Waldman Chromatic Step 5-String Open Back Banjo – New

Chuck Waldman is a solo builder working in the Sierra foothills town of Sonora. He likes to build with domestic tonewoods, many of which are harvested just a few miles from his workshop. The neck and shell of this banjo are made from cherry, a wood that is light, strong and makes great instruments. The design is deceptively simple but with a closer look you’ll notice the artistry the builder gives to functional details, such as the wood tailpiece carved from claro walnut.

This model is called “The Chromatic. The pot is drilled in progressive depths in the same proportion to the fret spacing, hence the “chromatic” designation. Waldman drills 4 holes with depths based the chromatic scale of a 25 ½” string length neck. Each hole acts as an integral tone chamber adding tones to modify the main chamber of the pot. They add nice full overtones without ‘wolf notes

The banjo is loud and bright and not at all “plunky” or dark sounding. It has good volume with strong projection. “This banjo has my new concept for a tone ring: Douglas fir,” Waldman says. “I’m using a “guitar top wood” where the rim contacts the banjo head. Just as this wood affects the voice of a guitar, it produces a clear, concise tone for the banjo.” The metal parts including the tuners are raw brass which will develop a nice patina over a few years.