oddone - Posted - 10/18/2009:  10:11:17

im thinking my action could be a little to high and i was wondering what height you guys have set up at the 12th fret?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/18/2009:  10:23:21

Varies for me. My main banjos are at 5/32. That's as low as I go for both old-time and bluegrass. I can play comfortably at 3/16. My nylon and gut-strung fretlesses are higher. Measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string.

Bill

rendesvous1840 - Posted - 10/18/2009:  10:38:43

Mine's about 3/16". Any higher is probably uncomfortable, but if you play over the neck and don't have a scoop, you may want a bit more height. If you tend to bring left hand high up the neck a lot, you may want it around 1/8". I don't think you would ever want it more than 1/4" at the 12th fret. That's probably excessive no matter what your playing style is. Less than 1/8" is probably too low for almost any player. You may want to check the Building & Set Up topics for more info about adjusting it.
I don't actually play over the neck much, mostly over the inside edge of the pot. It really comes down to where you get the sound you like. Some play closer to the bridge, some out over the neck. Over the neck players often want the extra height to keep from hitting the frets with their right hand. Some have the upper frets removed and the fretboard scooped for extra clearance, and some just set the action a little higher. In my case, since my right hand stays over the pot , the height setting is more what my left hand prefers for fretting. There's the rub: which hand are you going to let make the decision? If your left hand is having trouble fretting the strings, you may want to have the action adjusted, but I believe it's first adjusted at the nut to make sure the strings aren't too hugh there. You can check that easily. Put a capo on at the first fret, and playa few songs. If the banjo is a lot easier to play with the capo on, your nut is probably too high, or the nevk angle to the body may need adjusting. I'm about at the end of my knowledge, the builders will have to take it from here.
Paul

"A master banjo player isn't the one who can play the most notes. It's the one who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=128303 IBARD topic
http://ibard-rendesvous1840.blogspot.com/

Booger McGee - Posted - 10/18/2009:  10:53:21

Quick newb question--When measuring the height at the 12th fret, do you measure from the fretboard or from the fret wire?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/18/2009:  11:00:21

Uh, did you read my post above?

Bill

RB5 - Posted - 10/18/2009:  11:03:47

Yep! It should be always measured from the top of the fret.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it!

Robert.

oddone - Posted - 10/18/2009:  11:14:54

my action is 2/8 at the 12th but im only using 1/2 bridge does this mean i need to adjust the angle of my neck.my playing is fine like this but im having a little trouble with the 2nd string 2nd fret pulling sharp even though my nut is low. i should have put this topic on the repair forum but im here now.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/18/2009:  11:39:45

Yeah, that's simply too high with a 1/2" bridge. I'd expect your intonation would be off.

Bill

oddone - Posted - 10/18/2009:  11:46:51

thanks

fretlessinfortwayne - Posted - 10/18/2009:  12:27:47

Wouldn't know. I've never been there.

Dean

"Each one's got to have his own style. It's all creamed potatoes, just fixed a little different." -- Benton Flippen

Docmhc - Posted - 10/18/2009:  13:07:25

For what it's worth, here's what Geoff Stelling says.

Step #4 - Checking string height.

Normal string height, or action, is about 1/8" above the 12th fret and 9/64" above the 22nd fret as measured from the top of each fret to the center of the strings. To modify string height entails manipulation of the rim rods which are the two rods traversing the center of the rim. These rods secure the neck to the rim and must always be snug at the neck end prior to any adjustment at the opposite end where the 1/2" nuts are. Two holes in the middle of each rod facilitate turning the rods onto or off of the neck hanger bolts, or enable you to prevent the rods from turning when tightening or loosening the adjusting nuts. To lower the action, loosen the inner nut on the lower rod and tighten the outer nut. To raise the action, loosen the outer nut and tighten the inner nut.

Here's the link to his set-up page. http://www.stellingbanjo.com/setup.htm

Don

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/18/2009:  13:22:38

That's for bluegrass. A clawhammer player's likely to bounce the strings off the frets with light strings set there.

Bill

rendesvous1840 - Posted - 10/19/2009:  18:32:04

That's also assuming his banjo has coordinator rods. The avatar looks like an open back, and a lot of them have a dowel stick instead. Neck angle is one possible culprit, so is nut height. So is the straightness of the neck. Any good stringed instrument repairman, or even a player you trust, should be able to tell you which problem your banjo has. At least, with a banjo, you don't have to unglue the neck joint like most guitars, mandolins, and the whole violin family. This remove-the-neck stuff ain't necesarily the first item a person should try without some guidance, though. At least have it looked at by someone experienced. We're all diagnosing by long distance. Most from across an ocean. My eyes NEVER were that good!
Paul

"A master banjo player isn't the one who can play the most notes. It's the one who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=128303 IBARD topic
http://ibard-rendesvous1840.blogspot.com/

RedZinger - Posted - 10/19/2009:  20:07:18

quote:

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Originally posted by fretlessinfortwayne

Wouldn't know. I've never been there.

Dean

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DENNISNDODIE - Posted - 12/04/2009:  17:48:55

How about the fifth string? If I set the action at 3/32 at the 12th fret my fifth string buzzes so I have to raise it higher.Thats with a 5/8 straight bridge.I like to put a pip on the fifth string and git rid of the nail.

Edited by - DENNISNDODIE on 12/04/2009 17:50:09

rendesvous1840 - Posted - 12/04/2009:  20:14:10

You probably want the 5th string at the height of the other strings at equal frets. The height doesn't need to be very low unless you frequently fret your 5th string. I never fret mine, (some players do), so it only needs to be comfortable for the right hand. But if your right hand gets accustomed to a certain string height on the long strings, you likely will want the thumb string at the same height.
Paul