It started off as an experiment, but I quickly knew that it was going to be successful. 10” rim instead of 8”, which gives a little more depth to the sound and possibly a little more volume. It also matches the 17” scale nicely. The wood is Clockmaker’s Koa wood, saved from the Carpenter Ant stash. I’ve never made a Koa banjo before, but I’m glad I did. I think I will offering this to customers in the future, as long as I can continue to salvage Koa from sources I trust. As always, I will donate to plant native Hawaiian trees through https://savinghawaiisforests.org.
The Texas Ebony fretboard is from a retired banjo builder and pairs well with the Koa neck. I had to make a custom brass hoop for this one and mount a nice goat skin head. It’s lighter weight than I expected and is a treat to play.

“Aaron,

Wow! What a wonderful, beautiful instrument. Thank you for working with me on creating an instrument that is beyond my expectations. The koa wood is not only beautiful but the tone is rich and warm with mid tones that stand out; you can hear every note clearly. The 10” rim not only brings out the bass notes and adds additional volume, but she sounds more like a banjo than an ukulele. And she sits well in the lap. Your craftsmanship is seamless; best in the business. I had never played nor seen one of your instruments, so I was taking a chance. I am not disappointed. I think you have a hit here with the 10” rim tenor banjolele. Cheers!!
All the best,
J. C. ”