SBPARK - Posted - 02/26/2011:  14:55:11

So I've never played banjo yet, but just won an auction on ebay for a Recording King RK-35 and should have it next week. I usually set up my own guitars (only play teles) and am fine with adjusting the truss rod, action, intonation, and have even leveled and dressed frets on an american standard i used to own, but dont really have a clue with the banjo. What inspired me to try and set my own banjo up instead from taking it to a luthier was this series of videos i saw on youtube from Johnny Butten:

youtube.com/watch?v=B9SG_uyyKvc
youtube.com/watch?v=8RY537Qfot...e=related
youtube.com/watch?v=OL8Lspk2PK...e=related
youtube.com/watch?v=-vRbPQlneB...e=related
youtube.com/watch?v=D2WMBD4FIs...e=related

I dont anticipate myself going as far as removing the rim from the tone ring and sanding it/removing residue. etc. but don't think everything else is that difficult. My reasons for wanting to attempt my own set up are:

1. It will hopefully give me a better understanding of my instrument and how it is assembled and works
2. I'm not sure how many luthiers there are in my area that do set ups on banjos and would be able to do it justice, and wouldn't trust that they would even go to the extent that Johnny does in the videos.

Also, what gauge strings would you recommend? I prefer .010 on my guitars, which are medium gauges, so would I probably prefer a medium gauge on my banjo? Also, is the stock head decent, or should I replace that while I have the thing apart?

So what do you guys think? Is it possible for a rookie who has set up guitars to take a chance and try to set up his first banjo?

Thanks in advance!

Edited by - SBPARK on 02/26/2011 15:37:55

steve davis - Posted - 02/26/2011:  14:58:44

Sure.Take it apart and put it back together.

rbmalone2000 - Posted - 02/26/2011:  15:10:31

You'll want to learn how sooner or later. Might as well give it a shot.

scooter46 - Posted - 02/26/2011:  15:18:25

You have a good idea as to what to do, I'd adjust the head tension, check bridge placement and intonation, check the action and the neck for relife if it has a adjustable tailpiece tighten the mounting screw down so you're about 1/8 inch above the tension hoop then back off the adjusting screw until you have just enough pressure on the strings to hold the bridge firmly, then play it adn thighten it down until you like the sound. Larry

OSCAR82AA - Posted - 02/26/2011:  15:27:25

Has to be a first time for everyone, go with it and learn.

Was no youtube's when I did my first many years ago. You will do fine.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 02/26/2011:  15:35:58

I've done that since I was a kid with my first banjo in 1960. By all means go for it.

JIMBO53 - Posted - 02/26/2011:  16:43:03

Hi Scott-Welcome to the hangout. If you've had fun tinkering with your tele's you'll have alot of fun wrenchin' on your RK-35. Recording King's are excellent first banjos and you might find you won't need to upgrade for a while. Learning how to dial in the sound you like will enhance your enjoyment, so have at it.

Frisco Fred - Posted - 02/26/2011:  16:52:23

I'm with Steve on this...Find out how it works.

One thing about banjos, they have alot of bolts!

David Cunningham - Posted - 02/26/2011:  17:40:00

You can do it!

impickin5 - Posted - 02/26/2011:  18:17:59

Steve Huber has a great DVD on disassemly, re-assembly and proper setup for a banjo. Well worth every penny.

teletodd - Posted - 02/26/2011:  19:12:01

Read up on coodinator rods and adjusting the neck. Make sure you know hat your doing before tinkering with them. Also don't over tighten and break your banjo head. The strings are probably fine.

Paul Gorman - Posted - 02/27/2011:  09:49:19

While you got that guy all apart wash everything and dry it, remove any tarnish, wax all the metal parts (I use Rennaisance wax) put a tiny drop of light oil on all the bolt threads. There. better than new and from now on all the dirt is your own.

John Gribble - Posted - 02/27/2011:  13:33:51

About the strings: Most "mastertone"-type players like light gauge, .009 first and fifth.

Banjos are a tinkerer's dream. You may have found your life's calling!

SBPARK - Posted - 02/27/2011:  13:50:39

i just know with guitars i tend to have a heavy hand and cant stand guitars (acoustic or electric) that have light strings on them!

arnie fleischer - Posted - 02/27/2011:  14:46:13

If I can do it, anyone can. Just be careful not to overtighten the rods.

As Alan Munde says, it's only a banjo.

I like Roger Siminoff's book on set-up. Johnny Butten's videos are helpful too. And after spending some time recently observing how my buddy Bill Hayes from Maine uses a Drum Dial, I'm now a believer in its usefulness in achieving the head tension that gives you the sound you like . Steve, I take back all my jesting remarks in prior threads.

Rwh56 - Posted - 02/27/2011:  17:33:15

The great thing about working on a banjo, is that you can reverse most mistakes. And those you cant, you can replace.

XXXris - Posted - 02/27/2011:  18:18:04

oh definitely; the only problem is that setting up and tinkering can be as much fun as playing....

Pete13 - Posted - 02/27/2011:  18:45:16

Heck yes. When I bought my first banjo, the first thing I did was take it completely apart and reassemble it and set it up, using some of the advice I found right here on the hangout. As long as you use a bit of common sense tightening things, there really isn't much that could go wrong.
I'm a compulsive tinkerer by nature, and it sounds as though you are as well. I doubt you'll have any trouble with it.

jchipps_1 - Posted - 02/27/2011:  18:59:01

Go for it

There's nothing wrong with having a professional go over your banjo now and then, and sometimes it may even be necessary.
But it's just not feasible or convenient to always take or ship your banjo out every time it needs some fine tuning.

There's a boatload of information on here and other sites at your fingertips.

Once you learn the basics, you can also play around with different things such as head tension, bridges, tail pieces
string action etc. and set things up the way you like it.

It may take some time tinkering around, but that's half the fun.

You'll eventually get the sound and playability that you're satisfied with and the satisfaction of knowing that it was your hands that did it.

Banjosnob - Posted - 03/03/2011:  05:37:06

I took apart my husband's boss's Gibson Mastertone to change the head. He rolled his eyes when he saw all the parts laid out on the floor, and I could hear him think "OMG, she'll never get it put back" . Well I did... Reset the head, set the bridge, checked the string clearance, then had my teacher tighten the head to a G#. Boss was very happy!
After doing it, I can adjust things when I hear buzzes, or muted sounds and understand know how each part works.

mike gregory - Posted - 03/03/2011:  06:13:47

Saw this in Readers' Digress a few years back:
Kids were going to TRY repair a carbeurator on their car.
So they videotaped taking it apart, planning to run the tape backwards to see how it goes back together.
They claim it worked just fine.

Frisco Fred - Posted - 03/03/2011:  07:07:08

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lynn K.

I took apart my husband's boss's Gibson Mastertone to change the head. He rolled his eyes when he saw all the parts laid out on the floor, and I could hear him think "OMG, she'll never get it put back" . Well I did... Reset the head, set the bridge, checked the string clearance, then had my teacher tighten the head to a G#. Boss was very happy!
After doing it, I can adjust things when I hear buzzes, or muted sounds and understand know how each part works.

---

Edited by - Frisco Fred on 03/03/2011 07:09:16

banjodawg - Posted - 03/03/2011:  07:54:37

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lynn K.

I took apart my husband's boss's Gibson Mastertone to change the head. He rolled his eyes when he saw all the parts laid out on the floor, and I could hear him think "OMG, she'll never get it put back" . Well I did... Reset the head, set the bridge, checked the string clearance, then had my teacher tighten the head to a G#. Boss was very happy!
After doing it, I can adjust things when I hear buzzes, or muted sounds and understand know how each part works.

---

Gomer - Posted - 03/03/2011:  17:13:27

Feel the Force, Luke. It beckons you! You are powerless to avoid it. Yes, Luke, Tinker away. Feel the Force flowing through your hand. . . . Just don't mess with the neck relief until you are really sure or get liquored up enough to where it doesn't matter. Either way, be careful with the neck.

ltjgcag - Posted - 03/03/2011:  17:16:38

Best way to learn is by doing!
And plenty of help here if you need it.
The Lessons Links has plenty of info on set-ups too.

Old Hickory - Posted - 03/03/2011:  18:22:03

+1 on the Steve Huber "Killer Tone" set-up video and other info sources. I didn't click your video links because I've seen them before, but if I remember correctly, when Johnny B puts the banjo back together, he doesn't do, say or show anything about adjusting the action. So you need to learn somewhere else what to if you put the neck back on and the action is way off. I could be wrong.

Banjosnob - Posted - 03/04/2011:  02:09:02

By the way, to Frisco Fred and Banjodawg, I boned up on Hubers"Killer Tone" before I took the banjo apart. Great DVD!
Now..... does anyone need some plumbing fixed. .......?

mike gregory - Posted - 03/04/2011:  05:58:40

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gomer

Feel the Force, Luke. It beckons you! You are powerless to avoid it. Yes, Luke, Tinker away. Feel the Force flowing through your hand. . . . Just don't mess with the neck relief until you are really sure or get liquored up enough to where it doesn't matter. Either way, be careful with the neck.

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