http://stewmac.com/ http://www.firstqualitymusic.com/
on both websites you'll find most of parts that you'll need
unfortunately as the 5string banjos are more popular you won't find there a neck.
but you can try to make by yourself, buy a old one
or buy one from ebay from one of the guys from Taiwan - like taisamlu.
take a look at this website as well http://www.banjoseen.com/MakingTenorBanjo/TB2.html
and good luck with it
show us some photos when you'll finish.
StewMac are very good for small parts, not sure how expensive (trade off with slow) they would be for fairly large and heavy stuff like archtop wedges. Exchange rate improving at present!
In the Uk there's Touchstone Tonewoods in Reigate. They're very helpful but it's best to deal with them by phone. Their website catalogue is a useful guide but not mega up-to-date!
As you may know there's an archtop building section at mimf.com and mandolincafe.com covers tenors both in the builders section and in a section of their own.
Seán - If you mean a tenor *banjo*, Andy Perkins http://www.andybanjo.com is your man as far as the UK is concerned. Since you are outside the UK, however, you might find it cheaper to buy from the US - Stewart McDonald http://www.stewmac.com/ will have everything you need.
Are you intending to make your own neck and body from scratch, or just assemble the parts? Touchstone http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/catindex.html are good for hardware, bridges, skins etc., but I don't think they do ready-made necks and pots. There's also Dave Dyke http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/ in Sussex but, like Touchstone, he sells some of the hardware and consumables but not the necks and pots.
One of the difficulties of not living in the States is that you have to pay the duty, etc. on everything you import so the prices you see in the States is not what you end up paying. If you are determined to build an archtop banjo, the best places for parts are still First Quality and Gold Tone.
I finished a similar project two years ago using FQMS and Gold tone parts. The most difficult part of the process is fitting the neck to the rim, something I didn't want to learn on this banjo so I had FQMS do it for $20. Gold Tone will offer the same service if you ask.
You may still be able to get a level 2 tenor neck from FQMS. I know that Vin Mondello gets his from them so they have all the equipment to make a 19 fret neck. The level 2 neck is roughed out but not finished. FQMS will make a neck to your specifications while Gold Tone will sell you one of their standard necks. Changing the logo is not hard on a GT neck as it is a thin overlay.
The rest of the project is fairly simple as a banjo is an asseblage of parts.
I also recommend you talk to Andybanjo and see what a custom banjo will cost to have made up from either his parts or Gold Tone. For a very reasonable amount of money you can get a JLS tone ring (one of the best) put on GT parts and have a great tenor banjo. Compare the prices of a new Irish made banjo, the parts plus all the fees, and an Andybanjo special. I think you will be surprised.
I went the latter route with my latest banjo. I found a neck from an original TB-7 Gibson and a Gibson pot from the thirties and the rest was either OEM modern Gibson or top end parts. I had Cliff Fitch, a well known banjo luthier, put it together for me and the total cost was less than a new Gibson. Now I have a terrific banjo that rivals the original thirties Gibsons (I did an A/B against some originals and the owners of those banjos all said that I had captured the sound.) I don't regret not doing the work my self and I have a terrific banjo. The one I made is pretty good too, but I like this one better as it has a lot more mojo with all the original parts.
One other thing, if you decide to build your own, get the archtop ring from First Quality. IF you ever decide to switch to a flat head ring, it is a drop-in affair using their conversion ring. If you get the rim from FQMS, they will fit the ring to the rim and will fit the flange too.
Or you can do the same thing from Gold Tone. If you get the parts without the fitting, you will have to do it yourself and it is a lot easier in the long run to have the professionals fit the parts as they have the lathes and jigs needed to do the job. There will be plenty for you to do as you learn to setup your new banjo, add and subtract parts and tweak the instrument. I ended up building my own bridges which made a lot of difference in the sound.
Looking at the two English supply houses, the prices are very reasonable for the parts they sell. There are not enough parts to make a banjo, but heads, brackets, and even a flange (probably Chinese made, but good) are available. The major parts will still have to come either from Tom Cussen or the States.
Andy Perkins assembles and sells Gold Tone banjos in the UK. I don't know whether he sells the parts unassembled, but if he does, it might well be cheaper to buy from him than directly from the US, as he buys in large quantities.
If you,re thinking of putting any shell inlay in the neck, (or anywhere else for that matter), check out 'Duke of Pearl' They have a big selection of pearl and abalone blanks and are a lot cheaper than stewmac and the others.......
Building an arch-top tenor
Building an arch-top tenor
Any suggestions of where I can get parts?
# Posted on September 14th 2008 by seán_óg
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
http://stewmac.com/
http://www.firstqualitymusic.com/
on both websites you'll find most of parts that you'll need
unfortunately as the 5string banjos are more popular you won't find there a neck.
but you can try to make by yourself, buy a old one
or buy one from ebay from one of the guys from Taiwan - like taisamlu.
take a look at this website as well
http://www.banjoseen.com/MakingTenorBanjo/TB2.html
and good luck with it
show us some photos when you'll finish.
# Posted on September 14th 2008 by padre
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
You can probably buy tenor necks and other parts from Gold Tone.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by Steve L
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
StewMac are very good for small parts, not sure how expensive (trade off with slow) they would be for fairly large and heavy stuff like archtop wedges. Exchange rate improving at present!
In the Uk there's Touchstone Tonewoods in Reigate. They're very helpful but it's best to deal with them by phone. Their website catalogue is a useful guide but not mega up-to-date!
As you may know there's an archtop building section at mimf.com and mandolincafe.com covers tenors both in the builders section and in a section of their own.
Hope it goes well.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
I'm assuming you're talking about an arch-top tenor guitar here, Sean....
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Seán - If you mean a tenor *banjo*, Andy Perkins http://www.andybanjo.com is your man as far as the UK is concerned. Since you are outside the UK, however, you might find it cheaper to buy from the US - Stewart McDonald http://www.stewmac.com/ will have everything you need.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Are you intending to make your own neck and body from scratch, or just assemble the parts? Touchstone http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/catindex.html are good for hardware, bridges, skins etc., but I don't think they do ready-made necks and pots. There's also Dave Dyke http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/ in Sussex but, like Touchstone, he sells some of the hardware and consumables but not the necks and pots.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Learn something every day....
So an "arch top" banjo is one where the skin turns in over two rings, the inner one a bit higher?
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Actually, not two rings. Scroll down to the bottom of this page:
http://fancybanjo.com/info/history/history-pages/tone_ring.html
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Fair enough, two "corners" on one tone ring.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
One of the difficulties of not living in the States is that you have to pay the duty, etc. on everything you import so the prices you see in the States is not what you end up paying. If you are determined to build an archtop banjo, the best places for parts are still First Quality and Gold Tone.
I finished a similar project two years ago using FQMS and Gold tone parts. The most difficult part of the process is fitting the neck to the rim, something I didn't want to learn on this banjo so I had FQMS do it for $20. Gold Tone will offer the same service if you ask.
You may still be able to get a level 2 tenor neck from FQMS. I know that Vin Mondello gets his from them so they have all the equipment to make a 19 fret neck. The level 2 neck is roughed out but not finished. FQMS will make a neck to your specifications while Gold Tone will sell you one of their standard necks. Changing the logo is not hard on a GT neck as it is a thin overlay.
The rest of the project is fairly simple as a banjo is an asseblage of parts.
I also recommend you talk to Andybanjo and see what a custom banjo will cost to have made up from either his parts or Gold Tone. For a very reasonable amount of money you can get a JLS tone ring (one of the best) put on GT parts and have a great tenor banjo. Compare the prices of a new Irish made banjo, the parts plus all the fees, and an Andybanjo special. I think you will be surprised.
I went the latter route with my latest banjo. I found a neck from an original TB-7 Gibson and a Gibson pot from the thirties and the rest was either OEM modern Gibson or top end parts. I had Cliff Fitch, a well known banjo luthier, put it together for me and the total cost was less than a new Gibson. Now I have a terrific banjo that rivals the original thirties Gibsons (I did an A/B against some originals and the owners of those banjos all said that I had captured the sound.) I don't regret not doing the work my self and I have a terrific banjo. The one I made is pretty good too, but I like this one better as it has a lot more mojo with all the original parts.
Mike Keyes
http://www.mikekeyes.com
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by mikeyes
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
One other thing, if you decide to build your own, get the archtop ring from First Quality. IF you ever decide to switch to a flat head ring, it is a drop-in affair using their conversion ring. If you get the rim from FQMS, they will fit the ring to the rim and will fit the flange too.
Or you can do the same thing from Gold Tone. If you get the parts without the fitting, you will have to do it yourself and it is a lot easier in the long run to have the professionals fit the parts as they have the lathes and jigs needed to do the job. There will be plenty for you to do as you learn to setup your new banjo, add and subtract parts and tweak the instrument. I ended up building my own bridges which made a lot of difference in the sound.
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by mikeyes
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Looking at the two English supply houses, the prices are very reasonable for the parts they sell. There are not enough parts to make a banjo, but heads, brackets, and even a flange (probably Chinese made, but good) are available. The major parts will still have to come either from Tom Cussen or the States.
Mike Keyes
http://www.mikekeyes.com
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by mikeyes
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
Andy Perkins assembles and sells Gold Tone banjos in the UK. I don't know whether he sells the parts unassembled, but if he does, it might well be cheaper to buy from him than directly from the US, as he buys in large quantities.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
...Having just looked at his website: Yes, he does sell all the parts.
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Building an arch-top tenor
If you,re thinking of putting any shell inlay in the neck, (or anywhere else for that matter), check out 'Duke of Pearl' They have a big selection of pearl and abalone blanks and are a lot cheaper than stewmac and the others.......
# Posted on September 15th 2008 by banjoburger