When something grabs my interest, it will get made no matter what else I am supposed to be doing.

Tristan Seume asked me if I would be willing to make him a banjo. A few things dropped into place in my mind very quickly, I almost started drooling at the chance to work with some good solid metal, and I said yes. Tris posted this on Faceache, and said it was going to be made by "Uncle Roger", which I thought would be a great name for a banjo, so I was going to inlay "Uncle Roger" in the fingerboard in silver wire, but I haven't had time, I tried writing it in gold ink, that didn't work either. I've carved out the end of the fingerboard to make a frailing scoop, that is where the inlay would have been if I had done it, use your imagination.

There is a lot of Claro Walnut in this newsletter, 50 sections of it in this banjo, the rim is capped with African Blackwood top and bottom. I had to work hard to source all the raw brass components, and I think they match the dark wood very nicely; I'm really pleased with.

It will be at Ullapool, heavily guarded. What about an Ullapool Banjo Festival? I'm going slightly pale with that thought.