designed to be the
BEST PLAYING CONTEMPORARY GOURD BANJO
This gourd banjo was conceived for a contemporary musical settings rather than a strict historic reproduction. Fr over 20 years, Pete has continued to look for ways to improve its tone and playability after his apprenticeship with the late Scott Didlake, of Jackson, Mississippi. The instrument is simple in design, but endlessly variable though use of different woods, stains, and finishes; geared tuners and electric pick ups are even options.
Banza Base Prices:
Banza-Kat 4-string $950.00
Banza-Kat 5-string $1,000.00
Kalinda Banza 4-string $1,100.00
Kalinda Banza 5-string 1,200.00
Base price includes figured wood and stained gourd. Geared turners, frets, gut strings, and custom details are an additional cost.
Banza-Kat 4-string $950.00
Banza-Kat 5-string $1,000.00
Kalinda Banza 4-string $1,100.00
Kalinda Banza 5-string 1,200.00
Base price includes figured wood and stained gourd. Geared turners, frets, gut strings, and custom details are an additional cost.
I only work on custom orders and my waitlist is currently closed. If you are a musician or museum with an exhibit or performance date you have to meet, please contact me. I'm happy to talk banjo if you have any special commission ideas you’d like to talk about as well. You can also get on my email list to stay updated on when I will be opening my list again and for any builder's choice banjos that may become available.
Banza-Kat
The Banza-Kat is the latest re-engineering of the Kalinda Banza. The reconfigured neck-gourd joint adds strength, while the entire neck is flatter and more stream-lined.
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Four strings, curly maple neck with red-brown stain, stained gourd, dark goat-skin head, and dark tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Fretted Banza-Kat
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Five strings, curly maple neck with red-brown stain, wenge fretted fingerboard with side-dot position markers, lightly stained gourd, dark goat-skin head, and dark tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Kalinda Banza
The Kalinda Banza is a further evolution of the instrument Pete learned to make with Scott in Mississippi. Leaving some of Scott's ideas aside, Pete has returned to the use of all natural materials and drawn from West African musical instruments for aesthetic inspiration and enhanced structural strength.
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Four strings, figured walnut neck, lightly stained gourd, light goat-skin head, and dark satin tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Kalinda Banza
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Four strings, figured maple neck with bubinga fingerboard, red stained gourd, light goat-skin head, and brass tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Kalinda Banza
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Five strings, figured maple neck with wenge fingerboard, red stained gourd, medium-dark goat-skin head, and patinated tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Kalinda Banza
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Five strings, red-stained figured maple neck with bubinga fingerboard, brown stained gourd, light goat-skin head, and dark satin tacks. Click on any image above to enlarge.
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Curly maple with wenge fingerboard, specialized with pickup.
Bubinga neck with wenge fingerboard.
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Wenge neck with bloodwood fingerboard.
Wenge neck with fretted bloodwood fingerboard.
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