Number 9

My latest attempt at "luthering" on a funky scale. I decided to build another electric canjo with one of my remaining film cans from my filmmaking daze. (I quit producing films in 2008, but kept some rolls of the original negative from my projects in film cans).

This particular canjo build features a solid walnut neck, chrome-plated tailpiece and tuners, and Flatpup Humbucker pickup with stainless steel cover. It is the ninth canjo I have put together, thus the name.

 

4-String Deltabucker

My latest 4-string canjo build consists of a mahogany neck and a Deltabucker pickup, with gold and brass fittings, and abalone-topped knobs on the volume and tone controls. The label on this film can (attached to the lid of the can on the back of the canjo) dates the can from a film job I shot in 1983 in Utah for the Jeremy Ranch Golf Course, which was designed by the late, great Arnold Palmer. The footage, processed by Alpha Cine Labs in Seattle, actually had a few shots of Mr. Palmer teeing off, and was used to promote the course in ad materials produced by Video West Productions of Salt Lake City, one of my clients.

One-of a Kind

Sapele Gold Electric Canjo

That's me at the tail end of my Kodakaster 3 Three-String Sapele Gold Electric Canjo. I think this is one of the prettiest canjos I have built. Plus, its very easy to play and sounds great, too, with its single roaring flat humbucker pickup (the copper colored rectangle under the strings) gold fittings, sapele hardwood neck and added volume control knob. Read about its history HERE

In the Beginning . . .

Billy Radd at the 2015 AAAC Buncombe Built Exhibit, Asheville, NC

Photo by Anita Gayle

It started about three years ago as a hobby. 

I had a bunch of old metal film cans left over from my 40 year career as a film maker. Instead of just chucking them all in the recycle bin, I thought, "How can I make something with them (so I can keep them)". And, my first "canjo" began to take shape. Dubbed "the Kodakaster", it was born on a small folding table in my garage using simple tools.

Each Electro Canjo, kalimba, percussion instrument, and combo amp I make is original.  As I work out all the details of starting a musical instrument business fair pricing and value we be at the top of my list.

So, standby for more details on Electro Canjos and how you can get your own. The description Fun To Play doesn't quite cover it.

Click here for a sample song I recorded for a video I shot at the

beach in Florida. 

There's another demo here of a Zepplin cover.