I've decided to try and build my own banjo to use while backpacking and camping. I've looked into existing "travel" banjo models, ukes, and whatnot, and they're all too expensive to risk ruining, too heavy to add on to an already heavy pack, and too big to not get caught on tree limbs and whatnot. Size and weight will be much more important than sound quality, which is why I think it's best to try this myself.
My plan is to make it so that the neck and body come apart and can be packed separately in order to have more freedom with weight distribution and avoid having something tall sticking up out of my pack. My question is: what should I use for the body? It seems that to really save space, the body would be a round tin cannister or something similar that my round aluminum mess kit could just fit into. That way, no extra room would be taken up by the head. Would a normal cookie tin work for this, or is there something else out there I should consider? Ultimately, the neck will have a dowel that will be inserted all the way through the tin for support.
What are everyone's thoughts? This is going to be fun!
Robert