How to Build a Banjo

December, 1888

Here's a nice project for a rainy Saturday...

"A  Boy's Own Paper" was a publication for English boys intended to provide  edifying stories and ensure representation of an underlying Christian  morality during their formative years. This weekly paper originally cost  one penny and went on sale September 18th, 1879. The following is a  December 1888 article on "How to Build a Banjo". Victorian youths must  have been quite resourceful craftsman to have completed this project.  The previous article was "How to Build A Steam Engine"! It involved  sheet brass and fabricating various valves. I'll stick to banjos.

Click on the download below to open a readable size PDF facsimile of the paper.

 Here is an interesting resource for actual banjos of the 19th Century.   

The Banjo Hangout provides tablature, lessons, discussion groups, other links - Good source for what contemporary banjo players are up to.