I just bought an old banjo from a second-hand shop and am trying to clean it up and restore it. On the upside, I've cleaned the fretboard, restrung it, and there don't seem to be any major intonation issues, apart d to e on the e-string, and this has been partly solved by moving the nut. I can get good intonation up to the seventh fret on all the strings.
The skin, however seems to be of the animal type. Being very similar to a bodhrán skin, I presume that it may from a dead goat, or dog. Would it improve the sound if this were replaced with a remo plastic head?
Also, I have taken the sound-board off of the back. Will this be detrimental to the sound?
"Would it improve the sound if this were replaced with a remo plastic head?"
It would undoubtedly *change* the sound. Whether or not it *improves* the sound is largely a matter of preference. A synthetic head will give you a brighter tone, with more volume and sustain. A natural vellum will give you a mellower, 'plunkier' sound
"Also, I have taken the sound-board off of the back. Will this be detrimental to the sound?"
...by which you presumably mean the 'resonator'. Again, it is a matter of preference. Some people prefer open-backed banjos, some prefer to have a resonator. An open back will give less volume, but some find that a resonator gives a 'harsher' sound. (Regarding 5-string banjos, it is received wisdom that bluegrass players use resonator banjos whilst old time players use open backs - I don't know the actuality of it). You might have trouble being heard in a session with an open back - but if you are a learner, that might not be a bad thing.
On thing worth bearing in mind when removing the resonator is how it fits on. Some banjos are made such that the tension hooks protrude beyond the back of the rim, making them uncomfortable to play with out a resonator. It may also have a flange http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=kkM&num=100&q=banjo%20flange&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi , which the resonator screws onto - also making it uncomfortable. However, provided you do not want to make your banjo 'convertible', you can rmove the flange, as it serves no other useful purpose.
On other banjos, the resonator is held on by means of a single thumbscrew through the middle or (in the case of Weymann banjos), friction-fitted onto the outside of the rim by means of felt-covered metal springs, making them instantly convertible.
If you're fixing it up to sell, keep the skin, so that you can offer it as an extra to the buyer, but replace it with a plastic head. I seem to generally gravitate toward the Rennaissance heads from Remo, although, I have a plain white plastic one on my Ome at the moment.
Often times, when I am restoring vintage instruments, I end up stringing them heavier for Irish, and need to widen the bridge and nut grooves slightly, to keep the strings from binding. And heavier strings often pull the neck forward a bit, so sometimes a neck adjustment is in order. Even the non-adjustable necks can be adjusted slightly, by loosening them, and pulling them back a bit as you're re-tightening them. (Usually with one form or another of dowel tightening hardware). Occasionally, a slightly warped neck will require a small shim, but that's kind of a band-aid fix... Much cheaper than straightening the neck...
Then the other common thing to do is put geared tuners on the instrument if it has friction pegs. That can be a bit of work, and should be done as delicately as possible, to keep from breaking the headstock. I have yet to find geared pegs that are as small a shaft as most friction pegs, so enlarging the holes is necessary (with a reamer, not a drill!) First Quality Music carries some fairly narrow shaft pegs.
If all the parts are in decent shape, and the action is OK, then you've done the majority of the work. The rest of the setup is in tweaking things to change the sound - head tension, tailpiece, bridge, break angle over the bridge, string gauge, string material, and resonator can all make a significant differences in the sound. And it's a matter of tweaking those until you get the best possible sound out of the instrument.
Thanks a lot for your informative replies, men. I think I'll change the friction pegs to geared tuners, as you have suggested, Reverend. I also intend to replace the other parts you have mentioned - tailpiece, bridge etc.
Presently, the nut is moveable. Intend to install a stationary one. The way things stand at the minute, there is a very slight intonation issue from d to e on the d string. Correct placement of the nut (and bridge) I know will help insure good intonation. Are there any rules of thumb re nut placement and the size of the area between the bridge and the first fret?
Furthermore, I intend to replace the resonator (the old one is banjaxed [ha ha ha ]). Any reccomendations for a good replacement?
But resonators often have unique characteristics with the way that they fit a banjo (mounting hardware, groove for the flange, depth of a neck cutout, etc), so it might be hard to replace. If it is a well-known banjo brand, you might find a replacement on eBay if you're patient. Or if the original is still in reasonable shape, you can have a luthier or woodworker repair it...
Not sure about your intonation issue. It's possible that a slight adjustment of the nut could fix it, but I'd have to see/hear it to really know. FWIW, even with balanced tension on strings, I usually find that my bridge isn't going to be perpendicular to the neck for proper intonation. The bass end is usually angled back toward the tailpiece slightly. The way I set the bridge position is simply to compare the 12th fret note to the 12th fret harmonic on each of the strings, and then move (and angle) the bridge appropriately to get the best overall intonation...
Restoring old banjoes
Restoring old banjoes
Hello banjo enthusiasts.
I just bought an old banjo from a second-hand shop and am trying to clean it up and restore it. On the upside, I've cleaned the fretboard, restrung it, and there don't seem to be any major intonation issues, apart d to e on the e-string, and this has been partly solved by moving the nut. I can get good intonation up to the seventh fret on all the strings.
The skin, however seems to be of the animal type. Being very similar to a bodhrán skin, I presume that it may from a dead goat, or dog. Would it improve the sound if this were replaced with a remo plastic head?
Also, I have taken the sound-board off of the back. Will this be detrimental to the sound?
# Posted on August 27th 2009 by Sinocal
Re: Restoring old banjoes
"Would it improve the sound if this were replaced with a remo plastic head?"
It would undoubtedly *change* the sound. Whether or not it *improves* the sound is largely a matter of preference. A synthetic head will give you a brighter tone, with more volume and sustain. A natural vellum will give you a mellower, 'plunkier' sound
"Also, I have taken the sound-board off of the back. Will this be detrimental to the sound?"
...by which you presumably mean the 'resonator'. Again, it is a matter of preference. Some people prefer open-backed banjos, some prefer to have a resonator. An open back will give less volume, but some find that a resonator gives a 'harsher' sound. (Regarding 5-string banjos, it is received wisdom that bluegrass players use resonator banjos whilst old time players use open backs - I don't know the actuality of it). You might have trouble being heard in a session with an open back - but if you are a learner, that might not be a bad thing.
On thing worth bearing in mind when removing the resonator is how it fits on. Some banjos are made such that the tension hooks protrude beyond the back of the rim, making them uncomfortable to play with out a resonator. It may also have a flange http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=kkM&num=100&q=banjo%20flange&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi , which the resonator screws onto - also making it uncomfortable. However, provided you do not want to make your banjo 'convertible', you can rmove the flange, as it serves no other useful purpose.
On other banjos, the resonator is held on by means of a single thumbscrew through the middle or (in the case of Weymann banjos), friction-fitted onto the outside of the rim by means of felt-covered metal springs, making them instantly convertible.
# Posted on August 27th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Restoring old banjoes
If you're fixing it up to sell, keep the skin, so that you can offer it as an extra to the buyer, but replace it with a plastic head. I seem to generally gravitate toward the Rennaissance heads from Remo, although, I have a plain white plastic one on my Ome at the moment.
Often times, when I am restoring vintage instruments, I end up stringing them heavier for Irish, and need to widen the bridge and nut grooves slightly, to keep the strings from binding. And heavier strings often pull the neck forward a bit, so sometimes a neck adjustment is in order. Even the non-adjustable necks can be adjusted slightly, by loosening them, and pulling them back a bit as you're re-tightening them. (Usually with one form or another of dowel tightening hardware). Occasionally, a slightly warped neck will require a small shim, but that's kind of a band-aid fix... Much cheaper than straightening the neck...
Then the other common thing to do is put geared tuners on the instrument if it has friction pegs. That can be a bit of work, and should be done as delicately as possible, to keep from breaking the headstock. I have yet to find geared pegs that are as small a shaft as most friction pegs, so enlarging the holes is necessary (with a reamer, not a drill!) First Quality Music carries some fairly narrow shaft pegs.
If all the parts are in decent shape, and the action is OK, then you've done the majority of the work. The rest of the setup is in tweaking things to change the sound - head tension, tailpiece, bridge, break angle over the bridge, string gauge, string material, and resonator can all make a significant differences in the sound. And it's a matter of tweaking those until you get the best possible sound out of the instrument.
# Posted on August 27th 2009 by Reverend
Re: Restoring old banjoes
Thanks a lot for your informative replies, men. I think I'll change the friction pegs to geared tuners, as you have suggested, Reverend. I also intend to replace the other parts you have mentioned - tailpiece, bridge etc.
Presently, the nut is moveable. Intend to install a stationary one. The way things stand at the minute, there is a very slight intonation issue from d to e on the d string. Correct placement of the nut (and bridge) I know will help insure good intonation. Are there any rules of thumb re nut placement and the size of the area between the bridge and the first fret?
Furthermore, I intend to replace the resonator (the old one is banjaxed [ha ha ha ]). Any reccomendations for a good replacement?
Thanks a lot.
# Posted on August 28th 2009 by Sinocal
Re: Restoring old banjoes
The small shaft tuning pegs I was referring to are here:
http://firstqualitymusic.com/pg_7/c_6/p_55.aspx
I am a huge fan of Snuffy Smith bridges. I've never found a better sounding bridge:
http://elderly.com/brand/BPT_snuffy%20smith.html
As far as the resonator goes, that might be the most difficult part. You can get a plain one from StewMac:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood/Banjo:_Resonators/Banjo_Resonator.html
But resonators often have unique characteristics with the way that they fit a banjo (mounting hardware, groove for the flange, depth of a neck cutout, etc), so it might be hard to replace. If it is a well-known banjo brand, you might find a replacement on eBay if you're patient. Or if the original is still in reasonable shape, you can have a luthier or woodworker repair it...
Not sure about your intonation issue. It's possible that a slight adjustment of the nut could fix it, but I'd have to see/hear it to really know. FWIW, even with balanced tension on strings, I usually find that my bridge isn't going to be perpendicular to the neck for proper intonation. The bass end is usually angled back toward the tailpiece slightly. The way I set the bridge position is simply to compare the 12th fret note to the 12th fret harmonic on each of the strings, and then move (and angle) the bridge appropriately to get the best overall intonation...
# Posted on August 28th 2009 by Reverend