INTRODUCTION
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While the information contained on the following pages is designed to make life a little easier for novice Irish traditional banjo players, it does not pretend to be exhaustive. This publication consists primarily of ideas that came to mind in response to queries I had come across in various areas of the Internet. As such, it might qualify more for a "FAQ" designation than anything else.
I welcome the comments and criticisms of the musical community, and will update this material from time to time as worthwhile suggestions are received.
INDEX
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SECTION I:
BANJO TYPES
SECTION II:
BANJO ANATOMY
SECTION III:
MORE ABOUT STRINGS
SECTION IV:
BANJO MAINTENANCE
SECTION V:
CLEANING THE BANJO
SECTION VI:
RESOURCES
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Banjos come in different shapes and sizes, and are used for different types of music. Five-string banjos are popular with bluegrass and old-time players, tenor banjos were the stringed backup instrument of choice in the early recording days and remain popular in Dixieland groups, plectrum (= long necked 4 string) banjos were also backup instruments, tuned mostly C-G-B-D; there are fretless banjos, and banjo-mandolins, and lovely little eight-string tenors called banjoloons (I own the only one!)
The banjo of choice for most musicians wishing to use the instrument for playing Irish traditional music is the tenor banjo. Tenor banjos come in many shapes and sizes; the most common neck sizes are either 17- or 19-fret. A tenor banjo can be open-backed or equipped with a resonator (details below).
The tenor banjo in Irish traditional music is normally played strictly as a melody instrument; chording is very rare but can be effective if not overdone. The Irish tenor banjo is most often tuned to G-D-A-E (bass to treble), one octave below the corresponding notes on the fiddle or mandolin. You may encounter other tunings, but the G-D-A-E arrangement is most popular because it enables the banjo player to play any tunes that a fiddler or accordion player would be able to play. I'll refer to the G-D-A-E tuning henceforth as "Irish tuning".
Note that for solo purposes, the original tenor tuning of C-G-D-A (= up a 4th from G-D-A-E) may be used; Mick Moloney and Gerry O'Connor both use this tuning from time to time. The higher pitches of the strings result in a distinctly brighter sound, but the disadvantage in session playing is the limitation on the notes in the low end. (I'll refer to C-G-D-A as the "standard" tuning.)
If you have the opportunity to try both tunings, you should take it and determine which is most suitable to your tastes and style of playing. Keep in mind, however, that using standard tuning may require you to make some changes in the way you play certain tunes ("Martin Wynne's #1" or "#2" reels, for example, or "The Bush on the Hill" jig) that call for notes not playable on your instrument. It's no big deal because flute and whistle players do it all the time, but you may not like the jumpy and unnatural effect of moving between octaves.
I personally prefer the Irish tuning because I like the power of the heavier strings, but it remains a matter of taste. It should be pointed out, however, that the fingerings for the two tunings are totally different - that is, you can't put your finger on the same string or fret in one tuning and expect to produce the same note as you would in the other tuning. That's important to keep in mind: since switching between tunings will quite likely become harder as your proficiency in a particular tuning increases, you should decide fairly early in your musical career which tuning you'll be spending the most time on.
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Here's a list (in no particular order) of the essential bits and pieces that are found on almost every banjo. I apologize in advance for jumping around a bit, but trust me - it all makes sense eventually!
= NECK =
The long piece that supports the strings and the fingerboard; attached at
its lower end to the pot. The peghead that holds the tuning pegs
is at the top, separated from the neck by a piece of bone or plastic called
a nut. The nut is slotted to keep the strings in place as they cross
over it.
Banjo necks are usually slightly tapered (= they're narrower at the nut than at the last fret). I'm not sure what if any practical value this tapering is supposed to have, although in bringing the strings closer together it may seem to make fingering a little easier on the "busier" frets between 1 and 7.
The strip of lighter-colored material than runs up the side of the neck alongside the fingerboard is called binding. Its purpose is decorative only, although some binding also has positioning dots that can help you locate a fret. Not all banjos are fitted with binding.
= POT or RIM =
The round piece attached to the bottom of the neck. It supports the head.
Can be made of solid wood or laminate, and can be flat-top or arch-top
depending on whether the banjo is equipped with a tone-ring (of which more
later).
Pots are frequently "out of round" on older banjos, which won't mean anything until you try to replace a head (gory details to follow later). Pot diameters vary widely (ditto); the "standard" diameter is eleven inches. Consider yourself fortunate if your banjo is that size!
If you hold a (good) banjo up sideways, you'll note that the pot and the neck are slightly angled with regards to one another. This neck angle helps maintain the proper string height and allows the pulling force of the strings to be counteracted.
= FRETS =
The thin metal strips, usually slightly rounded, that cross the fingerboard
in various locations. Irregularly spaced to accommodate the even-tempered
scale (we won't go there). The purpose of the fret is to "stop"
the vibrating action of the string, and thus produce a pitch or musical
sound. Most frets perform this feat admirably, but older banjos may suffer
from frets that are either worn or loose. Neither of these is usually a
terminal condition but your sound will definitely suffer unless corrected.
Fret repairs should be handled by a pro.
= TAILPIECE =
The metal piece at the bottom of the banjo that holds the strings in place.
Can be plain or fancy (some are adjustable). Usually seated on the tension
hoop. Secured to the rim by various ingenious means that depend on the make
of the banjo. Adjustable tailpieces permit the player to make significant
changes in the string height (above the fingerboard - this distance is also
referred to as "the action"), and can be well worth the few additional
bucks they cost.
= HEAD or SKIN =
The "membrane" that's stretched across the rim and is responsible
for the banjo's sound production. Can be made of plastic (Mylar) or calfskin;
the decision as to which material you should use depends on the sound you
want to reproduce. I think most of today's players (except as always for
a few die-hards, none of them Irish as far as I know) prefer the plastic
heads for their weather-resistant qualities, their availability, and their
general good behavior.
Click here for details on tightening or replacing heads.
= TENSION HOOP =
The metal ring that sits on top of the rim and keeps the head in place.
May be notched or grooved; no appreciable difference in what
the banjo sounds like either way. A grooved tension hoop will fit any banjo,
while the notches in a notched hoop will have to match the number of bracket
hooks that your banjo requires - see next entry.
= BRACKET HOOKS =
The round metal hooks that exert the downward pressure on the tension hoop
to ensure that the head stays tight. The number of hooks varies from banjo
to banjo; generally the cheaper the banjo, the fewer the hooks. The most
I've ever seen on one banjo is 28. The hooks, which are threaded at the
bottom, are normally held in place by means of bracket shoes (the
L-shaped pieces that are bolted to the rim - that's the purpose of those
bolts that you see around the inside of the rim). Once the hook is in place,
a nut is tightened to pull the hook downward. The hook in turn pulls down
the tension hoop, which in turn acts upon the head...the short version of
all this: to tighten the head, you tighten the nuts. Particulars of this
routine procedure are provided later (click here
if you're in a hurry).
You should note that there are some types of banjo that have a different arrangement for maintaining the pressure on the head involving what is referred to as "top tension". In this setup, the bracket hooks pass through the rim, and are threaded into, not through, the bracket shoes below. The hooks tighten from the hoop down - unfortunately you need a special tool to manage this properly, since the square tops of the hooks are not easy to maneuver with any kind of normal wrench (and if your banjo has a hoop that includes a built-in armrest, it's even harder to get at the tops of the hooks because they're almost countersunk into that part of the hoop). I was given a tightening tool by a kindly repair person a number of years ago, but I have no idea where you'd locate one these days. (And a recent query to the banjo user group on the Internet didn't help either.)
= DOWEL STICK, COORDINATOR RODS =
These are two systems for keeping the pot attached securely to the neck.
They are readily visible when you turn your banjo face down. The dowel stick
is a solid piece of wood that is either glued to or bolted to the neck and
bolted to the inside of the rim, while the coordinator rods are thin metal
rods that perform the same function (and have the added virtue of being
adjustable so that the neck angle can be changed). Most dowel sticks have
a brace arrangement at the end closest to the neck that allows for a degree
of flexibility in adjusting the neck angle.
Perhaps this is the place to mention that serious adjustments to a banjo's neck angle should be left to a professional. This is particularly true if the string action suddenly changes on its own - it could be a symptom of a bigger problem that you shouldn't be dealing with.
= The BRIDGE =
The piece of wood - usually maple, occasionally with a layer of ebony on
top - that holds the strings away from the surface of the head as they cross
between the tailpiece and the fingerboard. The bridge is responsible for
transferring the string vibrations to the head, so bridge configuration
(and there are several) has a profound effect on a banjo's sound. Like the
nut at the top of the fingerboard, the bridge is slotted to keep the strings
evenly spaced as they cross. The height of the bridge has a direct relationship
to the action: normally the higher the bridge, the higher the action. A
bridge height can be reduced for a more comfortable feel (see the section
on maintenance below), and also because excessive distance between the string
and the fingerboard can lead to intonation problems (= the note you expect
to hear just doesn't sound right, you can't play scales that sound any good,
etc.). Click here for more information about bridge
height.
The placement of the bridge on the head (i.e., its position along the diameter running between the end of the neck and the tailpiece) is very important to the proper intonation of the strings. Click here for more information about bridge placement.
= RESONATOR =
Is the piece of (usually) wood that is attached to the back of the rim on
some banjos to enhance the sound. Resonators come in all shapes and sizes
- some are rounded, some are flat, some are "fitted" into the
rim while others are held in place by screws, etc. etc. Five-string banjos,
and some vintage tenor banjos, were never equipped with resonators, but
with the use of a stock resonator from a catalog and the appropriate hardware,
almost any banjo can be provided with one.
Resonators are removable and can be used at the player's discretion. I like them for session playing, but if your banjo is equipped with one and you or (more likely) your fellow musicians find the sound overwhelming, stick a sock or a washcloth into the resonator area and the sound will be deadened. The other option, of course, is to remove it entirely, a procedure which usually consists of no more than removing a screw or two (make sure you don't lose the screws).
= FLANGE =
The metal rim that runs between the side of the pot and the inner edge of
the resonator is called a flange. It may be a solid piece (if the resonator
is original equipment), or it may be composed of individual pieces that
attach to the bracket hooks. The flange serves two purposes - first, functional:
it supports the hardware that actually attaches the resonator to the pot,
and second, cosmetic: it covers the space between the pot and the edge of
the resonator that would otherwise be visible. (On some banjos - some models
of Vega, for example - where the resonator attaches from the back by means
of a screw and bracket arrangement to the dowel stick, the flange serves
only the cosmetic purpose.)
= TUNING PEGS a/k/a TUNERS =
These are the four machines mounted on the peghead that keep the tension
on the strings and enable you to tune them properly. As you will note, they
are inserted through the peghead and are normally anchored in place by means
of a threaded sleeve. The post is the piece that the strings wrap around
and through. The string tension is adjusted by turning the part of the tuner
projecting below the peghead. This motion is then transferred to the post
and the string attached to it.
There are two main types of tuners: the older direct-action friction tuners and the more popular geared planetary tuners. Planetaries - or any type of geared tuner - enable more precise tuning and eliminate the slippage factor that occurs with most friction tuners. If you're very lucky in your choice of banjo, the original friction tuners may work for a while, but in my experience even the best of them will eventually have problems dealing with the heavier gauge strings required by Irish tuning. (The problems will probably take longer to manifest themselves if you stay with standard tuning, but arrive they will.) My recommendation is to remove the friction pegs and replace them with a good set of planetary tuners as soon as possible after you're sure that it's going to be long-term relationship between you and your banjo.
Since the tuners are one of the elements of a banjo that can actually cause pain and suffering to a player, there are more details on this subject a little later on.
= TONE RINGS =
These are various configurations of metal rim that are fitted between the
top of the rim and the head, and their purpose - as the name implies - is
to enhance the tone. Not all banjos have tone rings. The engineers who designed
these gizmos really let their imaginations run wild - some of them have
holes, some were fitted with ball bearings, some are rolled brass, et cetera
et cetera. The tone ring normally sits happily in place doing its job without
much fanfare; the only time you are likely to have any contact with it is
during the head changing process (see below). It's important to know if
your banjo is equipped with a tone ring, and if so what type, before you
order any heads, since these come in different heights depending on whether
or not they will have to be fitted over a tone ring. The parts catalogs
that you'll be likely to order from have diagrams that help you through
this little confusion (and if the diagrams don't help, a friendly customer
service rep will).
= ARMREST =
A metal piece that extends out slightly over the head from the 7 to 9 o'clock
position. There are several designs, usually involving the armrest being
secured to a couple of bracket hooks. As the name implies, it's for resting
your picking arm on - certainly not essential, but an extra that many players
like. If your yoke doesn't have an armrest, you can order one from a catalog
if you're so inclined.
Though technically not a banjo part, I'll mention the INLAY in passing - that's the decoration on the fingerboard and on the peghead. It's usually done in mother-of-pearl or abalone on older banjos. Some banjos are quite ornate, some are very plain. Inlay doesn't affect a banjo's sound but it may affect its price. If you're lucky enough to have inlay work on your banjo, check it occasionally as you wipe down the fingerboard. That way you can catch broken or loose pieces that can be repaired or replaced.
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(A) SOURCES
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Once you have decided on the banjo of your dreams, you'll have to decide how you want to string it. As mentioned earlier, the two most common tunings for a tenor banjo are G-D-A-E and C-G-D-A, bass to treble (i.e., away from you if you hold the neck in your left hand).
Tenor banjo string sets that you can purchase in your local music store will always be C-G-D-A, so if you opt for standard tuning, your life will be much simpler, and you don't have to read past this point unless you want to.
Those of us who prefer the Irish tuning have a small problem: very few general-purpose music stores carry string sets to accomodate our preferred G-D-A-E tuning. The bright lads and lassies out there - I was once one of you! - who figure that buying a set of mandolin strings is the way around the problem (and you get a extra set at the same time!) are due for a big disappointment: mandolin strings are made for mandolin scale lengths, and can't be adapted for use one octave lower on a tenor banjo (presuming that they would even reach from the banjo tailpiece to the peghead, which they probably wouldn't even on a short-neck banjo).
So we have two alternatives:
> purchase individual strings by gauge
> find another set of strings that might suffice
(1) BUYING STRINGS BY GAUGE
For most of my banjo playing career, I followed the advice of my elders and visited my local music store periodically to re-stock from the "string box" that most of them have carefully hidden behind the counter.
My personal choice of gauges for Irish tuning are as follows:
E = .012 to .014; A = .020 (wound) to .022
D = .030 to .032; G = .042 to .045
Depending on your tailpiece, loop-end strings are preferable to ball-end (loop-end strings above .040 are however not easy to find, leading to that peculiar banjoist ritual involving vises and chisels called "removing the ball"). I like the bronze strings for the brightness, but nickel-wound are perfectly fine.
I find that the shorter the neck, the heavier the gauge I prefer to use. In fact you may want to go higher on the gauge for the G string than .045 - if you do, you might want to try a silk-and-steel variety rather than a plain nickel or bronze.The sound should be a bit less chunky. Good luck on finding any kind of loop-end version, however: chances are that you'll have to do some big-time ball-end adapting if your tailpiece can't accommodate that kind of string.
I'd recommend that if you have the option (= a fairly well-stocked music store), you should string with the heavier gauges first. If they feel a little tough to work with, move to the lighter gauges. Again, it's a matter of feel, and only you know what feels best to you, so feel free to experiment. You shouldn't stray too far from the suggested gauges, however, since strings that vary too much up or down from these gauges might be difficult to tune.
I should also mention the obvious fact that you should have at least three or four of each size string handy (including at least two spares in your case). This rule applies no matter how you purchase the strings. It's like your mom always said - "better safe than sorry".
(2) PACKAGED STRING SETS
First of all, I want to jump right up and yell a personal opinion: you can't possibly successfully tune a banjo in Irish tuning using a set of standard C-G-D-A strings tuned down a 4th!! I know this is what the esteemed banjo guru Tony "Sully" Sullivan recommends in his otherwise excellent banjo tutor, but I find that playing the slacked-off strings has about the same tactile quality as playing linguini - yuck! And how he manages to get his triplets etc. in on those floppy strings is more of a testimony to his talent than he realizes.
Now I'll climb down breathlessly from my cyber-soapbox and repeat what I have said and will continue to say throughout this treatise - it's a matter of taste! Some perfectly fine banjo players wouldn't use any other strings, so once again feel free to experiment. Standard tenor string sets go for about seven or eight dollars, and if you try them and don't like the way they sound, just remove them (or - even better - just move the lower three over one space and put a heavier gauge string on for the G).
There are other string sets that are now available that may be of interest:
- some small manufacturers are producing string sets specifically
made for the G-D-A-E tuning. An good example of these are the Newtone strings
available
from The Twelfth Fret (www.12fret.com/retail/newtone.htm). I have tried
these strings and find them excellent, especially on longer-necked instruments.
They're also reasonably priced (at least I think so!)
- another option for strings is the octave mandolin sets that are available via the above-mentioned suppliers. I like the gauges of these sets, the fact that they are all loop-ended (even the heavier gauges), and the fact that you're basically getting eight strings for the price of four (well, more or less!)
(B) PUTTING THE STRINGS ON
--------------------------
Once you have selected your strings, getting them on the banjo is a relatively simple proposition - once you've done it a few times. Here's the procedure:
> start at the bottom of the banjo and position the loop end around the tailpiece hook, making sure it's secure (I didn't say anything about starting from the tailpiece end because I figured that nobody in their right mind would try to put a string on starting with the tuning peg...would they?) If you're stuck using ball-end strings, the ball should be securely caught between two of the tailpiece hooks (some tailpieces, not all, even have holes to accommodate ball-end strings).
> thread the string through whatever holes or notches there may be in your tailpiece (be a little careful here - forcing the string over a rough edge may shorten its life)
> don't worry about the bridge for the time being - it doesn't even have to be on the banjo during the stringing process
> wrap the free end around the appropriate tuning peg a few times, then insert it through the hole (making sure that the coiled part is below the hole, or else the whole thing will unravel). Ideally you should be able to remove most of the slack from the string by this wrapping procedure, especially with the lighter strings.
> when wrapping the strings, keep in mind that the normal way to tighten strings is by winding them counter-clockwise around the peg. Your coil should go the same way.
> before you start to tighten, give the bottom part of the string (i.e., the part over the head) a slight tug to ensure that it's still hooked onto the tailpiece. Nothing is more frustrating that twisting the bejayzus out of a tuning peg only to discover that the string isn't properly secured to the tailpiece - talk about wasted effort!
Once you're satisfied that the string is secure on the tailpiece, and you've removed as much slack as you can, you can start to tighten the tuning peg. You can be as cautious as you like, but it generally takes a number of healthy turns before the string approaches its proper tension. Since you'll probably be tightening with your left hand, you can check the string tension by keeping your right hand thumb on the string somewhere in the vicinity of the nut (which can also serve to minimize slack - remember, slack is your enemy because it might sneak the loop or ball off the tailpiece!)
Once you get to a healthy tension, you can start to think about tuning (or about getting the bridge back on if you've removed it for the string change).
One last item before we move on: a lot of players prefer to keep the excess string (i.e., the length of string that was first to pass through the hole in the tuning peg and is now just kind of hanging around the peghead) on their instrument, usually but not always wrapped in a coil of some sort. I personally don't like this idea - I view the loose pieces of string as potentially dangerous to the eyes (and I wear glasses!) If the idea is to keep some slack handy in case of a string break, my feeling is that it would probably be better to keep a few spare strings handy and pop a fresh one on as necessary, rather than count on using the slack end of the damaged string.
(C) CORRECT PLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE
-----------------------------------
Because of the physical laws having to do with vibration of strings, care must be taken to place the bridge in exactly the right position on the head, or else you won't stand a chance of getting the strings to tune properly.
The rule is that the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge must equal the distance between the front (=fingerboard side) of the nut and the 12th fret. If nut to 12th fret is 11 inches, then 12th fret to bridge must be 11 inches as well.
Once you think the bridge is in position, you can check for sure by playing harmonics, which are the bell-like tones produced by lightly touching (NOT pressing down) each string at the 12th fret and plucking it gently with your right hand thumb. If your bridge is correctly positioned, the harmonics will be perfect octaves of the pitch of the open string (if you don't trust your ear, an electronic tuner will be abig help in verifying this).
Once you've located the sweet spot, you should make a small but visible pencil mark on the head to make sure that you can find it again if you have to remove the bridge for any reason.
(D) STRINGING AN OLDER BANJO
----------------------------
Since the chances are excellent that you'll be working with an older banjo, here are a few items relevant to stringing that should be remembered:
[1] The friction tuning pegs found on most older banjos are at best tired and at worst useless, especially when they're forced to deal with the heavier-gauge strings of the Irish tuning. Unless your yoke is a fifteen-thousand-dollar museum piece, my recommendation would be to get the friction pegs replaced by good planetary gear pegs as soon as possible. The replacements are available from Stewart McDonald and other catalogs, and the procedure is so simple that even I can do it (biggest deal may involve enlarging the peg hole to 3/8" to accommodate the new pegs). If you're too busy maintaining your stock portfolio to fool around with drills, your local music shop will be glad to assist.
You can save the old pegs for sentimental value if you have a lot of room in your hope chest, but I'll bet dollars to doughnuts you never give them another thought once you've got the new ones on.
[2] Another important thing to remember when re-stringing an older banjo is the likelihood that the string slots on the bridge and the nut will have to be enlarged to accommodate the heavier-gauge strings you'll probably be using. (This problem won't arise if you're using standard tenor strings.) A fine-toothed saw and a small round file can be good investments for this purpose. The idea is to enlarge the respective slots just enough so that the new heavier strings sit comfortably in them ("comfortably" in this case meaning that a minimum amount of string should be above the plane of the nut or the bridge).
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In general, banjos (like lop-eared rabbits) need lots of love but a minimum of care and feeding. Here are a few items you'll have to attend to from time to time to keep your banjo happy and hard-working.
(A) TIGHTENING THE HEAD
-----------------------
All banjo heads need tightening from time to time - that's a fact of banjo life, nothing to be ashamed of. To perform this task, you should have a bracket wrench (a small t-shaped tool that serves no other purpose than to tighten banjo bracket nuts). I have used nut drivers and small box wrenches on occasion, but these tools may scratch the surface of the nut, so a bracket wrench would be a good investment. Make sure however that it fits the nuts that go with your hooks - as with most banjo parts, the nuts come in various sizes. 1/4" and 3/8" seem to be the most common.
Since even a plastic head can be sensitive to rough handling, the tightening procedure should be performed carefully.
[1] don't tighten the nuts until you hear squeaking, that horrible sound that indicates you're in danger of stripping the thread. Tighten them until you're satisfied with the feel (I know that's very subjective, but you'll understand what I mean the first time you try it). When you've tightened them all, go back and give one final thumb-push just to make sure.
[2] To avoid damaging the head, you should partially tighten two or three nuts, then go across the banjo and do the same to their opposite numbers, back and forth until they're all finger tightened. If the banjo head were a clock, you'd start off tightening 1,2,3, then do 7,8,9, then back to 4,5,6, then finally 10,11,12 (the order isn't important). That way the pressure on the head is balanced. The final tightening need not follow this rotation.
(B) REPLACING THE HEAD
----------------------
It may happen that you're faced with the necessity of replacing a head on your usual banjo or on some little treasure that you've picked up at a flea market (I'm still talking banjos here, guys). There are more pleasant tasks than this, believe me, but you still should know how to do it in case of an emergency.
Step one in the planning to replace a banjo head is the determination of the exact - and I mean exact, to 1/16 of an inch - diameter of the pot. I have never figured out why any banjo maker would think his product would be improved by the presence of a 10 and 9/16ths inch pot (as opposed to the 11" standard), but enough of them did to make it a problem.
The recommended way to approach this is to take four or five measurements at different locations across the pot's diameter, then come up with an average. Of course you'll have to measure across the bottom of the pot, which means that if your banjo is equipped with a resonator, now's the time to remove it.
If you're lucky and your yoke is in good shape, the measurements will be consistent no matter where you take them. The sad fact, however, is that pots do go "out of round" over the years. Even if it looks OK to your eye, you'll know you have a problem as soon as you try to put on the head you were so sure was the correct size. The idea of averaging measurements may succeed, or the pot may be so out of round that no head will fit it correctly. That's the banjo equivalent of a terminal disease, and the only fix - if you want to keep the banjo - is to buy a new pot.
The sticky part of that solution, however, is the fact that today's off-the-shelf pots are all 11" diameter, and if the rest of your banjo (the tension hoop, the dowel stick) is designed for a smaller diameter pot, you're in trouble unless you can locate someone who will manufacture a pot that will fit your banjo. In the end, getting another banjo is probably the smarter way to proceed.
But I digress - back to replacing the head. From henceforth we'll operate on the presumption that you have a new head that will fit snugly on the pot (and that, in ordering the new head, you finally figured out what all that mumbo-jumbo about high and low crowns was all about).
The basic procedure involves loosening the bracket hooks and removing them from the tension hoop so that you can work it free of the rim, after which you can remove the injured head.
Since presumably the head is already defective in some way, you don't have to worry too much about rotation during the loosening procedure. Also note that you don't have to remove the hooks from the banjo - you can leave them dangling in their bracket shoes while you work on the top.
Occasionally the pot and the neck are so tightly joined that the head won't come off until a space can be made for lifting it off. This could be accomplished simply (for example, by loosening up the brace on the dowel stick), or it may involve having to loosen the end-bolt, which requires removing the tailpiece, etc. etc.You won't know until you actually start the procedure, so just say a Hail Mary and hope for the best.
Once the original head is off - and sometimes it will take a few gentle but determined upwards hammer-taps at spots along the rim to convince it to relax its grasp - the new one can be fitted. If you've measured right and are very very lucky, the new head will nestle snugly onto the top of the pot and live there happily ever after. Once the head is in place, you can replace the tension hoop - carefully replace the tension hoop to avoid pulling too much on the seam on the head where the plastic joins the metal rim.
Again, if you've measured right, the tension hoop should go on with no difficulty. (By the way, when you're replacing the tension hoop, make sure the large notch goes right opposite the neck or else you'll have problems with strings touching the hoop and creating a really interesting noise. Once the main notch is lined up, the other notches will be more or less where they're supposed to be, but don't worry about it - they'll move into correct position once the tightening process begins.)
As soon as the tension hoop is seated snugly on the head - and you'll be able to tell by seeing how much if any space there is between the bottom of the hoop and the metal rim of the head - you can start putting the hooks back, again utilizing the rotation method to balance the pressure. No need for heavy wrenching at this point - finger tight is adequate to keep the hooks firmly seated in their notches or grooves. Once all the hooks are on, you can begin the (careful) wrench tightening, and you're well on the way to a successful head replacement! If you've done it correctly, and the Force is with you, you shouldn't have to do it again for a long time.
(C) ADJUSTING THE BRIDGE HEIGHT
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As you know by now, the height of the bridge controls how high the strings lie above the head and the fingerboard. These distance are important becuase of the effect they have on the intonation of the string, which could be defined as the ability of the string to produce the proper pitch in both open and closed positions.
Bridges are usually made of maple and are pretty sturdy, but occasionally there will be an accident and one will snap. Or you'll need a new one for the proverbial flea-market special you've just pciked up whose original bridge disappeared years ago. In either case, you can obtain a bridge easily enough from one of the catalogs, but it may need some adjusting to feel exactly right.
Off-the-shelf bridges come in two heights, 5/8" and 1/2". If you get a 5/8" bridge and it's too high, you can go down to the 1/2"; conversely, if the 1/2" is too low, you can move up to the 5/8". The problem arises when the ideal bridge height is somewhere between the two, or is lower than 1/2" (it will rarely if ever be higher than 5/8").
I find that the easiest way of lowering a bridge is by rubbing the bridge's supporting "feet" back and forth across a piece of medium sandpaper secured on a table top or other flat surface until the new lowered height is achieved. This method works more slowly than others, and is better suited to minor adjustments, but has the benefit of helping to ensure that you don't reduce the height to the point where the bridge is useless.
(D) RECOMMENDED TOOLS
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The following is a list of the tools that I find handiest for routine banjo maintenance. There's nothing listed below that you can't find either from a catalog or at your local hardware store.
> bracket wrench
for tightening the nuts on the bracket hooks. Come in different sizes (1/4" for Gibsons, 9/32" for Vegas, 5/16" for most other manufacturers), so make sure you know what size nuts you have (on your banjo, that is).
> slot-head screwdriver
Can't go wrong here! (I've never run across a Phillips head screw anywhere on a vintage banjo, by the way.) Shorter is better than longer, and a thinner slot head is preferable.
> wire cutter
Necessary for trimming string tops and quick removal of old strings. Doesn't have to be huge unless you're intending to use it for ball-removal purposes.
> sandpaper - medium and fine grade
Mainly for adjusting bridge heights as described above. I also keep a few emery boards around for slot work (and for smoothing off the edges of picks when they get hacked up). Remember that whatever you do with the medium grade sandpaper should be finished up with the fine grade.
> steel wool - fine grade
Handy for various purposes. Some steel wool comes with a light coating of oil already on it - avoid that if you can because there are times (e.g., cleaning the head) when you don't want the oil.
> files
A set of woodworker's files will always come in handy. A tapered round file is especially useful for shaping and enlarging string slots in nuts and on bridges.
> paintbrush
I find a small paintbrush (1" width is plenty) handy for tidying up after using steel wool, sandpaper, etc. and for general crud removal purposes.
> toothbrush, medium or hard bristle (new or used)
For general cleaning of head, fingerboard, etc.
> rubber-headed hammer
Handy for helping change the minds of any pieces that may not wish to relocate, e.g. a head tight on a rim, a bracket hook stuck in a shoe, etc. Of course a metal-headed hammer will also serve the same purpose, but there's a good chance that it will damage the whatever you're working on.
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Does a clean banjo play any better than a scuzzy one? Actually it does, particularly where the strings and the fingerboard are concerned. Here are some tips for keeping your yoke looking and sounding good.
(A) THE STRINGS
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Like anything else that's in contact with the real world, a banjo can accumulate a certain amount of crud with regular use. The first place that most people notice the grunge is on the strings, which spend their working lives being pushed around by sweaty greasy yucky fingers. To make your strings happier and give them a longer working life, you should make a habit of wiping down the strings after each session of playing. Nothing fancy, just a piece of soft cloth or paper towel, not moistened. Make sure you get underneath the strings too (you'll be surprised how much otherwise invisible crud you'll remove). There are also some kits on the market (e.g., FastFret) that will help clean and lubricate the strings. Some players swear by rubbing alcohol.
Whichever method you decide to use, however, the basic idea of wiping down the strings (like backing up a hard drive, or flossing your teeth) remains valuable even if we don't do it as often as we should...?
(B) THE FINGERBOARD
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Naturally the same glop that adheres so annoyingly to the strings can be found on the fingerboard as well, especially behind the frets. There are various cleaning products around that will help remove it (some folks advise against using any silicone-based products on a fingerboard - I'm not sure of the reason). If it's is really tenacious, you can rub gently with a piece of very fine steel wool until the gunk disappears. The steel wool can be used dry, but you can put a drop of light furniture polish or light mineral oil on it to brighten up the fingerboard as you clean it (remember to wipe off any excess liquid that may remain).
Be careful of using steel wool around any inlays that may be loose - you don't want to break the inlay by catching it on a piece of wool fiber.
(C) THE BRIGHTWORK
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The bright metal on a banjo (tension hoop, hooks, tailpiece, armrest, etc.) should be cleaned every so often to preserve it from rust and corrosion and to ensure that the banjo looks its best. There are different methods of accomplishing this: some players use gun-cleaning cloths or metal-polishing cloths, both of which have the virtue of being pre-moistened and easy to work with. Preparations like Brasso will also work, but can be messy. If there's obvious gunk on the metal (like drops of Guinness, for example), a gentle rub of some fine steel wool can usually loosen the offending material without damaging the surface.
(D) THE HEAD
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Considering what it goes through in the course of its musical life, it's not unreasonable to expect a banjo head of either type, plastic or skin, to get a little grimy from time to time. Light dirt should come off with a damp cloth, but believe it or not, one of the best ways of cleaning more determined grime from a banjo head is toothbrush and toothpaste! Don't use a lot of water and don't worry much about flossing first (joke) - put a dab of toothpaste on the brush and go after bad old Mr. Dirt. Use a circular motion, and wipe off with a damp cloth when you're finished.
For more serious grime, you may want to rub the affected area of the head gently with a piece of fine steel wool or fine sandpaper. You can also use these materials to smooth out the surface of the head near the bridge - if you play like I do and support your right hand with the little finger resting on the head, you may have had the experience of playing on a new frosted head and having friction burn all the skin off your little finger (I actually shed blood on another guy's banjo one time without realizing it!) Usually two or three minutes' work with the sandpaper or steel wool will smooth the surface nicely. Your little finger will be forever grateful.
(E) THE WOOD
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If your banjo gets dull-looking, you might try wiping it with a cloth or a small paint-brush lightly dipped in lemon oil (don't apply the oil directly to the banjo). This should brighten the wood finish noticeably. If the surface is really grimy, you could try an application of a cleaner like Murphy's Oil Soap - that and a little elbow grease should suffice; if not, you can always try a light rubbing with a piece of fine steel wool. Remember always to remove any excess oil or soap from the banjo when you're finished. (Having a roll of trusty paper towels near your work area is also highly recommended.)
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The following is a very sketchy list of resources that may be of assistance to a banjo player, primarily in the area of parts and repairs. The sources listed I know from personal experience; I realize however that there are many others out there, and I would be happy to add names to this list as folks supply them to me (should include a phone number, state, and website address please).
Good all-purpose catalog for banjos and other string instruments. Selection has been reduced over the years, and you're starting to see cheesy parts made in China (bracket hooks, for example). But still an excellent resource. Phone 800.848.2273 (Ohio), URL = www.stewmac.com.
Excellent selection of parts (especially weird-sized heads) plus instruments, books, etc. Phone 517.372.7890 x123 (Lansing, Michigan), URL = www.elderly.com.
For instruments, repairs, general expertise (owners' personal banjo
collection
is to die for). Nice folks too. Phone 617.860.0049 (Lexington MA), URL =
www.tiac.net/users/musicemp/
A first-class luthier (and personal friend) here in the Falmouth Mass. area. Jim built my banjoloon (8-string tenor banjo) and handles all aspects of instrument building and repair. Also stocks other types of string instruments. Phone 508.563.9494, URL = www.capecod.net/guitarjcb.
Catalog includes banjo and mandolin parts; instrument building; repair and restoration. Phone 203.374.7072 (Bridgeport, CT). Not on WWW at present.
617.491.2812 (Cambridge MA). Good all-purpose acoustic music shop. Not on WWW at present.
The Internet
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There are lots more banjo-related sites on the Internet that can be located easily by searching on "tenor banjo". Prepare to spend an hour or so looking through them all (ignore the references to "banjo minnows" unless you're also a fisherman). I didn't run across any sites that had much relevance to the "FAQ" aspect of the banjo experience, but maybe I just didn't look hard enough.
alt.banjo
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This is one of the banjo user groups on the Internet. It's oriented more towards non-Irish playing styles, but occasionally a valuable discussion will get going.
BANJO-L
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This is a mailing list that I suspect has more to do with 5-string activities than with tenor interests. I didn't check it out but would be interested to hear from anyone who's involved with it...
ASSISTANCE APPRECIATED!
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There doubtless 3,287 other banjo resources - in the real world or in cyber-space - that I know nothing about and hence didn't mention. Please understand that I didn't omit your favorite one out of spite, but out of ignorance. If you'd be kind enough to e-mail me the details, I'd be happy to include the name in the next update of this publication. The only criterion I would ask you to follow is that the resource you supply have some relevance to the Irish tenor banjo.