Low-Cost 3D Printed Balloon Banjo Explores the Physics of Resonance with Unique Sound Box

I’ve seen 3D printed guitars before; my favorite is Olaf Diegel’s Xenomorph guitar. I’ve even seen a 3D printed ukulele and some 3D printed violins. This is the first time I’ve seen a 3D printed banjo, though apparently others do exist. But this string instrument goes beyond just mere 3D printing—it also uses an inflated balloon as a sound box. This was done to explore just how air can change the tone of the instrument, dubbed the Balloon Banjo by Co:Creation Lab, the Singapore design firm behind the project.

There are several differences between a guitar and a banjo, such as the number of strings. Typical banjos, like the ones you hear in bluegrass music, have five strings, and the fifth is strung from the middle of the instrument’s neck. Just like a six-string guitar, the first four str