RBSinTo

Thanks all, for the replies and advice. Yes, this is an inexpensive kit, and the head is synthetic rather than skin, so changes in humidity won't affect it. My concern was for the wood parts, so I'll probably just treat the Banjo as I do my guitrs, and keep it humidified, just to be safe. In order of importance, I'm most looking forward to the finishing, and assembly, and lastly fooling around with it. RBSinTo

Just for something pleasurable and theraputic to do, I bought my third musical instrument kit, a five-string Banjo, which I'll soon begin to finish and assemble. I've never played one before, and know virtually nothing about them, so please excuse my ignorance. While I will undoubtedly have more questions as I go, to start off, I'd like to know if it is necessary to humidify the box the unassembled kit comes in, as well as the storage case or gig bag after the assembly is complete? Please amd thanks RBSinTo

J185cat, Thanks for the recommendation, but it isn't necessary. After buying the guitar, I quickly found that the flange on the jack wasn't large enough to safely hold a guitar strap, so I made an endpin from Epoxy, using a decorative candle to make a mold. It has been in place for the six or seven years I've owned the instrument, and the strap has never slipped or come off. RBSinTo

Gearbasher, Thanks for the information. Your answer indicates that my j-45 could have been built with factory installed electronics that were subsequently removed. RBSinTo

As a sidebar to this discussion, I have a 2001 j-45 that I bought used (I am the third owner) about six years ago. It came with an input jack, but no other electronics or their installation scars that I can see. As I cannot seem to find any information on when Gibson began to put pick-ups in the j-45, I don't know if the jack was factory-installed, or put in after the fact. I'd appreciate if anyone could enlighten me as to when j-45's could be purchased with factory installed pick-ups. RBSinTo

Maybe it's a mousepad? RBSinTo

Got the sheet music for the Allman Brothers cover of "Stormy Monday", which is the next music project that my teacher has set for me. RBSinTo

Solo Music Gear sells kits in a number of different body styles that all come with basic hardware, amd are quite reasonably priced. The Luthiering tools, finishing products, and upgraded hardware (pickups, bridges, tuners and the like) are where they make a lot of their sales. RBSinTo

Very innovative. Making guitars from leftover case material helped Gibson survive The Great Wood Shortage of 1983. RBSinTo

If I had the manditory 1,200 clothes pins, all the specialty tools, and a proper workspace to build a guitar from scratch, being the rarest of the rare, a Jew who knows how to use tools, I'd take a shot and do it. However, since I haven't and don't, the best I could do was to build first an Classical Acoustic, and just recently, a single cut away hollow body jazz electric guitar, (both from kits of pre-built, but unfinished sub-units) from Solo Music Gear, here in Toronto. The toughest part of the acoustic build was positioning and gluing the bridge, while the most difficult part of the electric guitar construction was making the solder joints and running the wiring for the pick-ups, volume and tone controls, and the input jack connection (hint: flexible plastic aquarium tubing is a life-saver). Being retired, I completed these projects, just for the theraputic joy I get from working with my hands, although to my utter surprise, for the $400.00-odd dollars CDN that I spent on the electric, finishing materials and good strings, I have a surprisingly nice playing and sounding instrument that I enjoy. RBSinTo

Roller, Take the guitar to a reputable Luthier, and let them advise and quote you on repairing the problem. RBSinTo

You might also try StuMac, and assuming that you can navigate their user-unfriendly website, you might find what you're looking for. RBSinTo

For you Gibson acoustic archtop fans: Gibson Super 400 sunburst with McCarty Pickguard 1935. The Twelfth Fret here in Toronto has this guitar for sale, so I've posted this for those of you who like these instruments. https://www.12fret.com/instruments/gibson-super-400-sunburst-with-mccarty-pickguard-1935/ I have no affiliation with the store or the guitar's owner and post this merely as a courtesy to the Gibsonians of the Archtop persuasion. RBSinTo

My inexpensive amp always picks up noise when I turn it on, but it stops the instant I cease playing. Hmmmm. RBSinTo

Rabs, If you really need an explanatuon, you won't understand anyway. RBSinTo

Computer games How far we have come. I prefer to think of it as: Computer games how fargone we are. RBSinTo

Chief, "Scotch and Soda" was their most popular, and most requested song at concerts, and it took me about 50 years to finally get a correct score that matches their final concert version. Haven't made up my mind yet which guitar I'll use. Last concert I played the J-45, but The Kingston Trio were Martin guys, so I'll probably use the D-28 this time. RBSinTo

SteveFord, I assume that by "new music" you also mean sheet music. So.........I just got the sheet music to "God bless the child", which a good bud is playing in our upcoming concert that our music teacher is hosting. I may join him in this song on stage, in addition to the two songs that I'm playing: Clapton's unplugged version of "Nobody knows you when you're down and out", and The Kingston Trio's " Scotch and Soda". RBSinTo

The Beatles original"Yesterday and Today" cover was for me, a mystery. RBSinTo

slimt, Maybe they will just fade away. RBSinTo

Chief, Welcome back. Keep the flags of discontent flying. RBSinTo

Rob, Keep in mind that you pay for lunches in US dollars, and this guitar is priced in CDN dollars, so you might only have to skip lunches for four or five days to afford it. RBSinTo

For the Gibsonians who are interested: https://www.12fret.com/instruments/1946-gibson-sj-slope-shoulder-dreadnought-sunburst/ I have no affiliation with either the store or the owner of the instrument, and only post this as a courtesy to the members here. RBSinTo

MissouriPicker, We could have bacon and eggs. If we had some bacon. And if we had some eggs. RBSinTo

Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda. Go know. RBSinTo