Topic: Banjo Help!!!

[craigmulcahy]

Hello all,

I just acquired my first tenor banjo, and i have worked out i need to adjust the Coordinating Rod, because the angle of the neck is wrong and the action is really high.

but i think i need some advice about this,

it only has on rod, just wondered if anyone on here knew about stuff like this,

any help welcome.

Craig.

[Richard]

How many rods should it have then? Post a pic or two and I'm sure somebody can make an educated guess. The banjo I recently aquired has no such frills as rods, besides I've just pull the headstock off!

[frankie]

Coordinator rods (even if the banjo had dual rods) aren't really meant for drastic action changes - maybe 1/16" at the absolute maximum.  If the neck angle is way off, you'll probably need to shim it.

Is the neck bowed?  Can you try a lower bridge?

[Johnm]

Hi Craig,
I'm curious--what style of music are you going to be playing on your tenor banjo?
All best,
Johnm

[craigmulcahy]

Hey all,

i've taken some pics,
the neck doesn't look bent. just seems like the action is way too high, what you think?

should i just get a lower bridge?

sorry if these seam silly questions, first time banjo.

as regards to style, i guess some jazz chord stuff and some fingerpicking stuff, but i've got it tuned in standard. CGDA
i kinda want it to sound dark and melancholy. bit clunky, if that makes sense? its got medium strings on.

Thanks again guys,

Craig.

[Richard]

Toe tapping stuff eh 

If it was me (and knowing no fear when it comes to ripping things to bits) I would certainly consider another bridge first off, it's a bit hard to see really... but to be honest it looks as though the neck could do with tiny shade off the heel to bring it back.

[craigmulcahy]

haha,

yeah sorry about me feet in there, ha

umm, you mean take it off and shave some wood off the neck?

how would i take it off,

i'm assuming....take out the screw that goes through the rim into the neck, but what about the rod? if i just unscrew it all the way will it come loose of the neck?

will it be glued at all?

cheers Richard,

Craig.

[Richard]

Unless you are very practical you could be in deep water here...   I don't to sound defeatist but what about taking it to somebody who knows. You must think of the mathmatics involved, by even removing say just one mm from the bottom of the heel could be all that's needed to do it.

Start by looking at the bridge, remove it (mark where it sits first) and put say a pencil or something in it's place and then look at the action...and start to think is changing the bridge actually going to do any good or is it neck off time ?

[frankie]

If you take the bridge out from underneath the strings and the action stays high, then you'll definitely need to adjust the neck angle one way or another.  If the action comes down appreciably or bottoms out (string flop against the fingerboard), then a new, shorter bridge may be just what you need.  Bridges come in pre-defined heights:  1/2", 5/8", 11/16", 3/4" - measure what you've got and get the next size down or two...  it might cost you 10 bucks or so.  You can also sand the bridge down, but it's easier to get a few bridges of different sizes and experiment.

One thing that worries me is that the heel looks like it may have split somewhere along the line and that screw that's going in through the bottom of the heel is holding it together.  Not the kiss of death, but things may not be all that stable in that area.  Another thing that's weird is the little screw that's just beneath the coordinator rod - is that going through the rim into the heel?  That was added, for sure - why is anybody's guess.  Could be they were, uh, trying to address the neck angle issue.  I don't think it'll work all that well...

Shimming the neck involves loosening the strings, then the coordinator rod, then inserting a thin strip of veneer (anything that's thin will do nicely) between and heel and the pot where the coordinator rod bolts to the neck and the fingerboard.  That should angle the neck back from the pot in a crude yet effective fashion.

You shouldn't need to cut the heel down to do this - most things on a banjo can be addressed with a screwdriver and a wrench if you've got some nerve and are willing to try.

In any case, the first thing you should do is to try and swap out the bridge - that'll probably have the biggest effect, anyway.

[craigmulcahy]

Hi Frankie,

I'll try different bridge options.

the thing with the heel, there is a pretty straight line all the way round that area, like its made from two separate parts. its just the varnish has just cracked abit along a part of the join. ...well thats what it looks like.

[RobBob]

The most obvious thing to do is put a lower bridge on the banjo.  If that does not correct it, try putting a shim between the pot and the neck.  If that does not do it, call your local luthier.

RB