My first attempt at "restoration" the "bucktone" - Discussion Forums

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ARCHIVED TOPIC: My first attempt at "restoration" the "bucktone"

Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/290489

mipake - Posted - 08/29/2014: 05:55:17

I bought this buckbee as a trainer banjo. I knew it was not worth the money to restore. If I missed it up I had not destroyed a real collectors dream. It was missing all the hardware brackets, shoes and tension ring. So I really did not think I could find 38 matching shoes. After several ebay auctions I found what I needed. The neck was straight and the rim was not warped. However the neck had two holes where someone tried to put an inlay. On the peghead was a diamond shape and at the base of the fretboard a particularly ugly hole. All the frets had been removed and there were only traces of the original black veneer. I decided to completely refinish the neck by sanding it down and using the French finishing technique recommended by Bell banjos for their minstrel kits. I filled in both inlays with wood filler. I covered the peghead with back veneer. I rerouted the other inlay with one of my own design. Thus the first “Bucktone” banjo. I re-fretted it.

I learned a lot. I think next time I will put the frets in before I finish it. it is almost impossible to dress them without damaging the finish on the neck. I bought some violin tuners for it but they were too big maybe ¾ violin tuners will work.

The tone is good on this banjo but the action is too high. However with buckbees you get what it has I suppose. Overall I got my money’s worth of enjoyment just working on my “Bucktone”