Banjo Rebuild

[Harmonic]

Someone gave me most of a banjo. What size drum head should I buy? How far over the rim should the drum head extend? How high a saddle should I get?

 

[Freeman Keller]

I've replaced the head on a banjo and set it up but had the old one to measure. Personally I would suggest asking at the Banjo Hangout

Banjo Hangout - banjo forum, lessons, videos, jukebox, and more - Banjo Hangout

www.banjohangout.org

They will talk you through the whole process as they did me. One of the things that is different about setting up a banjo is that you set the action by the shimming the neck stick.

 

[teletimetx]

Banjo Hangout is a good idea. We also have a person right here on TDPRI who is pretty deep into banjos - calling
@trapdoor2 !

 

[trapdoor2]

Banjo Hangout is a good idea. We also have a person right here on TDPRI who is pretty deep into banjos - calling
@trapdoor2 !

You raaaang?

Someone gave me most of a banjo. What size drum head should I buy? How far over the rim should the drum head extend? How high a saddle should I get?

@Harmonic has a Korean-built cheapie, probably from the 70s. The same design is still being made...$299 new! I bought mine in 1977 for $50 from a pawn shop.

For the head diameter, measure the body/rim diameter. Take off the resonator and measure the diameter from the back...or remove the old head and measure the rim dia. diameter underneath. Same/same.

For the head height, measure the tension hoop width. They make them in low, medium and high crown. I would bet it takes a medium crown height. Usually, you can simply call somebody like Elderly Instruments and they can talk you through the head fitting process. Pretty easy.

Typical bridge height for these is 5/8" tall. Just get a basic maple bridge with an ebony top.

These things usually have a single coordinator rod that runs from the heel to the tailpiece. There's a bolt that sticks out of the heel and goes thru the rim. The coordinator rod has a long nut that screws onto that bolt. If that nut siezes on the bolt while you're turning it, the heel bolt will screw itself deeper onto the heel...splitting it like firewood...I just pronounced one dead like that last week.

Yah, action is usually done with shims for these. I’ve used business cards, old credit cards, slivers of wood, broken bits of bridges...they're just not worth the effort to do it right.

 

[Hallo Spencer]

This thread is exactly what I was looking for. I found an old guitar banjo in the trash today. The bridge is damaged, also the head. I'm in the middle of moving houses but will get to bring that thing back to life as soon as possible. @Harmonic I hope you don't mind if I post my questions here as well. Looks like we have a very similar kind of project ahead. Your's looks nice. Good luck with the renovation!

 

[memorex]

Did someone step on it? I wouldn't be surprised.