Final bracket prototype
More stunning brass hardware here. Even the biggest suppliers only have one or two options for most banjo hardware, and in the case of tension bracket shoes, there's just one. One shape, nickel plated. That works for 99% of the banjo world, I guess. I have no ties to old time traditions, and after seeing Jason Romero's banjos, that one shiny option would not do for me. Custom builders like Romero, Brooks Masten, and Greg Galbreath are seeing this need and capitalizing by designing their own custom hardware, available only on banjos they build. Bill Rickard is one of the few who sells brass hardware at all, and he does have a couple that would work for me. I couldn't get this J design out of my head, though. Fortunately for me I have a skilled father-in-law who knew just what to do: use his expertise and contacts to cut them out on a wire machine, then apply any necessary trick in the mold-making book to secondary operations and polishing.
So here we have it. The hook and nut came from Rickard. The bracket is pretty much a copy of Romero's rounded J-shoes. We've gone through a few iterations on steel. This is the final prototype. Production starts Thursday. I cannot wait to see these things in their final form. Imagine 16 of them wrapped around the bottom of the banjo rim. Better yet, chase the Romero link and see a picture. Then buy a banjo from him, because his stuff is amazing and what got me going on this whole project in the first place. He gets the credit for this bracket design and all my other good ideas. My tension hoop design comes from him, as will the aesthetic behind my wood and trim choices. A lot of these things were done a hundred years ago and forgotten, but I fully credit and thank Romero for rediscovering great old designs and updating them ever so tastefully.
