Spirit
New Technologies in Banjo Building and Prucha’s New Spirit Banjo Line
It’s remarkable how things have changed over the past forty years. I was fifteen when I made my first banjo. Imagine the entire drawing process back then - pencil, paper, carbon paper, tracing paper…many times over and over. Today we have computers and modelling programs - you don’t even have to measure, you can just send your files to CNC [computer controlled cutting], test it, correct, and resend the repaired files… I know there are luthiers out there who don’t appreciate the new technologies, or don’t even want to talk about them, but 99% of all luthiers purchase neck blanks, inlays and other parts and components already produced with the help of these technologies and tools. And I want to clearly state that these new building technologies have brought my own business, Prucha Banjo, to a higher level. My friend, and builder of great guitars, Franta Furch, introduced me to these technologies, showing me how to cut pearl with lasers. Since then we have ordered our inlay cutting work for our Spirit line at Furch Guitars, and the results were an immediate improvement.