NECK, PEGHEAD, FINGERBOARD, INLAYS

All material © 2003-2006 Jeffrey P. Kramer dba String Instrument Services™ & CloverLick Banjos™ except where specifically noted.  All rights reserved.

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Various shots of pegheads in progress.

Babinga & ZebraWood w/Trillium              Rosewood w/ Trillium

           Sugar Babe                                             Singin' Clara

NECKS (IN ORDER OF HIGHEST COST AND BEST TONAL CONSIDERATIONS): 

Rosewood is similar to ebony in many ways.  It uses vary from fingerboards to tonal woods for acoustic instrument necks, sides and backs.    Stable, hard, and vibrant.   East Indian rosewood is available and preferred.   Brazilian rosewood is cost prohibitive and extremely hard to procure.

Walnut is a sort of "in-between" wood. It isn't as stable as mahogany, but doesn't move quite as much as maple. It is stiffer than mahogany and soft maple, but not quite as stiff as rock maple. Like mahogany, it has large pores which should be filled.    Eastern black walnut is preferred.

Mahogany is a less common choice, but still a viable option. It is more stable than maple, which is good, but it is not as stiff as maple, which is not so good. It is a darker wood, with a reddish-brown color. Unlike maple, it has open pores which should be filled, and that adds an extra step to the finishing process.    Honduras mahogany is preferred.

Maple can either be soft maple or rock maple. Rock maple has a higher stiffness rating, although neither wood is particularly stiff. Classifications such as curly maple or birds-eye maple are actually references to the pattern of the grain, and although they are very attractive, highly figured woods might make the neck less stable.   Eastern rock hard maple is preferred. 

Overall, the banjo industry has relied on maple because of availability, cost, and performance.   In my opinion, rosewood, walnut and mahogany offer more stability, longevity, and tone.

Trillium peghead in ebony   ....the original design.

10th fret ships compass custom inlay