Ballard Banjers - What's he building in there?

Ballard Banjers

Maple Whyte Laydie

12/10/2025

Just got around to photographing and recording last week's Whyte Laydie commission!

11" Flamed Maple rim with Ebony cap
Whyte Laydie tone ring
Bracket band
26 3/16" Maple bound Ebony fingerboard
Flamed Maple neck
Remo Renaissance head
D' Addario medium strings

Flamed Ash Fretless

11/20/2025

Just finished and available to buy!

11" lightly figured Ash rim
Calf skin head
Flamed Ash neck
Brass hardware
Geared tuners
La Bella nylon strings

Banjos 222 and 223

10/25/2025

Banjo #222
12" Boire block rim
Brass rod tone ring
Renaissance head
Boire neck
25.5" scale Ebony fingerboard
Mother of pearl 'Turtle' inlay
D'Addario medium gauge strings
Ebony capped Cherry 'Ballard' bridge

Banjo #223
12" bent Walnut rim
Brass rod tone ring
Renaissance head
Walnut neck
25.5" scale figured Ebony fingerboard
D'Addario medium gauge strings
Ebony capped Cherry 'Ballard' bridge

2 x Brazilian Mahogany Banjos

6/17/2025

These latest two banjos are made from Brazilian Mahogany, both feature 12" pots and 26" scale lengths. These will possibly be the last Brazilian Mahogany banjos I make, as I used the very last pieces I had and it's virtually impossible to get hold of nowadays.
One of the banjos is a commission, but the other is available to purchase.

12" Brazilian Mahogany rim
Goat skin head
Indian Rosewood tone ring
26" Pau Ferro fingerboard

12" Brazilian Mahogany rim
Rolled brass tone ring
Renaissance head
26" Ebony fingerboard with 12" radiused fingerboard
Kershner tailpiece

Fretless 'Howlin' Wolf' Banjo

5/8/2025

The latest fretless banjo!

11" European Flamed Ash rim
Skin head
European Flamed Ash neck
Ebony fingerboard and peghead overlay
Mother of Pearl inlay
Nylgut 'Minstrel' strings
Sycamore bridge

Banjos 216,217 and 218

4/3/2025

Just finished these 3 banjos and added them to the '...in stock' page, two fretless and one fretted, check 'em out!

#216
12" Brazilian Mahogany rim
Renaissance head
Brazilian Mahogany neck
Heavy gauge nylon strings

#217
12" Cherry rim
Sonokling tone ring
Goat skin head
Cherry neck
Nylgut 'Minstrel' stringsd

#218
12" Walnut rim
Goat skin head
Dobson tone ring
Walnut neck
25.5" scale
D'Addario medium gauge strings

Banjo #215

2/24/2025

Fresh from the workshop and available to purchase, banjo #215.

11" Black Walnut block rim
Rolled brass tone ring
Fibreskyn head
Black Walnut neck with Maple pinstripes
25.5" Ziricote fingerboard, peghead overlay and heel cap

Full specs on 'Banjos in stock' page

I'll be working on a couple of fretless commissions next and hoping to squeeze in a couple of 'stock' fretless banjos too!

Maple Fretless

1/31/2025

The latest fretless commission:
11" Maple rim
Sonokling tone ring
Walnut rim cap
Maple neck
Ebony fingerboard and peghead overlay
Goat skin head
Geared tuners
Nylgut 'Minstrel' strings

The 1st Banjo of 2025!

1/9/2025

Just finished the first banjo of 2025, a nice start to the year.

12" Walnut rim
Indian Rosewood tone ring
Renaissance head
25.5" scale
Lignum Vitae bridge

Electric Box Banjo

12/6/2024

Just finished this fun little 'Box Banjo'! As it turned out so nice, I'll be making some more next year and offering them as an alternative 'standard' model.
Primarily built to be amplified, it doesn't sound too bad unplugged.

Brazilian Mahogany box with tin top
Brazilian Mahogany neck
24.75" scale Pau Ferro fingerboard
Humbucker pick up