A maker in France, Philippe Revel, contacted me with these images and bio:

About the Gourd banjo: The neck is from lightly curly maple, finger board of cherry with rose wood veneer, backstrapping with rosewood too, I know backstrapping is not really authentic but I like it so much... (I did the same also on my 3 minstrels). Strings are Savarez Alliance KF (synthetic gut used on baroque instruments) with 4 kg tension tuned dADF#A. The inlayed flush frets are boxwood. The nut too. The tail piece is also box wood with lamination of ebony and boxwood again (for solidity (and beauty...?)). Skin is goat.

About me: As I told you in my first mail, Banjo making is my hobby and my passion. I am an airline pilot as a job (like Bob Flesher used to be!...) In my twenties I was involved in the Folk movement and made my first banjo from a pan..., still have it. Then I left all this on the side and came back to it only a few years ago when I was sick and out of work for 6 months, so I made a new banjo which I wanted to be more "serious", with WL tone ring and pearl inlays. Since that day I've been making banjos 1 or 2 in a year, just for the pleasure to test a new sound and find a new decoration. Always open back. On each banjo I try to go a little further than on the preceding one: engraving, carving etc. I am not a good musician but I love to play and practice from CDs. I am improving, but so slowly!... Generally alone or with records as there are so few people in France to play this music. Since a few months I met an American fiddler where I live and That's great!!!!

Philippe Revel May 2004