Welcome to Nashville Banjo Company
I’m Dave Dillard, a banjo builder and player here in Nashville, Tennessee.
I build open-back banjos one at a time in my workshop using traditional materials like hardwoods, brass, and natural skin heads. My goal is simple: build an instrument that sounds good, plays comfortably, and feels like it belongs in your hands.
Whether you’re looking for your first custom banjo or your next one, I’m glad you’re here.
My dad encouraged me to pick up the banjo in high school, and it set my life on an interesting course. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from Clemson, I loaded up my banjo, fiddle and mandolin into my red Chevy pickup and drove to Nashville — chasing music and adventure.
Not long after, I found myself on stage with musicians I had worn out on records — Vassar Clements, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, and more. I didn’t know it then, but those years were laying a foundation — shaping how I listen, how I play, and how I care about the sound an instrument can make.
Wood, skin & strings
Goat-skin heads, tone wood, rim sizes, hardware, setup—these are the details that shape the voice of a banjo. The more I learned, the more fascinated I became by how small changes could affect tone, feel, and playability.
After building my first banjo, I was hooked. I still enjoy exploring how wood, brass, skin, and strings come together to create an instrument with its own character. I’ve always been drawn to the warm, old-time sound of an open-back banjo. It’s a sound that’s easy on the ears and makes you want to keep playing. That’s the sound I fell in love with, and it’s the sound I try to build into every banjo that leaves my shop.
Every Nashville Banjo Co. instrument is built here in Nashville and set up by hand. No two players are exactly alike, and I believe their banjos shouldn’t be either.
Sharing the music
I teach at camps, host Nashville Banjo LIVE, and enjoy helping folks get more out of their music. One of the best parts of this work has been the friendships. Through banjos, camps, and livestreams, I’ve met folks from all over the world. Many started out as customers or students, but over time they’ve become real friends.
If you’re ever passing through Nashville, feel free to reach out. I’m always glad to show folks around the shop, talk banjos, and maybe pick a tune or two.
Thanks, – Dave