We have just discovered another set of historic plans as part of Cigar Box Nation's ongoing research to archive homemade folk instruments. How a Boy Can Make a Banjo was first published in the Salt Lake Herald on Aug. 20, 1893.
The article describes an actual playing banjo that was used by an African American performer. The body is made from a wooden cheese box.
(The unfortunate reality of this historical article is that the author chose to use a racist term to describe the maker. Through Photoshop, we've removed the term so that these plans can live on without prejudice.)
In addition to the banjo, the article describes how to make a Flageolet flute.
Homemade Banjo Plans from 1893
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