Help, Installing Banjo Head

Subject: Help, Installing Banjo Head
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 06:31 PM

Hopefully this will be my last Set-up, Cleaning installation thread.

I popped the Head of my new (to me) Banjo. I bought a replacement (Remo Weatherking frosted).

The Banjo is an Aria Pro, a Mastertone clone. I have the old head off, and I'm ready to install the new one.

I assume that I have to loosen the neck a bit to do this. I am also assuming that I do this by slowly loosening the top rod. Is this correct.

Once I have it on and the Tension Hoop back in place I am going to finger tighten the bracket nuts before I start using the Smirnoff Method that was described in the Banjo Set up thread. Should the bridge be up or down when adjusting it?

What is the measurement from the twelfth Fret to place the Bridge?

I am not going to touch it until I hear from some of you who are knowledgable with this sort of thing.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Subject: RE: Help, Installing Banjo Head
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 07:52 PM

Sorry, I accidently posted this twice. It's being replied to in the other thread. Steve

Subject: RE: Help, Installing Banjo Head
From: Butch
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 08:18 PM

If you have the old head off, you should not need to loosen the neck. Just put the new head on in the exact reverse method of the one you just took off.

Get the head tight BEFORE putting the bridge up. You can do any minor adjustments after that. I usually bring the head to 80% of tight before I set the strings and place my bridge.

To measure the bridge. I would look at the old head and see about how far down to place the bridge. Then, using the 12th fret, strike your harmonic. Then again at the 12th fret the note. The two notes produced should be the same pitch. If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, move the bridge closer to the tail piece ( making the vibrating length longer thereby flatting the sharpened note). If the fretted note is lower than the harmonic, move the bridge toward the neck ( to make the note sharper). When the two toness match in pitch, your banjo is bridge is perfectly set. At that point make any final tightening adjustments and make sure that the nuts are all tight by giving each a 1/4 turn more so that none fall off.

Subject: RE: Help, Installing Banjo Head
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 09:51 PM

Thanks,

It's all back together. I measured her, did the harmonic test and I'm back in business.

Thanks again for your help.

Steve