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20 Oct 01 - 11:12 AM (#576279) Subject: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: Charley Noble Well, this title will puzzle some folks but those of us experienced 5-string banjo players know that a traditional way of fretting the 5th string on a banjo when you capo at the 2nd or higher position on the neck is by sinking a railroad spike into the fingerboard. True, it's typically a tiny railroad spike, HO gauge, about 3/8 inch in length, manufactured by Varney, with an offset head for tucking the 5th string under. Varney no longer makes these suckers and while cruising E-Bay I noticed someone auctioning them for an outrageous reserve. I recently secured a supply for some 6000 banjo players and would be happy to provide a dozen or so for $1 with a stamped self-addressed envelope. Send me a PM if you're interested. I used to have just one of these railroad spikes emplaced for playing with the capo on the 5th fret but I was still breaking 5th strings fairly frequently because I often capo at the 2nd fret or the 7th fret as well. I now have three railroad spikes emplaced and things are working much better. To emplace the spike you need to carefully drill a hole in the fingerboard, slightly smaller than the spike, using one of those little hobby drills, being careful not to drill it all the way through the neck in your excitment. You then put a small drop of glue on the tip of the spike, and tap it in with a minature hammer, enough so the string doesn't buzz when it's not tucked under the head of the spike. Good luck! |
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20 Oct 01 - 12:32 PM (#576335) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: BluesMojo Hey, I don't know how to do this private message stuff but I'm interested in the rail spikes. Email me at |
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20 Oct 01 - 12:33 PM (#576336) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: BluesMojo Er, my email is palla3@hotmail.com. It didn't make it into the original post. |
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20 Oct 01 - 01:52 PM (#576366) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: GUEST,Uncle Jaque Take care to offset that spike jest a tad to the inside of the open string so it won't be struck by the vibrating open 5th string and "buzz". It also has to be just the right height so it will hold the string down firmly over the fret while retaining enough clearance to slip the string underneath it. I have mine about 1/8" from the 10th fret and slightly South of the 5th string, head ("hook") pointing towards the 4th string. The idea came, as I recall, from Pete SEEGER who mentions it in his "How to Play the 5-String Banjo" book published in the '60's. I like to capo the 5-pinger up about 3 frets to where it sounds like a tenor "Riverboat" banjo to whang away on, make a lot of noise, and have a jolly good time with! |
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20 Oct 01 - 02:48 PM (#576397) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: NH Dave Caution - Thread Creep here. In a recent National Public Radio interview, Pete noted that he has sold more of that, at one time $1.95, book on playing the banjo than anything else he has ever done. More to the point, it is still in print. Dave |
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20 Oct 01 - 03:16 PM (#576406) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: GUEST,Uncle Jaque in ME I've still got my raggedy old red paperback one bought in oh, about 1965. Been studyin' banjo over 35 years now, and still ain't quite got it right.. have fun tryin', though! |
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20 Oct 01 - 07:21 PM (#576506) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: BanjoRay There's a good set of instructions for installing railroad spikes in a banjo here at Pete Rhoeling's page. Cheers |
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21 Oct 01 - 12:03 AM (#576605) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: Steve Latimer I just carefully tapped mine in, no glue, no drilling. I haven't had any problems. I have no idea where the other 500-1000 ever went. |
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21 Oct 01 - 10:21 AM (#576730) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: Charley Noble Nice to get some serious feedback. I also urge folks to check out Pete R.'s more detailed notes, although he doesn't mention what spike-driving chants he uses while he installs them. With some banjos I wouldn't worry about being so careful as Pete but if you have an antique one with an ebony fingerboard, you really want to pre-drill to avoid unintended chipping. I also agree that if possible the spike should be emplaced so that the 5th-string is not bent out of line, and I would even recommend a slightly higher bridge if the "site" was marginal for buzzing. There are other more elaborate 5th-string capos but they generally strike me as unsightly. Maybe what I'll do is donate a box of 3000 to the Mudcat Auction and the Mudcat Syndicate could get filthy rich processing 300 or so orders. |
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21 Oct 01 - 11:48 AM (#576758) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: katlaughing Ya'll are crazy. Wait'll my dad hears about this! **BG** I don't think he's gonna jump to drill any on his ole Montana Silver Belle. Though we did have those railroad spikes from COlorado, that we sold to the tourist for 50 cents each, narrow guage they was.**BG** |
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22 Oct 01 - 08:30 AM (#577287) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: Charley Noble Wow! Two orders already. Only 5775 left. I wonder what the appropriate work chant is for driving in minature railroad spikes into a banjo fingerboard. Take this hammer - WHAMP! Carry it to the Captain - WHAMP! |
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23 Oct 01 - 08:45 AM (#577979) Subject: RE: Rail Spikes for Banjo 5th Strings From: Charley Noble Two more orders. The inventory is now down to only 5750. How many Mudcats does it take to drive in an HO guage railraod spike into a vintage banjo neck? |