Converting a 4string-5string

Subject: Converting a 4string-5string
From: CowMan now to be called MandolinBoy
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 04:30 PM

I have a 1920s slingerland May Bell tenor banjo. I am into bluegrass and at the moment I have it tuned like the first four strings of a five string. I dont have much money so I cant buy my own five string. What I was wondering was if it was possible to remove the four string neck and put on a 5 string neck. The banjo needs neck work done already. I also should say that Elderly offered $40 (in the 20'sthey supposedly $65) meaning it's not of much value. Could you please help a kid trying to play clawhammer on a five string.

It would also be nice if you could give history of the instrument and an idea of how much it might cost MandolinBoy

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: Jon W.
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 05:23 PM

Banjo necks are generally bolted on in some fashion so it ought to be possible to change it. You'd probably have to change the bridge and tailpiece also. The question is, where are you going to get a neck for cheap? You might be better off trying to find someone with a five-string who's interested in a trade. Or if you're handy with tools you could try building your own neck. In that case I would recommend buying a preslotted fretboard and a truss rod, each of which should cost as little as $10 or less. Add about $5 worth of maple, some fret wire, and some know-how and elbow grease and you've got a neck you can brag about.

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 10:55 PM

CowMan, I meant what I said in the e-mail. Let me know & I'll get it to ya!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 19 Mar 98 - 11:01 AM

Celtic types seem to be involved with coverting 5-strings to 4-strings. Simplest way might be to contact some Irish music enthusiasts and arrange a swap.

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 May 00 - 01:19 AM

REfreshing this.

About twenty years ago, there was a fad for buying tenor (4-string) banjos, discarding the necks and putting on (usually home-built) five string necks.

Now, with the Celtic uprising, there seems to be an active trend of reversing the operation. Does anyone know of any discarded 5-string necks that may be available? Preferably old ones. Ideally, Dobsons. I'd like to lay my hands on one or two.

The other alternative I know of is to buy an unfinished or semi-finished or finished neck from Stewart-MacDonald. This takes either more time or more money than I can conveniently spend at the moment.

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: Dani
Date: 04 May 00 - 08:06 AM

My old Vega four string was a bag of bones - literally. It hung on the wall in my mother's house, having been given to her after hanging on the wall in my grandmother's house, I imagine. When she took it town, it came apart in her hands.

When it came to me I had just moved to North Carolina (what's a clawhammer got to do with banjo? Isn't it a kind of seafood?) so when I met someone who played old time music, he sent me to someone who built a BEAUTIFUL new neck for it and made it a five string.

Definitely not cheap, but was it worth it? I am proficient by NO means, but I have friends who play it and say it's terrific. And I love having an old instrument with some soul to it. Someday I hope to deserve it ;)

Dani

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: Rex
Date: 04 May 00 - 11:11 AM

To follow up what Dick said, I have a couple nice tenor Vega necks if someone is looking for them. I'm one for keeping the banjos just as they are but I've opened a home for orphan tenor necks. And they'll never get the tubaphone pot off my Vega banjo-mandolin!

Rex

Subject: A few suggestions
From: Philj200
Date: 04 May 00 - 03:25 PM

1. Get another estimate. Your old four-string neck should be worth more than that.

2. Swapping is a good idea. See if there's a musican union in your area. They will have a newsletter with want ads in it. Somebody might be interested.

3. I worked in a musical instrument business in the '60's. We did a lot of conversions. If you're good with wood try the following: a. From the 4th fret to the banjo rim on the deep D-string side. Remove any edging, mother-of-pearl etc. The with a very light touch flatten about 3/4' ind of the neck. A draw-knife is the right tools. b. Find an old hardwood furniture leg, or table top and miter box a stripe about 3/4 high x 1/2 x by the lenght of distance from your 4th fret to the rim. It should be flat on top and on the side that mates with your banjo neck. Rounded on the remaining sides to fit the look and feel of the instrument. The reason you start at the fourth fret is to give you room for a 5th fret nut. c. Buy a 5th tuning machine and install in into the existing neck. Not the new wood, which will be too thin. The tuning machine can be an inch away (or more) from the 5th string nut. Doesn't matter, the strings are plenty long. d. Don't worry about frets. You don't need them for a drone string. Add on 5th string capos (I use model railroad spikes) are available if you want. e. Glue into place. If you're nervous about tension, countersink small (wood screws and plug with wood from the base stock). Remember to drill pilot holes or the screws will shatter the stripe of wood.

Then glue. And finish. I suggest a contrasting finish rather than trying to match an old finish. Much easier.

This will work. But it takes some cohones to cut into an old instrument even of dubious value. Not counting finishing, figure two hours work.

Totally alternate method: Take a trashed guitar neck and mill it down. Lop of the top to tuning machines. This is more work. But it has a lot of possibilities. If you have a sander/shaper and some experience: figure 5 hours.

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 May 00 - 05:48 PM

Hi- I really know how to make a 5-string neck. What I'm looking for is an old one that's been removed and discarded.

Subject: RE: Converting a 4string-5string
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 May 00 - 07:04 PM

Dick, have you tried alt.banjo or maybe rec.music.celtic? Like you say, they must exist and I am certainly one of the ones who would convert a 5 string to a tenor if I liked the pot and had the money... although depending on what I had, I think my inclination would be to keep the original neck for possible relacement if I decided to see.

Jon