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Doug also explored the possibility of flute-making when he received an Australia Council Grant in 1975 to spend a week in Melbourne under the direction of Australian recorder maker, the late Fred Morgan. This led to his making baroque and renaissance flutes which he continued until 1985.

From then on he diversified into other plucked string instruments, e.g. mandolin, bows for baroque and renaissance music, dulcimers etc.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

The first Iriguchi ukulele was built in June 2009. It was a little Mahogany soprano from a kit. That instrument is for sale for $1,000,000 since it will one day be a collector’s item.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

There are no CNC routers at George Banjos. Everything is crafted by hand using rasp, file, lathe, bandsaw and sanders. Though we have tried to present different banjo "models" to give customers a starting point to order a George bnajo, we are really a custom shop and each banjo that we make is unique. Please take a moment to read about Tommy and Christian below, and then peruse the Gallery and In Progress pages to see stunning examples of the work that is created at George Banjos.

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Two different styles of gourds are used in the making of my banjos. Canteen, which is what the name implies, is somewhat flat. This type of gourd gives the instrument plenty of punch. The other is a Martin kettle gourd which is more like a ball, and it tends to give a deeper sound.

All my gourd interiors are first coated with a wood hardner, then coated with a 2 part epoxy resin to strengthen the gourd and to improve the acoustics. A variety of finishes are available from clear acrylic to high gloss automotive clearcoats.

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My time is divided between building spec ukes for Dusty Strings in Seattle and Thiel’s Music in Astoria, and building ukulele on a custom order basis. The prices in the stores are between $200 to $400, and vary between $300 to $800 for custom ukes. Because I have a good pension and build instruments primarily because I love to, my prices are pretty low. I enjoy using all of the common woods for uke building, from the local myrtlewood and Port Orford cedar, to Honduran mahogany and koa from Hawaii. The aspect most enjoyable for me, is combining beautiful woods in an aesthetically pleasing manner to create a wonderful sounding instrument. The art of lutherie is very complex, there are always new things to learn and try.

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With the "hourglass" body shape, I have sought to create a traditional style, but with enough of my own unique design details to make it very different from the mainstream models offered by the large factory producers.

I also specialise in non-traditional woods, (including ukuleles built from all UK indigenous timbers) unusual wood choices such as afromosia, meranti and Indian rosewood and non-traditional shapes such as the peardrop and triangle body styles.

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I have been building professionally since 1992 in a one man workshop at home and my instruments are all made individually by me from start to finish. I have built over 160 instruments to date and average ten to twelve instruments per year.

Part of what distinguishes me from many luthiers is the story of the building process; it is an immersive, hands-on style that begins by going out to the forest in search of timber. I select trees, fell and re-saw them, air dry and grade so I have absolute control over the tonewoods that go into my instruments. It gives new meaning to the phrase "personally selected tone wood"

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While specializing in fretted instruments Ken has built banjos, balalaikas, dulcimers, mandolins, guitars, and ukuleles; in fact almost anything that caught his fancy or the interest of a customer. He tends to build in "traditional" styles although his Acousteel guitars use an adaptation of the new "Kasha-Schneider" bracing concept.

More information available on listings's web site.