Banjolin restoration

[NOTLguy]

In another thread about rust removal I introduced my project, the restoration of an old 1920-30's banjolin. The instrument is now in pieces and I have started removing rust from metal parts with a white vinegar bath.

The neck and dowel rod have been previously worked on. The dowel rod has cracked and needs replacement. While disassembling the neck from the pot, I noticed that the angle of the neck to the pot seems wrong. I would have thought that the neck would be angled back a few degrees from the head surface but it is indeed angled the other way, above the head surface so that the bottom of the heel of the neck sits away from contact with the rim. If I angle it so the neck sits flush against the rim. the dowel rod rises to just slightly above the rim height at the tailpiece side.

I deduce that the repair person glued the dowel rod in upside down. Any thoughts?

As the dowel rod is cracked, I plan to replace it with a newly fabricated Maple rod and would like to get the neck angle correct.

Regards,
Bill

[NOTLguy]

Oops! Well, I am embarrassed to admit that I had the pot upside down when I aligned the neck to it. When flipped over, the dowel rod angle was as it should be.

Bill

[Dobe]

I think we've all done stuff like that. When you work on something lefty you need to constantly make little pencil reminder notes, and keep telling yourself "LEFTY LEFTY LEFTY " ! Measure four times and cut / glue once. That's my motto !

[bart mcneil]

Often on an old banjo the upside down dowel stick was not a mistake.

It is very unusual to discover an old banjo with a wooden dowel stick which has not bent significantly over the years. For a mild bend putting the dowel stick in upside down will sometimes work to make the mando playable again.... However often they are bent so bad they have to be straightened or replaced. There are several instructional videos on straightening the dowel stick on the internet. It is quite possible to do so, though you may (will almost certainly) lose the varnish on the dowel stick. Some use heat alone, not steam, and it seems to work either way. I have only used the steam method and have successfully straightened several.

[NOTLguy]

You may not know, but my intention is to string it with ukulele strings and tune it GCEA like a banjolele. Yesterday I put it back together and strung it with an old set of Aquila nylgut strings tuned GCEA and it sounds amazing. So back to the restoration and it is back in pieces.

When I had it strung, I fiddled with the tailpiece and the strings do in fact line up with the keyboard. I have ordered a new 4 string banjo tailpiece and new inlay dots for the neck from Stew Mac.

Lots if fun doing this.......

Bill

[bart mcneil]

Yes it is fun. I have restored or repaired maybe 12 or 13 old mandos and banjos for fun, not profit. You learn something on each repair. There are lots of old unplayable banjos with bent dowel sticks selling cheap but easily repaired.