Customs

Bishline Banjos specializes in custom-made banjos.

You’ve put in the hard work to learn to play the banjo. Why not reward yourself with a banjo that is built specifically for you by master craftsman, Rob Bishline?
Whether you just want to add a few options to a current Bishline model, or collaborate with Rob to create a banjo from the ground up, you might be surprised at the affordability of a banjo that is uniquely yours.
Choose from our private stock of high grade tone woods and bindings. Custom fit your fingerboard width, radius and scale length that best fits your hands. Choose from other options such as laminated necks, tunneled fifth string necks, tone ring or woody. Plus decorative options such as inlay, plated or powder coated hardware, personalized truss rod covers wooden armrests and much more.

Browse this gallery of custom banjos that Rob has built. Perhaps it will inspire you to “Design your own Bishline”.

Contact us today for a quote on a banjo with the custom options you would like.

bishlinebanjos@mac.com
Call Rob @ 918-639-5619

<< Return to Customs

Deluxe Archtop Gold Orpheum

This Gold Orpheum model features exquisite heel and back of headstock carving by Bruce Kunkel. The arch top tone ring and hardware are gold plated and were engraved by Steve Caddick .
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Deluxe Walnut

This walnut banjo features abalone purfling throughout, Koa binding, a speed neck finish, our ultra-light aluminum flange, gold hardware, and Keith D tuners.
Deluxe Walnut

Custom Ultra Light

This Walnut banjo features abalone fish and a sunflower in the resonator. With the Ultra-Light assembly it weighs in at 7 lbls.
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Ultra-Light Midnight Moon

This custom Midnight Moon features our ultra-light flange, a woody tone ring and a maple armrest with a Koa inset. Total weight of this banjo is 7.2 lbs!
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Ultra Light Harvest

This Harvest model features the Bishline Ultra Light Pot Assembly and weighs 6.9 pounds. Gold hardware and abalone purfling between the rim and woody tone ring give it some extra sparkle.
Ultra Light Harvest Pot Assembly

Arch Top

Built for Danny Barnes, this traditional banjo features an arch top tone ring, hearts and flowers inlay and red stained maple neck and resonator.
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Black Cimarron

This walnut Cimarron features black binding, a black suede head, black tuner knobs and a custom truss rod cover.
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Custom Okie

This Okie features flamed maple neck and headstock binding and a flamed maple rim cap. It also has a navy anchor made of difference woods inset in the scoop.
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Tunneled fifth string mahogany/ziricote

The simple elegance of this banjo is understated with scalloped diamond inlay. The banjo is figured mahogany with a ziricote fingerboard and head plate. The hoop, flange and tuners are black with gold hardware.
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Cremona Heirloom

Flamed maple stained with a reddish cremona burst, tortoise shell binding and a matching maple armrest.
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Wren

This walnut banjo featured a Wren flying over Rye grass. All inlay done in house.
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Top Tension Tree of Life

This custom walnut banjo features black top tension hardware with gold accents, abalone purfling through out, a tunneled fifth string neck, abalone tree of life inlay, a solid wood rim and resonator and a ziricote armrest and truss rod cover.
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Abalone Bowtie Danny Barnes

Mahogany with figured mahogany resonator and flamed maple binding. This Danny Barnes model has only changed the inlay to an abalone bowtie.
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Custom Dandelion Open Back

This maple open back features a Whyte Laydie tone ring and custom inlay done in house.
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Clermont Deluxe

This maple banjo features flamed maple on the neck and sides of the resonator and quilted maple on the back of the resonator. Abalone purfling and Koa binding frame this masterpiece. This monster is powered by the Bishline Special Reserve tone chamber.
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Open Back Rosemary

This is a scoopless version of the Rosemary in an open back banjo. It is mahogany with a Dobson style ring.
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Custom Rose

This is a high gloss, walnut banjo with black binding and Harvest style fingerboard inlay and a custom rose in the headstock. The truss rod cover is shaped as a vase.
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Whyte Laydie

This custom open back features a raw brass, Whyte Laydie tone ring and hardware. The neck and rim are maple, the binding is koa and it has an extra deep frailing scoop.

Walnut and Maple

This custom walnut banjo features flamed maple inlay and binding. The neck is a tunneled fifth string and the flange and hoop are powder coated black.
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Oklahoma Harvest

This Harvest Model features the symbol from the Oklahoma state flag inlaid in marquetry into the back of the resonator.
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Leaf Open Back

This Okie style banjo features mahogany leaves as inlay.
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Tunneled fifth string flying eagle

This walnut banjo features traditional flying eagle inlay pattern and a tunneled fifth string neck. The flange was custom made by the customer and the armrest is mahogan
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Custom Midnight Moon

This Midnight Moon was built for a customer in Hawaii and features a beach scene engraved in the gold tailpiece. Flamed Koa wood binding accents the black flamed maple. The hardware is black with gold accents.
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Custom Cross Harvest

This Harvest model features a cross in the headstock and gold hardware.

Custom Myrtlewoody

Fresh from the Bishline Custom Shop. This banjo features a myrtle wood resonator, back strap heel cap and truss rod cover and inlay. The neck is mahogany with a myrtle wood strip laminate and has a tunneled fifth string. It has an extended, 24 fret fingerboard made of streaked ebony to match the headplate. The pot assembly features a Bishline woody rim/ring and the new Bishline aluminum flange. The result is a beautiful, light weight powerhouse of a banjo!
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Open Back Clermont

The first Clermont built open back style. This banjo features raw brass hardware and a highly flamed maple neck.
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Custom Gold Orpheum

This Gold Orpheum from our limited series features gun style engraving.
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The Black Orpheum

This banjo is walnut with black binding, black flange and hoop, gold hooks, tuners and tailpiece.
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Custom honey maple

Built for a Steve Martin fan, this honey maple banjo features abalone purfling, gold hardware, original pearl and marquetry inlay.
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BanjOctopus

Here is a custom banjo built for Geoff in San Francisco. He drew the inlay, Craig Lavin cut it and Rob inlayed it. This banjo also features a "Special Reserve" pot assembly, abalone purfling through-out, Koa, binding and a tunneled fifth string neck.
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Custom Cole retro banjo

Here is Rob's reproduction of an 1890's Cole banjo.
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Custom Retro

This RB 18 style banjo is mahogany with a figured mahogany resonator and a red stain. The hardware is top tension and powder coated black.
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Tunneled fifth string Gold Orpheum

This beauty features a three- piece, laminated, walnut neck with a burl walnut resonator. It has a tunneled fifth string neck and original engraving with gold plating.
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Custom Blue Wave Banjo

Blue stained maple with natural flamed maple binding and resonator inlay. This highly customized banjo features custom fretboard inlay and armrest engraving.
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Wooden Woody

This maple, tunneled fifth string banjo features mahogany inlay, Koa binding,copper-veined powder coating, a woody tone ring/rim and a pick up

Blue Abalone

This blue-stained, maple banjo features block style, abalone inlay, and a laminated and tunneled fifth string neck.
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Navy Openback

Created for John in Kentucky, this maple open back is tobacco stained. The inlay is marquetry and was created to match the customers tattoo's. It has a laminated neck, white lady tone ring and Rob's original designed dow rod.
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Texas Woody

Flamed maple resonator, black powder coated flange and hoop, gold accents and a clear head.
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Maple Wreath

A beautiful, traditional banjo. Tobacco stained maple with a laminated neck.
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Walnut Woody

This banjo has a Bishline wooden tone ring/rim. It also features original abalone leaf inlay, an elite head, a pickup installed in the bridge, a walnut laminated armrest and black powder-coated flange and hoop.
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Walnut Leaf

This simple, yet tasteful banjo features a walnut neck with a burl walnut resonator and black binding. The inlay is mahogany and the finish is satin.
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Custom Cocobolo

This exotic wood banjo features a solid wood, braced cocobolo resonator, a mahogany, tunneled fifth string neck, an african madagascar fingerboard, and a three ply maple rim with a cocobolo tone ring. It is accented by a powder coated flange and tension hoop and a cocobolo heel laminate, back of the headstock laminate and armrest.
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Tortoise Clermont

This custom Clermont features tortoise shell/white binding and heel cap.
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Speed neck Woody

This walnut banjo features a tunneled fifth string, laminated, speed neck and simple diamond inlays. The hardware is powder coated and the tuners are gold with black buttons. It is a woody and has a pick up and strap jack built in.
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Texas Rose Open Back

A traditional mahogany open back with antique hardware and the Yellow Rose of Texas inlay. Gold tuners and the scooped fingerboard are also nice touches.
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Banjo/Madera combo

These fraternal twin instruments feature highly figured walnut with black binding and orpheum style inlay. The tuners are gold to match the engraved gold hardware on the banjo.
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Custom Midnight Moon 2

The resonator was designed by the customer and has the boy with the banjo sitting on the moon. The tuners and hardware are gold plated and the binding and armrest are Koa wood.
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Traditional quilted mahogany

Ludwig style inlay in an ebony fingerboard and head cap. This banjo is mahogany with flame maple binding around the headstock, fingerboard and resonator.

Zebra Wood

The highly figured wood speaks for itself. This banjo has a tunneled fifth string and short scale neck. The fingerboard is Madagascar rosewood and the armrest is laminated in zebra wood.
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Custom Midnight Moon 3

This custom moon features an original resonator design using marquetry, mother of pearl, and stain. The hardware is powder coated and the armrest is laser engraved Koa wood to match the binding and neck lamination. The tuners feature ebony knobs and the frets are stainless steel.
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Custom walnut Heirloom

This tunneled fifth string banjo features a figured head cap and amber tuners. Simple inlay pattern and white/black/white binding.
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Tunneled fifth string Wreath

Walnut with maple binding. It's a traditional wreath pattern inlay with a laminated, tunneled fifth string neck.

Custom Six String

Walnut six string with burl walnut resonator and lacewood binding separated by a white/black/white line. The neck and heel are laminated and the hardware is powder-coated

Custom Abalone Madera

Decorative abalone is featured in the headstock and fingerboard, but also runs along the binding in the body on this custom Maders. Walnut back and sides with spruce top.