Banjo Class Builds

[hhopson]

In Spring of 2025 I taught a class called The Banjo in New College at the University of Alabama. The students built 13 banjos from Carver Banjo kits (and one banjo from spare parts/scratch) and learned to play them. None of the students had built a banjo before. Very few had any banjo playing experience. The banjo kits worked great! We used the worktables in the Art Department wood shop for the early parts of the build (especially for attaching the heads), but did the bulk of the work in a standard classroom setting. The class was supported by a grant from the Levitetz Leadership Program. The students learned so much, and they loved building and playing the instruments!

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[Carver Banjos]

Thanks for sharing! This is great, looks like the banjos turned out really well! A few of the students reached out to me with their results, which was nice.
If we should work together again in the future I’d like to offer your students some sort of deal so they can get a kit to keep at an affordable price. I would love to work with you again.

[hhopson]

The instruments worked great! And I’m thrilled that some of the students chose to purchase their own kit so they could continue playing. I hope to offer the class again during the 26-27 academic year.

[Author]

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