I really don’t offer many options compared to some of my colleagues. I thought that would help keep my work repeatable, consistent and recognizable, but I still end up surprising myself sometimes. This banjo sounds basically like my others, but it also has a little something extra that I have enjoyed discovering over the last couple of days. It is rich, dark, expressive and detailed. It is easy to play and responds to the lightest touch. It looks traditional, but is full of tiny details that draw the eye when you take the time to find them. It is the kind of work that keeps me going and willing to get out to the shop on a cold, dark morning. Everything is Curly Cherry and Texas Ebony, which I got from a retired banjo builder. I used lots of white sapwood pieces mixed in for visual interest. The 12” rim has no metal tone ring, a goatskin head and non steel strings.