Cedar Mountain Banjos now offering custom 17 and 19-fret tenor banjo options

North Carolina's Cedar Mountain Banjos has been building heirloom-quality open back banjos since 1996. They typically make 5-string banjos and banjo ukes for old-time players. The owner, Tim Gardner, has been wanting to build tenor banjos for several years, mainly out of personal interest. Tim is a multi-instrumentalist who enjoys playing around with different types of instruments.

Tim took over ownership of Cedar Mountain in 2013. One of his goals is to be able to offer various options so that someone can order almost any type of instrument or neck that has a banjo head (6-string, 5-string, 4-string, banjo guitars, ukes, mandolins, etc.). He finally had an opportunity to build a tenor banjo for a client in Chicago recently and it turned out so well that he decided to add 4-string tenors to the product line.

“It seems like there are currently not many builders in the US who offer quality customized handmade tenor banjos to order,” said Tim Gardner, “so I thought it might be a good way to expand into new markets and musical genres.”

Cedar Mountain Banjos is now offering highly-customizable 17 and 19-fret tenor neck options on any of its handmade models. You can find more info at cedarmtnbanjos.com. The Cedar Mountain tenor banjo pictured here is based on the Bungalow model which uses all domestic woods (cherry and curly maple with a locust fingerboard). Tenor necks can be made for any Cedar Mountain model.

Bob Gramann – guitar and banjo luthier, instrument setup and repair

Last year when my banjo was buzzing I took it to someone on the southside of Richmond who looked at it and suggested I get a taller bridge.  Not satisfied with that solution, I researched other instrument setup and repair persons and found Bob Gramann in Fredericksburg, a city about 40 miles north of where I live.  I took the banjo to Bob who removed the neck, made an adjustment to the truss rod and did a few other tweaks while I waited.  The banjo has been great ever since! 

Similarly, my wife recently took her tenor guitar to Bob Gramann to have it setup in the Irish GDAD tuning.  While doing so, Bob noticed some intonation issues and made corrections to those, thus improving the overall sound of the guitar.  During that same visit I brought in a right-handed tenor banjo that had been sent to me as a vintage Gibson neck paired with a Recording King RK-R35 bluegrass rim.  Bob switched it around to lefty by making a new nut, reversing the armrest and making sure that the action and neck angle were properly set.  Now it's a regulation left-handed 19-fret Irish Tenor Banjo with resonator, wink wink!

The Deep Run

Since I’m not much of a tinkerer, I am happy to have found Bob Gramann for our instrument setup needs.  His prices are very reasonable.  It’s also fun to see his shop and check out the guitars and banjos he has made or is currently working on.  Bob makes some fine instruments.  Instead of churning them out one after another, he really puts a lot of care into building each individual guitar or banjo.  I especially like his small body/travel-size Deep Run model which would make an awesome tenor guitar.  He is making a new one of these right now, to be finished this summer.  

The Rappahannock

Bob is also a folksinger and songwriter.  If you are in the Richmond/Fredericksburg/Northern VA general area, I strongly recommend Bob Gramann for instrument setup and repair.  And for those in the market for a handmade guitar, his instruments, which are named after different rivers in Virginia, are well worth considering.  (Gramann sounds like "GRAH-min").  

Guitar and Mandolin Tonewood Qualities

Maybe because I'm a lefty I'm always thinking about custom made instruments, and one of the cool things about hand made instruments is the choice of tonewoods.  The following images and descriptions comes from Chris Baird, the maker of Arches Mandolins and other fine musical instruments.  I copied this text directly from an old page on his site so any first person use of the word "I" or "we" below is Chris' language.  I don't have this kind of knowledge - I'm just sharing this info because I found it interesting!  Here goes.  

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The material properties of a tonewood are a factor affecting the tone of the finished instrument. However, because wood's material properties (even among the same species) can vary widely, only generalities can be considered. The way an instrument is constructed, it's plate thickness, bracing arrangement and shape, overall design, etc., have just as much (if not more) to do with an instrument's tone than the woods used to construct it.

Below I've attempted to outline the generalities of the tonewoods I'm familiar with. Ultimately, I will only use these generalities to get me started when trying to attain a certain type of tone. However, when the instrument is under construction I pay no attention to the species, but, rather, consider the specific material qualities of the wood in hand when thicknessing plates, carving braces, etc. This is because each piece of wood may or may not fall within its species general specifications.

Some general rules of thumb:

1. Greater stiffness contributes to brighter more treble heavy responses.

2. Greater density contributes to darker more bass heavy responses.

3. Greater internal dampening (Q-Value) contributes to mellow round tones.

4. Each piece of wood will have a unique combination of the above 3.

TONEWOOD GENERALITIES:

Birdseye Maple

Birdseye Maple
A hard maple harvested in the northeastern part of the United States. This maple is dense, moderately stiff, and has low to medium internal dampening. It produces a clear, cutting, bright, and fundamental targeted tone. Very responsive in the mid to upper register with clear although un-complex bass overtones. Sustains slightly better than softer maples.

Curly Maple

Curly Maple

Curly Maple comes in both soft and hard varieties. See Birdseye for a description of hard Curly Maple. Soft Curly maple is similar to hard although with a general tendency to be more bassy. Soft maple is slightly more responsive than Hard Maple but with less sustain.

Walnut

Walnut

Walnut shares many characteristics of maple. Its material properties can range from that of Hard to Soft Maple. Slightly higher internal dampening often gives a warmer/rounder tone over maple.

Blackwood

Tazmanian Blackwood

Lightweight, stiff, and with moderate internal dampening this wood offers a mid-way point between the cutting and bright tones of Maple and Walnut and the darker more complex tones of Rosewood and Bubinga.

Mahogany

Mahogany

Very lightweight, moderate stiffness, and moderate to low internal dampening. Mahogany is also a good midpoint between dark and bright. This wood is very open and responsive. Mahogany is usually a bit warmer than Tazmanian Blackwood. Also used for necks and internal blocks. One of the world's most stable woods.

Spanish Cedar

Spanish Cedar

An aromatic wood with nearly the same material qualities of Mahogany. We only use this wood for internal linings.

Cocobolo

Cocobolo

Cocobolo is a true S. American rosewood. It is very dense, very stiff, and has low internal dampening. Cocobolo gives strong bass and treble overtones as well as lots of sustain. This makes for a more complex/darker tone. Low internal dampening gives an aggressive quality to the overtones. Strengths are in the treble and bass with the midrange being less punchy than maple.

Honduran Rosewood

Rosewoods (other)

Other types of rosewoods are occasionally available with similar qualities to cocobolo. Honduran rosewood is pictured. Rosewoods have low dimensional stability and require more care with regard to climate control.

Bubinga

Bubinga

Bubinga has similar qualities to rosewood with one notable exception, it has higher internal dampening. This gives Bubinga a rosewood like tone, dark and complex, but with less aggressive and rounder overtones. Often referred to as "African Rosewood". Those wanting a dark sound but who find rosewoods too "harsh" should consider Bubinga.

Zebrawood

Zebrawood

Stiff, moderately dense, with moderate to low internal dampening, Zebrawood often falls between maple and rosewood in tonal quality. Similar to Tazmanian Blackwood and Mahogany although brighter in tone.

Macassar Ebony

Macassar Ebony

An often brown and black streaked ebony variety used for fingerboards, headplates, and other decorative elements. Can be used for back and sides but is not recommended due to low dimensional stability.

Ebony - Gaboon

Ebony (other)

West African and Gaboon ebony are used for fingerboards, headplates, bridges, endpins, and decorative elements. Usually too unstable for use in back and sides.

Spruce

Spruce

We primarily use Adirondack Red Spruce for our instrument top plates. Red Spruce is relatively dense and stiff lending itself to a crisp clear tone that can be played hard without losing quality. Red Spruce may take some "playing in" to achieve its full potential. Softer Spruce varieties may be available for softer playing styles that require more responsiveness.

Burlwood

Other Decorative Woods

Many other woods are used for decorative elements when available. Pictured is Afzelia burlwood.

The woods in these pictures sure are pretty aren't they!?  If it was just by looks alone I think I'd choose bubinga!

Army-Navy "Pancake" Style Mandolins

Instruments known as “Army-Navy”, “pancake”, or “flatiron” style mandolins were originally made by Gibson between 1918 and 1922 to be used by soldiers during World War I.  The term pancake refers to not only the round body shape but also the flat front and back.  These inexpensively made, no-frills instruments are not to be confused with the more figured and “blingy” archtop F style mandolins that would later become popular in bluegrass thanks to Bill Monroe.

Pancake mandolins are still around today and are often favored by Old-Time and Celtic musicians for their mellow presence and depth.  These types of mandolins are also a good choice for those who simply prefer a more old-timey, understated look.  I have found a handful of builders who currently make this style of mandolin in the $600 to $900 range.  These luthiers have each taken this classic design and upgraded it with their own individual touches, expertise and other improvements.

The Red Line Traveler

The Red Line Traveler

By Red Line Resophonics (Cumberland Acoustics).  Luthier Steve Smith and his assistant Jason make these finely crafted pancake mandolins in their shop just outside of Nashville, TN.  In addition to being the guy who makes the parts used by other instrument builders, a few years ago Steve set out to create his own Army-Navy style mandolin at an affordable price.  Each Redline Traveler features an adjustable truss rod, adjustable compensated Cumberland Acoustic ebony bridge and Grover tuners.  There are many custom wood options for the back and sides.  Steve usually has a mandolins at various stages of production, so the wait time for a new Traveler mandolin can be as little as 2-weeks.  Price $650 to $750 with gig bag.

Crystal Forest mandolin

Crystal Forest Mandolins

Terry Majewski only makes 4 or 5 of these flat top mandolins each year, and they are beauties!  He uses Cumberland Acoustic bridges and his mandolins actually appeart to be very similar to the Red Line Traveler.  I’ve seen some great reviews of Terry’s mandolins online.  The Crystal Forest Facebook page states, “These mandolins have a mellow, yet still loud and powerful sound sought by Celtic players, as well as many Old-Time mandolin players.  They are equally at home in a bluegrass jam where they hold their own against loud guitars, banjos and fiddles.  A great mandolin for traveling, the office or pick'in around the campfire.”  One could be yours for around $695 plus an additional $40 for a hardshell case.

Alden Originals

Alden Originals

I don’t know a whole lot about these mandolins, which are made by Clay Alden in Tennessee, although they have a very pure, traditional look.  His standard Army-Navy model mandolin comes with a Spanish cedar top and mahogany back and sides, with prices starting at $595.  Custom options are available.  Clay makes all the parts from scratch, and when I contacted him recently his current waiting period was 4 to 6 weeks.  Alden Originals also makes bouzoukis, dulcimers and solid body electric guitars!

Sawchyn Beaver Tail mandolin

Sawchyn Beaver Tail

These Beaver Tail mandolins look pretty cool.  They are made by Sawchyn Guitars in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada, to the same exacting standards of his higher priced guitars.  The basic price is $899.95 Canadian (approx. $815 US Dollars) and Peter Sawchyn offers several ways to spiff up your mandolin with upgrades. 

Don Rickert A-N

Don Rickert Lutherie

Don Rickert can make you a totally custom Army-Navy instrument similar to the one in the Stew-Mac campfire mandolin kit for a price of about $875.  These “copies” are true to the originals, which would have cost a soldier about $12 in the early 20^th century.  Don says these instruments have an incredibly big sound.

Elloree Envoy mandolin

Elloree

As far as I know Rick Felkel of Elloree Guitars in West Monroe, Louisiana is still making his sturdy flat-top mandolins in the $500 to $600 price range.  Rick’s mandolins are a little different.  The body is larger:  12" long and 11" wide.  Instead of having pieces of bracing in the top running from one end of the body to the other, the bracing on Elloree mandolins are like spokes in a wheel, starting at the bridge and branching out to all parts of the top leaving no dead spots. The neck is bolted on like that of an electric guitar.  The body depth is between 1 7/8 to 2". 

Big Muddy

Big Muddy

Finally, there’s Big Muddy Mandolins from Rocheport, Missouri.  At one time this company was churning out nearly one thousand mandolins a year, but now production has been scaled back significantly, with just two employees and luthier Mike Dulak doing the majority of the critical work, giving each mandolin the attention it deserves.  If you’re looking for a handcrafted real wood mandolin, Big Muddy is a great choice, although their body shape is a little different than the traditional pancake style.  Priced from $645.

If you play one of these mandolins or know of other builders making Army-Navy mandolins for $900 or less, I’d love to hear from you!