Banjo #7 - shines and shimmers

Yesterday I was installing the skin on this left handed banjo commission - but before I got to work I took a moment to admire the beautiful collection of shimmers that the oiling has brought out.

One of the greatest joys of instrument building, for me, is just getting to work with wood. I love the way that small interventions - shaving off the surface, sanding smooth, oiling - reveal previously hidden qualities.

A lot of these qualities are quite minor - in this case we're not dealing with fancy flamed maple or wood with a particularly striking figure, and when you're playing the banjo you probably won't be paying much attention to them. But when these bits catch the light just right, they're gorgeous - especially when you're seeing them for the first time.