I'm Rick Swanson, aka Alchemical Banjo. I've been playing the banjo since the summer of 2000, during which I built the instrument with which I share my nickname.
The Alchemical Banjo is a homemade 5-string open back banjo. There is no tone ring on this instrument; the head sits right on the wood pot. There are a variety of woods in this banjo: cherry, mahogany, ash, maple, and rosewood... very unorthodox. It's also built to an unorthodox scale... 27 inches from nut to bridge. Why? Just because, I guess.
The neck and peghead are inlaid with symbols originating from ancient Greek philosophy, Medieval alchemy, and pre-Lavoisian chemistry. I have a graduate degree in the History of Science and Technology, in which I studied the history of chemistry extensively. I combined this interest with my interest in old-time banjo as I built this instrument. Go to the photos section of this site to get more details about the symbolism represented on the banjo neck and peghead.