Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello Community!

First, please allow a hearty thank you for allowing me to participate!
Second, there is no category in this forum for new inventions so I decided this thread category might be the best place to post. (bass & guitar)

I joined this forum in hopes of connecting with innovative and visionary artisans who may be interested in evolving stringed-instrument development in the USA. In march of this year (2011) I finalized the concept, operational prototype, and the patent application for my latest invention: The BanaStar. The patent application is currently on file at the USPTO and is application number: 13/067,350 - Effective Date: 5/26/2011

The BanaStar is a fusion of the 5-string banjo, the bass, and the guitar. While a very unorthodoxed and unconventional concept... the prototype is proving to be a musical force to contend with. After revealing the instrument to several professional musicians in my proximity, we have abandoned the bands we were involved in and formed a new group: "The BanaStar Project".

I am very interested in speaking with veteran luthiers who may have an interest in exploring the opportunities presented by this new invention. As an independent entrepreneur I wanted to reach out to other independent entrepreneurs. I have been in contact with several of the major manufacturers... they are aware of the project and are watching it. However, as an entrepreneur for over 3 decades, I would rather connect with independent innovators like myself. If you are such a visionary innovator and master luthier... please feel free to contact me.

If you would like to follow the BanaStar project, you may do so at: http://www.banastar.com

There is a free e-book available at the site if you are interested in the story behind the development of the new instrument: "The BanaStar - An American Original"

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to hearing from anyone within the community who wishes to connect on this!

BanaStar

Frickin spammer!

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I'd like to see a picture of this monstrosity.
There's none anywhere.

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!

hmmm... I was under the assumption that a forum of luthiers would be the place for someone to try to connect with those who build and innovate technologies related to stringed musical instruments. I know the BanaStar concept may seem a bit hard to comprehend for some so I will assume that Chris Pile is an exception to the rule in regard to intelligence (IQ) among the members here.

Access to the prototype, the music, the band, patent info can be available for qualified individuals.

To be clear (even so Chris can understand it)... I am trying to connect with the right visionary luthier in order to take my project to the next level. I apologize if I have been incorrect in assuming a luthiers forum is the place to do so. If that is the case, feel free to delete this thread and accept my apologies. BUT >> REMEMBER this opportunity actually passed through your universe... because you will be hearing about it.

Why don't you just post some pics and information here instead of driving us to another website? It seems like if you want to connect with people here, this would be the place to do it.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Access to the prototype, the music, the band, patent info can be available for qualified individuals.....BUT >> REMEMBER this opportunity actually passed through your universe... because you will be hearing about it.

It'll never fly till you add a mandolin. Just think, you can be a One-Man, Bluegrass Band with your BanaMandoStar!!

I went to the other website, didn't see any pictures.
I'm just curious.

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!

Hey...if you ask me...I'm a visionary....but how smart are you to come to a board and mock someone without knowing who he connects with around here?

This opportunity is going to pass through your universe too if you can't figure out how to relate to lesser mortals.

_________________
I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Great! Some new guy shows up and just BLURTS out his idea on the first post.

I have been at LEAST been trying to butter up you guys before I let out my new invention, but hey, it's never too late right? My Patent number is BS400982310086c by the way. Any white papers have been rolled already, but that was back in the 70's.

Hey, at least I have the gnads to post a picture of mine.



PS, since I do not qualify as a Masterbat... oops Master BUILDER", I don't have anything to lose with this post

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

actually, that's kinda what I was picturing in my head....

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!

actually, that's kinda what I was picturing in my head....

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!

Listen.... you come on here and your first post smells of spam.... it walks like a spam, and it talks like a spam, and it looks like a spam. So like any reasonable person (which you are not), I got some exercise leaping to the conclusion that IT WAS SPAM.

I still think it's spam. If it's not prove it.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

DISACLAIMER: Extreme sarcasm in the following post. Please brace yourself.

Chris,
I am not sure why you think spending a lifetime building and repairing instruments "qualifies" you to actually see this BananaStar. Obviously, you need one or two more lifetimes to qualify. Now, if you were to perhaps make $200,000 guitars *ahem-CostaGuitars-ahem* you might qualify.
Regards,
The always qualified,
Tony

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Filippo,
No offense to you either, but why do you think being very successful at helping other businesses grow and flourish makes you in any way qualified to help this particular business grow and flourish? I mean...I am looking really hard and I see no parallels. Perhaps your particular skill set would be better utilized helping another business grow and flourish because this invention does not need to grow or flourish. It simply needs to be unveiled and BOOM!! Gazillions of dollars!! I looked long and hard ant your website sir, and I see no "I Unveil Crap with Much Awesomeness" section. Only stuff about how you help small, home based businesses like FINRA, or the NASD improve their businesses.


DISCLAIMER: The preceding nonsense was the epitome of sarcasm. If you dont get it, I don't know how to help you.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

What? Nobody likes MY invention? Fine! Just give ALLLLLLL the attention to the new guy.

Serious, my instrument can do WAY more soloing than a Guitar/Bass/Banjo hybrid.

Mine has a kazoo, so ya gotta blow it at the same time.

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Virgil,
I sent you a PM about joining forces with you. I really see no need to say anything about the intense awesomeness of your creation. It says things that words are too primitive to convey. I would be honored to send my children's college funds to be even a small part of the greatness that is your invention.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

And don't forget, I plan to do LOTS of inlay on that mutha.

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

That fact was not overlooked.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Bling it
String it

Then fling it

_________________
I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

1 - SPAM!
2 - Your idea is st*p*d
3 - Why are you hiding it? You want us to jump onto your project, but you don't matter to post a pic here. Even on your website. No photo on Google exept Eric Bana (Star Trek) (you should contact him for your commercials!), no video on youtube. Come on dude, show it, we won't steal your idea, because...
1- We have a patent on it.
2- Your idea is st*p*d


By the way, in french (well, in canadian french), ''Patente'' is a slang word to say: A useless object.

Good LOCK.

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

He saved America's honor.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Discuss:Did_america_invent_any_musical_instrument

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

I think its real. I googled it. Theres no pictures of it but there IS a legit website. i dont think this is spam.

David,

While I can appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, I'm not sure that building these instruments will be a viable thing to do, but maybe I'm wrong. You can certainly build one, but to what ends? I'm thinking that if it's a good idea the big companies that you've contacted would have already made a contract with you for production, unless you're looking to get an independent luthier to do prototype work for you. There are crazier instruments out there to be sure...

I thought this was spam at first as well, but trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I have to fess up here - I really feel he should have posted a picture of his idea and been a little more specific of the intent of the posting. I am sure most people on these boards are open to see new ideas that are being conceived out there, but if he is just shopping for investors, this may not have been the greatest place to start, or at least, not a great approach. Last I saw, most people in this room are builders that probably don't have enough time to get every one of their OWN concepts into their OWN builds (maybe that's just me? I'm not sure), let alone building a hybrid instrument that would be very difficult to market.

Here is a FINE example of seeing something that was thought up, built and a performance - all in one video... Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the 27-string guitar:
http://www.wimp.com/stringguitar/

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Awesome vid, Virgil!
Can you imagine playing something like that?
Especially the higher autoharpy ones?