlay
- rosewood heelcap
- 25.5” scale length
- Copper side dots
- 11” cherry solid block rim
- Brass tube tonering
- Renaissance Head
- Gotoh Tuners , Nickel
- Steel Strings
- Brass tension hoop (Aged)
- Brass hooks (Aged)
- Brass No-knot tailpiece (aged)
Richlite Fingerboard
This is the first instrument I have had with a Richlite fingerboard and I was curious to learn more about it. Turns out it is a paper and glue (phenolic resin) composite that has several advantages over traditional fingerboards. A few things I have learned:
- Made since 1943
- Stable and durable (skateboard ramps, construction)
- used on Martin’s and Gibson guitars
- similar density to ebony
- no grain, much smoother than wood
- less prone to splitting/chipping when re-fretting
- non-porous water/moisture/oil resistant
- temperature stability
- similar to wood, so fabrication techniques are the same as wood (glue, machining, assembly)
- When gluing, you need to abraid first to create the surface area needed to bond
Cherry Wood
- There are two types: Black Cherry and Sweet Cherry.
- Black Cherry is what is typical in wood working.
- Has good dimensional stability. Janka hardness of 950lbf (walnut 1,010 lbf, oak 1360 lbf)
- Develops a nice/warm patina over time.
- The fruit from black cherry is edible, but is used more for lumber than fruit. Most cherries we eat come from the sweet cherry tree which is smaller and is mostly farmed as fruit bearing. the Sweet Cherry has a janka rating of 1,150 lbf.
- Cherry is used in several places: Furniture, Millwork/doors/molding/trim, flooring.
- Back in the printing press days, cherry was used as the backing material for copper plates on letterpress printing due to its dimensional stability.
- Cherry is photoreactive and darkens with exposure to UV.
- Easy to work with on machines or hand tools.
About Calkins Banjos
Calkinsbanjos.com
Nate Calkins
My love for the banjo started in 2005 when I listened to a musician named Phil Roebuck perform in Union Square, when I was living in New York City. I bought his CD and was drawn to the traditional tunes he played. I couldn’t stop listening to it. I decided to get myself a banjo and started attending weekly jams. The jams were mostly focused on bluegrass, but tucked away in the corner of the pub were the players of “old-time” music. I was hooked. I gravitated toward the clawhammer style and later found out about two-finger, up-stroke, minstrel stroke, and other variations of how people like to play this instrument. I also found there was an amazing amount of recorded old-timey folk music I could get my hands on. My favorite old-timers are still Roscoe Holcomb and Doc Boggs. Having attended school for sculpture, and worked several years in an artist’s studio, I got to thinking maybe I could make my own banjo, and try sculpting with wood. My first one was a Mountain Banjo, or “Frank Proffitt Style” banjo, which I still enjoy building today. I started consistently building banjos in 2006 in my New York City apartment. Soon after, in 2007, I moved out to Portland, Oregon. Here, I was able to set up a functional, one-man banjo shop in my garage. Early on, I got my inspiration mostly from primitive versions of the banjo, mountain style, gourds, and Minstrel era banjos. These days, I am focused on creating more “modern” banjos, ones that draw inspiration from builders of the late 19th century. I am a father of two kids, devoted husband, outdoor enthusiast, and obsessive house renovator. I keep pretty busy with banjo orders, and am always building an extra banjo or two on the side. My favorite woods for necks are cherry and local black walnut.
https://calkinsbanjos.com/about/
Openback
My Openback banjos are built to handle playing any of the old-time styles, and deliver that old-time sound. I strive for a certain aesthetic that is similar to instruments made around the turn of the century. A lot of my banjos are custom orders, so the builds have been unique from one to the next. I do have my favorite woods, measurements, and materials, but I also enjoy building one-of-a-kind instruments for the customer. The hardware, wood, strings, head, and scale you choose, will all affect the sound in some way.
https://calkinsbanjos.com/openback/