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 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Repairing a banjo in a non-bluegrass continent


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/399169

Fullshark - Posted - 09/01/2024:  10:07:11


Hi there, I think this is a topic many other pickers might have or will come across at some point in their journey.

Each time I've wanted to buy a higher class banjo I've pulled back because of the fact that I live in a country where luthier options for banjos are as rare as they come. Buying an expensive banjo knowing that you will be helpless whenever it requires the work of a luthier seems like a no go (fret replacement, worn out neck...).

Has anyone had any experience in this situation? and, can you send your banjo overseas for repairement? if so, is it really worth it or is it too expensive?

Thank you BH, hope this thread helps anyone in my same situation.



PS: please, refrain from 'set your own workshop', 'nothing like repairing it yourself', 'build a plane and fly to Kentucky' and similar iterations because sadly my current position does not allow such things.

GrahamHawker - Posted - 09/01/2024:  11:24:24


It depends on whether you think a banjo will need the attention of a luthier or not. How often does a banjo need a refret? Necks seem unlikely to wear out. If banjos needed all this work there would be a banjo luthier in every town even where I am in the UK. We all know banjos need basic maintenance, which does not require a luthier, and we can all learn to do a basic setup. We can even do simple repairs, for instance if the 5th string tuner falls out. We don't need workshops or machine tools. I've even mended a cracked neck without such things. An internet search some glue and a clamp or two that's all that was needed. I think you should go into this optimistically. But buy from somewhere which actually does a proper check beforehand.

Old Hickory - Posted - 09/01/2024:  12:27:03


Do you have any luthiers? I ask, because anyone experienced in installing, crowning, dressing, or leveling frets on guitars can probably be trusted with fretwork on banjos. The only issue I can think of that might be challenging for some is refretting a bound fretboard.



Even something as serious as repairing a broken headstock or heel break is going to be essentially the same on banjo as guitar. Luthiers see lots of broken headstocks on Gibson electric guitars and they're every bit as bad as the ones that happen to banjos.



Other wood or finish repairs are going to be similar.



But over-all set up, and especially issues involving coordinator rods, could well be outside the experience of a luthier who hasn't worked on banjos before.



Thanks to the internet, otherwise skilled luthiers with little or no banjo experience can avail themselves of information - and even personal advice - from others with the specific experience in the work they may be dealing with.



If I were in your situation and wanted a quality banjo, I'd get it and not worry about repairs until they were needed.



To your larger question: Yes, banjos, or parts of banjos, can be shipped to have work done. I have shipped several banjo necks for work including refrets, reprofiling, refinishing, re-doing the flange cutout, and replacing lag bolts. I have shipped a resonator to be stripped and refinished. I've shipped a rim, tone ring, and flange to have the fit adjusted, which involved adding wood to the rim then re-turning on a lathe and also machining the flange to open up its diameter to fit over the skirt of the rim.



Of course, responsibility for reassembling the banjos fell to me. I'd rather not ship an entire banjo for repair, but I would do that if necessary.

AndrewD - Posted - 09/01/2024:  14:21:34


It would probably help if you let us know where this benighted banjo-luthier desert is. There may be some resources there that you don't know about. But, as stated above, all of the banjo specific stuff, repairs that a good guitar luthier couldn't do, are simple mechanics that anybody could do.

KCJones - Posted - 09/02/2024:  05:15:47


Even in the USA, finding a luthier with actual experience and skill working on banjos is rare. Owning a banjo necessitates understanding how they're put together and how to maintain them. 



Your statement at the end effectively disqualifies you from owning a banjo. If you're not willing to at least learn basic banjo maintenance and setup, it is probably not the instrument for you. I'm sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Quite frankly, if you lack the intelligence, dexterity, and motivation to understand banjo construction to the point that you can do basic maintenance and setup, it's unlikely you'll be able to learn to play one anyway. 


Edited by - KCJones on 09/02/2024 05:20:38

BobbyE - Posted - 09/02/2024:  07:11:45


I would never let the possibility of needing a quality banjo worked on prevent me from owning one. There is too much pleasure derived from playing a quality instrument to not own one if you can find and afford one.

Bobby

Fullshark - Posted - 09/02/2024:  11:21:13


quote:

Originally posted by GrahamHawker

It depends on whether you think a banjo will need the attention of a luthier or not. How often does a banjo need a refret? Necks seem unlikely to wear out. If banjos needed all this work there would be a banjo luthier in every town even where I am in the UK. We all know banjos need basic maintenance, which does not require a luthier, and we can all learn to do a basic setup. We can even do simple repairs, for instance if the 5th string tuner falls out. We don't need workshops or machine tools. I've even mended a cracked neck without such things. An internet search some glue and a clamp or two that's all that was needed. I think you should go into this optimistically. But buy from somewhere which actually does a proper check beforehand.






From 5th string pip replacement to refretting or setting up spikes. Anything that could damage the integrity of the wooden structure sounds risky to try on a high value banjo without the proper practiced touch of a professional. Basic maintenance falls out of that description to me (with the exception of the 5th string pip replacement maybe).



quote:

Originally posted by AndrewD

It would probably help if you let us know where this benighted banjo-luthier desert is. There may be some resources there that you don't know about. But, as stated above, all of the banjo specific stuff, repairs that a good guitar luthier couldn't do, are simple mechanics that anybody could do.






Spain is the place.



quote:

Originally posted by KCJones

Even in the USA, finding a luthier with actual experience and skill working on banjos is rare. Owning a banjo necessitates understanding how they're put together and how to maintain them. 



Your statement at the end effectively disqualifies you from owning a banjo. If you're not willing to at least learn basic banjo maintenance and setup, it is probably not the instrument for you. I'm sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Quite frankly, if you lack the intelligence, dexterity, and motivation to understand banjo construction to the point that you can do basic maintenance and setup, it's unlikely you'll be able to learn to play one anyway. 






I've been picking for years now. I know how to set it up from top to bottom, but if you expect me to build up an entire workshop and learn the art of instrument manipulation out of the blue by experimenting on a 2.000 dollars banjo with maneuvers that can potentially damage the wood (refretting, worn out wood structure, spikes...) you are delusional at best. I even wrote down examples in the original post and you still needed further clarifications. Such a self-entitled and distasteful way to voice out an opinion without knowing what's on the other end.



 

GrahamHawker - Posted - 09/02/2024:  12:18:52


quote:

Originally posted by Fullshark

From 5th string pip replacement to refretting or setting up spikes. Anything that could damage the integrity of the wooden structure sounds risky to try on a high value banjo without the proper practiced touch of a professional. Basic maintenance falls out of that description to me (with the exception of the 5th string pip replacement maybe).






%th string pips are not difficult and require no modifications.. As others have mentioned a guitar luthier could do refretting and that might not need doing for many years. Spikes are a luthier job but you could order from somewhere where they will install spikes. Or live without spikes. And if you are anywhere near Barcelona there's always David Prat

Fullshark - Posted - 09/02/2024:  12:36:10


quote:

Originally posted by GrahamHawker

quote:

Originally posted by Fullshark

From 5th string pip replacement to refretting or setting up spikes. Anything that could damage the integrity of the wooden structure sounds risky to try on a high value banjo without the proper practiced touch of a professional. Basic maintenance falls out of that description to me (with the exception of the 5th string pip replacement maybe).






%th string pips are not difficult and require no modifications.. As others have mentioned a guitar luthier could do refretting and that might not need doing for many years. Spikes are a luthier job but you could order from somewhere where they will install spikes. Or live without spikes. And if you are anywhere near Barcelona there's always David Prat






Didn't know the guy. Thanks man I appreciate it, all I could research back in the days were two potential artisans: one located in Seville that disappeared a while ago and another one in Barcelona that was not bluegrass related.

KCJones - Posted - 09/03/2024:  05:48:40


Can you expand on what you mean with the phrase "worn out wood structure"? This is something I've never heard of, and in fact common wisdom tells us that the wood in our instruments gets better with age. 



In any case, your concerns aren't particularly reasonable. Refretting, refinishing, that type of thing... it's rarely necessary unless you're abusing your instrument or playing/practicing professionally for hours at a time every day. Most people go their entire lives without refretting or refinishing their instrument. Don't concern yourself with these rare situations and just go buy a banjo.


Edited by - KCJones on 09/03/2024 05:55:14

Fullshark - Posted - 09/06/2024:  07:19:58


quote:

Originally posted by KCJones

Can you expand on what you mean with the phrase "worn out wood structure"? This is something I've never heard of, and in fact common wisdom tells us that the wood in our instruments gets better with age. 



In any case, your concerns aren't particularly reasonable. Refretting, refinishing, that type of thing... it's rarely necessary unless you're abusing your instrument or playing/practicing professionally for hours at a time every day. Most people go their entire lives without refretting or refinishing their instrument. Don't concern yourself with these rare situations and just go buy a banjo.






Someone posted a thread here not long ago talking about how years had added slack to the gap between the head and the neck due to the friction of the tension ring. That's one example. Other might be wood chipping off due to an accidental hit/fall.



I know I sport a very cheap model but the commonly used frets already have already some serious wear on em (2nd, 3rd, 10th...). Materials might be of lower quality but still... I think I might have to buy one though because this cheap ones don't age as good.

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