
Welcome to my Gourd Banjo website. My name is Barry Sholder, and I am the maker of Barry Sholder Gourd banjos and Barry Sholder Gourd Ukulele.
When I make one of my instruments, I approach the building process as an organic sculpture taking into consideration the color and texture of exotic woods, shape and size of the gourds, color contrast. These elements combine to give the musician, not only a fine musical instrument, but a beautiful piece of art.

Available Items
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Banjo #429 Fretless Gourd 5 String Banjo “Watermelon Man”
Cherry Neck with oil finish Oak Fretless Fingerboard Hand Carved and Colored Peghead Ebony Friction Violin Tuners ... very smooth operation Big Canteen 11" deep x 5 1/2" tall ... Deep Tone 1 3/4" Soundport Romero Style Tailpiece Barry Sholder Standard Gourd Banjo String Set *Extra strings available on the accessaries page **This banjo can be custom ordered with frets.$475.00 -
New Barry Sholder #430 Fretted 5 String Gourd Banjo “Tall Gourd”
Black Walnut neck with oil finish Fretted Oak Fretboard 26 3/16" scale Tall Gourd 10" length x 6 1/2" wide x 5 1/2" deep Sound Port 1 3/4" Goat Skin Head Ebony Violin Friction Tuners...very smooth operation Corian Nut 1 3/16" wide Black Walnut Dots with a turquoise dot at the 12th fret Barry Sholder std. Gourd String Set Free "Simple Strap" included *Extra sting sets available on the accessories page **This banjo can be custom ordered without frets$475.00 -
New Barry Sholder Fretless 5 String Gourd Banjo #427
Black Walnut neck with Oil Finish Oak fretless Finger Board 9" dia. x 5 1/2" deep Kettle Gourd with a 2 sound port Goatskin Head Corian Nut 1 3/16" wide Ebony Violin Friction Tuners....very smooth operation Barry Sholder Gourd Banjo String Set Romero style tailpiece *Extra Stings sets available on the accessories page **This banjo can be custom ordered with frets.$400.00 -
New Barry Sholder Fretless Gourd Banjo #428 “Naked Curly Maple”
Highly figured Curly Maple Neck ... oil finish 12" Canteen Gourd with 2" Sound Port Big Bright Sound Fretless Premium Curly Maple Parts Ebony Violin Friction Tuners ... very smooth operation Romero Style tail piece Curly Maple Nut 1 3/8" Barry Sholder Standard Gourd string set (tunes to open G) *Extra Stings sets available on the accessories page **This banjo can be custom ordered with frets.$480.00 -
New Barry Sholder 5 String Gourd Banjo #431 Fretted “Hotrod”
Madagascar Rosewood Fretboard Premium curly maple neck Boucher #13 peghead Kettle Gourd 9" dia. x 5" Deep Turquoise cabachon peghead button Corian Nut 1 3/8" wide Ebony friction violin tuner pegs ... very smooth operation Goatskin Head 1 3/4" sound port Romero style tailpiece Barry Sholder std. Gourd Banjo string set *Extra Stings sets available on the accessories page$475.00
Banjos
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New Barry Sholder #430 Fretted 5 String Gourd Banjo “Tall Gourd”
Black Walnut neck with oil finish Fretted Oak Fretboard 26 3/16" scale Tall Gourd 10" length x 6 1/2" wide x 5 1/2" deep Sound Port 1 3/4" Goat Skin Head Ebony Violin Friction Tuners...very smooth operation Corian Nut 1 3/16" wide Black Walnut Dots with a turquoise dot at the 12th fret Barry Sholder std. Gourd String Set Free "Simple Strap" included *Extra sting sets available on the accessories page **This banjo can be custom ordered without frets$475.00 -
Banjo #371 fretless Gourd 5 string “Modified Buckbee “
Mahogany neck Oak fretless fingerboard 26 3/16" scale Modified Buckbee Minstrel peghead Ebony friction tuners Barry Sholder standard string set Corian nut Canteen gourd 10 1/2" dia. x 4 1/2" deep 2" soundport Goatskin head * this banjo can be custom ordered with frets. Out of Stock/Special Order Available
Please note: Available for special order means that the instrument is currently unavailable and will have to be built Usually about 2 weeks. -
New Barry Sholder Fretless 5 String Gourd Banjo #427
Black Walnut neck with Oil Finish Oak fretless Finger Board 9" dia. x 5 1/2" deep Kettle Gourd with a 2 sound port Goatskin Head Corian Nut 1 3/16" wide Ebony Violin Friction Tuners....very smooth operation Barry Sholder Gourd Banjo String Set Romero style tailpiece *Extra Stings sets available on the accessories page **This banjo can be custom ordered with frets.$400.00 -
New Barry Sholder Gourd Banjo #419 “Fencepost”
Cherry Neck with Faux barnwood All rough and natural except the neck Oak Fretless Fingerboard (26 3/16" scale) Barnwood Peghead Hand-carved Nut Hand-carved tuning pegs Hand-carved nut 1 7/16" Rusty Nail Goatskin Head Not so round Canteen Gourd 8 1/2" X 5" Deep 2" Soundport Romero Style Tailpiece Barry Sholder Std. gourd String Set *Extra string sets available on the accessories page **Can be ordered with frets **Out of stock/Special Order Available$430.00Please note: Available for special order means that the instrument is currently unavailable and will have to be built Usually about 2 weeks.
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New Barry Sholder Fretless Gourd Banjo #434 “Mel”
Oak fingerboard oil finish Cherry Neck oil finish Handcarved Painted Woodspirit Peghead Rosewood Bridge Big Kettle Gourd 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" deep 1 3/4" soundport Black Goatskin head Corion Nut 1 5/16" Ebony Friction Tuners (Very Smooth Operation) Barry Sholder Standard Gourd Banjo String Set *Extra string sets available on the accessories page$440.00
Banjoleles
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New Barry Sholder Banjolele Uke #091T (Tenor)
Walnut Neck 14 Frets 17" sclae Oil Finish Purpleheart Fretboard/Oil 8" X 4" Canteen Gourd with 1 1/2 " Sound Port Lucy's Vintage Friction Tuners Aquila Tenor Regular 10u String Set Corian Nut Goatskin head *Extra sting sets available on the accessaries page **Can be ordered in concert size$350.00 -
Banjolele #084C Concert “Bottle Gourd”
Premium Curly maple neck with a brick red dye...with Tru-oil gloss finish Oak fretboard 12 frets Mother of pearl top dots and white side dots Bone nut 1.43" wide Grover Champion Sta-Tite friction tuners. These are top of the line. Aquila standard nylgut string set #7U Bottle gourd (2 chambers) measures 9 1/2" long, 4 1/2" deepest point Goatskin, Romero style tailpiece Free strap included Please note: Available for special order means that the instrument is currently unavailable and will have to be built Usually about 2 weeks.$400.00 -
New Barry Sholder Gourd Banjolele Uke#092T Tenor size
Walnut Neck 16 frets 17" scale 1 3/4" sound port Goatskin head 8" dia x 3 1/2" deep canteen gourd Western Cedar fretboard C.B. Gitty chrome & Pearl friction tuners Corian nut 1.27" wide Aquila 87U Red Series tenor string set$350.00 -
New Barry Sholder Banjolele Uke #093C (Concert) “Radical”
Curly cherry neck Oak fingerboard Canteen gourd 7 1/4" dia X 3 3/4" deep with 2"soundport Oak fretboard Green abalone fretboard dots Lucy's vintage friction tuners Cherry bridge Corian nut Cocobolo peghead & scoop veneer Aquila New Nylgut strings #7U *Extra sting sets available on the accessories page$400.00
Accessories
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labella #13 banjolele string set
It has a wound 3rd. 1st.......024 2nd......032 3rd......036w 4th......028$12.00