The Folkcraft LAP-JO®

The Folkcraft LAP-JO® was developed in January, 2016 by Steve Ash and Richard Ash. 

Richard had the idea that he wanted to play the banjo, but knew that with his workload at Folkcraft he would be unlikely to be able to devote the time to learn a brand new instrument. There was a tradition of dulcimer/"other instrument" hybrids already. Steve announced that he could design a banjo/dulcimer hybrid, one with a real banjo head and an authentic banjo sound. The brothers decided to create a "semi-open-back" banjo. Not a full resonator banjo like the bluegrass players use, and not a closed back "folk banjo".

The Winchester, Kentucky luthier Homer Ledford made the first known dulcimer/banjo hybrid, which he called the DulciJo.

But back to 2016 - Steve and Richard took a month off from building instruments, and spent January of 2016 designing the LAP-JO. Steve would make a fretboard, or a rim (body). And then do a quick-and-dirty assembly of the parts, then Richard would string up the instrument. After quite a few cycles of the build/test process, the Folkcraft LAP-JO was born. 

Steve took a few of the first instruments to the Louisville Dulcimer Society's "Ohio Valley Gathering" festival in Lexington, Kentucky. That same weekend, Richard took the rest of the finished LAP-JOs to Homosassa, Florida for the Florida Gulf Coast Dulcimer Retreat. The two brothers both sold out of the LAP-JO on its opening weekend.

Here's Dana Gruber playing her LAP-JO in Lexington with Folkcraft Artist Dave Haas.

The LAP-JO's design has remained stable over the years - we've upgraded the hardware from the first few dozen instruments, and changed the wood from Honduras mahogany to an African mahogany. We did convince the LR Baggs company to make us some custom pickups for our LAP-JOs, and we now offer both the LAP-JO Standard and the LAP-JO Pro.

LAP-JO Standard

Here's a link to the "Design Your Own LAP-JO Standard" page.

LAP-JO Pro - with a built in pickup, and an ebony fretboard veneer

Here's a link to the "Design Your Own LAP-JO Pro" page.

Are you ready for some banjo-style dulcimer playing? Order your LAP-JO® today!