banjo@janish.info
I fell in love with the sound of the five string banjo at the moment I heard Bill Monroeīs Bluegrass Boys play the Lonesome Road Blues on the radio in the spring of 1975. I bought a cheap banjo at that time and started to practice. I found very quickly that the sound of the cheap instrument did not suit me. Since I had no money to buy an expensive model I decided to build a banjo with my own hands. I was so caught by making the banjo that I built ten more instruments by 1980. I was one of the founders of the bluegrass group OASA, where I played the banjo, and continue to play today. Five string banjo has always amazed me very much, and thatīs why I have always tried hard to make the best instrument possible, to produce not only the good pre-war sound, but also a nice design and hand crafted quality. I have built banjos professionally and full-time since 1980, and I like this job. My wish to all the players playing my instruments is that they enjoy the same pleasure I do.
Yours truly,
Pavel Janišš
CASE FOR BANJO AND ACCESSORIES

     

LEAF

    WOOD: Europen walnut, ivoroid binding, wood purfling, flat ebony fingerboard, white pearl. Janish inlays style.
    Bell bronze tonering: Pre-ware style 20 hole flathead, zincal flange, 3-ply maple rim, Clamshell talpiece nickel plating of metal parts

SNOW FLAKE STANDARD

    This is the most simple and cheep model in my offer. All these models are manufactured from walnut or mahogany wood. This model is delicately inlaied with white mother of pearl inlays. 20 holes flathead tonering is used on this model and is machined from cast bell - bronze alloy and is nickel plated. The banjo pot contains also 3 - ply maple rim and zincal or bellbronze flange. Tailpiece is Janish or Presto type.

SNOW FLAKE DELUXE

    It is more expencive "BROTHER" of favourite SNOW FLAKE. The same design contains combined white - abalone pearl pattern inlays, coloured wooden purflings under ivory bindings on the back of the resonator. Walnut or mahogany wood is used. The pot is the same as the standard - 20 holes flathead tonering machined from cast bell - bronze alloy, 3 - ply maple rim, zincal or bellbronze flange and Janish or Presto type tailpiece.

PICKER

    It is more expencive model, I offer for those players they like unusual things. In the basic outfit this model is always inlaied by abalone pattern inlays. I use only top quality figured walnut wood with wooden purflings and ivoroid bindings, or curly maple with sunburst finish and ivoroid/black/ivoroid bindings. The standard banjo pot is very nice if gold plating and hand engraving metal parts are used. They must be ordered separately.

VIRTUOS

    I started with itīs production at the beginning of 2000. This model is styled as a moderner kind of banjo. It contains combined white - abalone pearl pattern inlays, wooden purflings on the neck and resonator and the standard banjo pot.

BLACK STONE

    This version of banjo was made by me according to wish of my friend and player on banjo. He is oriented on modern bluegrass and jazz music. There was used US walnut and on the back of resonator burl walnut. The fifth string leads under the round fingerboard on the peghead where are all of the five guitar tunning pegs. Metal parts are antracite with gold - plated hooks and screws. It is an instrument suitable for everybody that likes non - traditional design of banjos.

VIRGIN

    This model is the most expencive type, I offer. I started with itīs production in 2000 as the "Millenium model". Only natural raw materials are used for wooden parts of this banjo.There are curly maple bindings used together with wooden purflings on the peghead as well as the neck and resonator. Only top quality highly figured walnut or flame maple are used in natural finish design. Special abalone pattern inlays are used on the neck and peghead. The standard banjo pot is used but all the metal parts are hand engraved with special patterns and are gold plated with 24 k / gold.

    Note that all models except "VIRGIN" and "FLYING EAGLE" are available also as tenor banjo models and it is also possible to order arch top tonering for them.

CONDUCTOR

    TOP Janish banjo Conductor and Conductor Janish signature.

SNOW FLAKE DELUXE PLECTRUM VERSION GOLD PLATING, ENGRAVING
     
HEARTS AND FLOWERS

    This is the most favourite instrument by many players including Earl Scruggs. As the original Gibsons my models are made from top quality curly or flame maple wood with ivory/black/ivory celluloid bindings and sunburst finish or walnut figured wood with wooden purfling. The pot is the standard 20 holes flathead tonering, 3 - ply maple rim, zincal or bellbronze flange and Janish or Presto style tailpiece.

FLYING EAGLE

    This type is well known by many bluegrass players. As the originals by Gibson co. , my models are manufactured from top quality curly maple or high figured walnut wood. There are also coloured wooden purflings used on this type and the standard banjo pot with 20 holes flathead tonering.