Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair

Subject: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,repairer
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:30 AM

Hi all,

Ive just been given a G Houghton & Sons banjo to repair for a friend. I am not a carpenter/professional repair person but I am handy. It needs to be done quickly. What I do not understand is regarding restringing, is that there are 6 tuner pegs, but only 5 small button/knobs at the tailpiece to presumably wrap the string loops around.

Also on the 6th fret there is a small protusion with a slot in, I had the idea this was to shorten a string, instead of having a separate tuning peg there like on other banjos. I know very little about banjos. There is not time or money for a professional either. Here is a picture of the 5th/6th fret and the tailpiece knobs I was talking about.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2j5l79k.jpg

regards

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,brianbanjos
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:41 AM

You haveba zither banjo. One of the tuning pegs will remain unstrung. There is some good info on zither banjos online. I'd love to have one some day. I think they used slot head guitar tuners which are three to a plate and simply didn't remove the extra knob. Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,repairer
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:45 AM

thank you very much, that will help. I researched yesterday but since I didnt even know for certain what model or type of banjo it was it was useless to try to decipher so much differing information. It will help a great deal knowing what type it is.

regards

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:48 AM

Now I just have the figure out if I can string it with the 'standard' 5 string packs of strings you can buy.

Wikipedia says "It had a wood resonator and metal "wire" strings (the 1st and 2nd melody strings and 5th "thumb" string."

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:51 AM

Can you post a picture of the whole banjo?

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,repairer
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:56 AM

yes, here is it:

http://i51.tinypic.com/1r2r6a.jpg

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,repairer
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 05:58 AM

I see now the tunnel provided apparently for the 5th string.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: nickp
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 06:19 AM

Should just be a standard set of 5 strings.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 06:21 AM

ok, thank you. I just realized I have a spare set with me so I can use that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 06:35 AM

GUEST,repairer -
Use standard 5-string banjo strings. The 5th string goes down a brass tube and emerges usually next to the bottom left tuner (as seen from front of banjo). The 5th string runs through a slot in a small individual "nut" at the 5th fret.
As for the rest of the strings, run them from the attachment at the tailpiece (I can't see tailpiece clearly on full banjo photo, usually there is a slot in the tailpiece which you thread the strings under, so they are held tighter to the bridge). When they cross over the nut, it is usually pretty obvious which tuners they match up to.
When placing the bridge, you need to measure the distance from the nut to fret 12, then place the bridge at the same distance the other side of 12th fret. When fretted at 12thfret, the note should be exactly an octave higher tan the unfretted string. If not, either the positioning is incorrect, or the neck angle may be too high, and you are stretching the string too far.
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 06:58 AM

thank you very much, that will help a great deal when it comes to restringing. Yes there is a small slot at the bottom of the tailpiece, well two actually but I assume its the wider slot that they will go through. Here it is: http://i51.tinypic.com/e8al45.jpg

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 10:42 AM

The wider slot is the correct one. If you look, it has a nice curved surface, so the strings will go over the bend without a sharp corner that could snap the string.
If you search through the forum, there have been a number of threads discussing the repair and setting-up of banjos and related technical matters, such as why an instrument might not tune accurately.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 11:09 AM

ok thank you. Yes, I just restringed it but it goes out of tune whenever I strum. I read it could be the neck is too loose or the drum. Inside the head there is a hole with a hex shape, I just dont have any wrenches/keys that fit it so Ill have to buy one. Cant see it being because the bridge I made for it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Urgent help regarding banjo repair
From: GUEST,repairer
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 11:29 AM

No it turns out the screws of the tuning pegs were loose, I read about that being a problem but misread something. Im glad it was such a easy to fix problem.