Sketchbook of Musical Instrument Plans, Ideas, and Inspirations

My Instrument Gallery...

Shown below are several instruments I have constructed over the past several years, as well as a few in progress.

Click on images below for larger views.

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This was my first serious attempt at instrument construction some 20 years ago. I loosely followed the David Russell Young pattern, but utilized Irving Sloane's neck joint. It turned out well, having exellent tone and projection. On particularly damp days I can catch a hint of the same aroma produced as the walnut sides were steam-bent. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

One of several 5 string banjos banjos I have built. This banjo features a Mother-of-pearl and brass Heron peghead inlay, a 25 1/2" scale, wenge tone ring, an aircraft aluminum reenforced neck, and all wood bindings and trim on the inlaid pot assembly.

This instrument was completed in 1999. I used it when playing in my past band, the Hyperdogs. It is a 34" scale bolt-on neck electric bass with a single humbucking pickup. The body is oil finished walnut approximately 1-3/8" thick. It is formed in an arch to make it more comfortable to play for long periods of time. The pickup is encased in a separate walnut block with the height adjusted by 3 screws accessable from the rear of the instrument. Volume is controlled by a walnut knob with a mother of pearl position indicater inlayed into it. Strap lock buttons are recessed into the body at the upper horn and behind and above the string tree. The adjustable bridge and string tree are cut and formed from solid brass. The bridge is held to the body by string pressure only and can be repositioned to correct intonation. The string tree is mortised into the body. The neck is 5 laminated pieces of walnut with an ebony peghead overlay. A truss rod is accessable at the peghead. The radiused fretboard is integral with the neck, being formed from the same neck blank. The neck is lacquer finished with an oil finish on the fretboard. There are no position markers visable from the front, but dots are inlaid into the side of the neck. The headstock is inlayed with a circular celtic knotwork design comprised of three dog's heads arranged in a circle.

Small Kalimba made from hollowed single piece of Cherry and using short sections of "fish tape" for tines. These were heated and hammered flat on the ends.

One of my Cajun style accordions. They are constructed in a similar fashion to the Cajun accordions built in Louisiana with only slight differances in construction, such as reeds mounted on removable upright reed blocks and the way the reed bank selection is implemented internally.

This is an F style mandolin completed June, 2001. I had saved a 1 and 1/4" thick piece of Sitka spruce which proved to be just big enough for a mandolin. The free top proved to be enough motivation to start construction, along with the garage sale special shown above convincing me that I have a serious drone gene affliction which needs ringing strings as nourishment. It is natural finished flamed maple, has a 12" radius fretboard, and an internal McIntyre pickup which sounds really good after running through a preamp/equalizer.

Electric upright bass in progress...shown with the rib assembly completed. The top is also completed at this time, although the purchase of a Englehardt upright has delayed my progress on this instrument for the time being.

This is a basic 5 string banjo designed to be an inexpensive and easily built first instrument. It uses guitar-style tuners in a slot-style peghead and a unique head tensioning system. It turned out to be a really nice instrument, far surpassing my expectations. It has a really nice non-abrasive rounded sound quality, is extremely lightweight, and very comfortable to play...no bracket hooks to dig into your leg!
See Building a basic 5 string banjo for complete details.

A new birds-eye maple chambered body I constructed for a Mexican made Telecaster. I also relocated the output jack to the control plate, made a new stainless steel bridge, added recessed Dunlop strap-locs, and extensive body shielding for hum reduction. Now a good guitar is great!
Some of the construction details can be seen on the Birds-eye Tele on the cheap page.

My workbench...Features an inexpensive end-vise with a unique adjustment mechinism. I finally decided I was tired of working on make-shift and less-than-rock-solid benchs, so designed and built this one. I thought I would build it fast and cheap and I would later upgrade to a better vise arrangement. Having used it for over a year, I am well pleased with it's performance, and don't see the need to change it in any way! Please go to the thumbnail construction article located on the plans page for details.

	This was my first serious attempt at instrument construction some 20 years ago. I loosely followed the David Russell Young pattern, but utilized Irving Sloane's neck joint. It turned out well, having exellent tone and projection. On particularly damp days I can catch a hint of the same aroma produced as the walnut sides were steam-bent. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.
	One of several 5 string banjos banjos I have built. This banjo features a Mother-of-pearl and brass Heron peghead inlay, a 25 1/2" scale, wenge tone ring, an aircraft aluminum reenforced neck, and all wood bindings and trim on the inlaid pot assembly.
	This instrument was completed in 1999. I used it when playing in my past band, the Hyperdogs. It is a 34" scale bolt-on neck electric bass with a single humbucking pickup. The body is oil finished walnut approximately 1-3/8" thick. It is formed in an arch to make it more comfortable to play for long periods of time. The pickup is encased in a separate walnut block with the height adjusted by 3 screws accessable from the rear of the instrument. Volume is controlled by a walnut knob with a mother of pearl position indicater inlayed into it. Strap lock buttons are recessed into the body at the upper horn and behind and above the string tree. The adjustable bridge and string tree are cut and formed from solid brass. The bridge is held to the body by string pressure only and can be repositioned to correct intonation. The string tree is mortised into the body. The neck is 5 laminated pieces of walnut with an ebony peghead overlay. A truss rod is accessable at the peghead. The radiused fretboard is integral with the neck, being formed from the same neck blank. The neck is lacquer finished with an oil finish on the fretboard. There are no position markers visable from the front, but dots are inlaid into the side of the neck. The headstock is inlayed with a circular celtic knotwork design comprised of three dog's heads arranged in a circle.
	Small Kalimba made from hollowed single piece of Cherry and using short sections of "fish tape" for tines. These were heated and hammered flat on the ends.
	One of my Cajun style accordions. They are constructed in a similar fashion to the Cajun accordions built in Louisiana with only slight differances in construction, such as reeds mounted on removable upright reed blocks and the way the reed bank selection is implemented internally.
	This is an F style mandolin completed June, 2001. I had saved a 1 and 1/4" thick piece of Sitka spruce which proved to be just big enough for a mandolin. The free top proved to be enough motivation to start construction, along with the garage sale special shown above convincing me that I have a serious drone gene affliction which needs ringing strings as nourishment. It is natural finished flamed maple, has a 12" radius fretboard, and an internal McIntyre pickup which sounds really good after running through a preamp/equalizer.
	Electric upright bass in progress...shown with the rib assembly completed. The top is also completed at this time, although the purchase of a Englehardt upright has delayed my progress on this instrument for the time being.
	This is a basic 5 string banjo designed to be an inexpensive and easily built first instrument. It uses guitar-style tuners in a slot-style peghead and a unique head tensioning system. It turned out to be a really nice instrument, far surpassing my expectations. It has a really nice non-abrasive rounded sound quality, is extremely lightweight, and very comfortable to play...no bracket hooks to dig into your leg! See Building a basic 5 string banjo for complete details.
	A new birds-eye maple chambered body I constructed for a Mexican made Telecaster. I also relocated the output jack to the control plate, made a new stainless steel bridge, added recessed Dunlop strap-locs, and extensive body shielding for hum reduction. Now a good guitar is great! Some of the construction details can be seen on the Birds-eye Tele on the cheap page.
	My workbench...Features an inexpensive end-vise with a unique adjustment mechinism. I finally decided I was tired of working on make-shift and less-than-rock-solid benchs, so designed and built this one. I thought I would build it fast and cheap and I would later upgrade to a better vise arrangement. Having used it for over a year, I am well pleased with it's performance, and don't see the need to change it in any way! Please go to the thumbnail construction article located on the plans page for details.