donnakris - Posted - 08/03/2025:  07:47:32

Hello this is my1st time posting. My son has an old Buckbee banjo 

That he needs work done. Are there any people within an hour  of v Athens that does old time banjo repairs? Thank you For any help you can give

Edited by - donnakris on 08/09/2025 07:21:02

TheLastWord - Posted - 08/03/2025:  11:05:42

What repairs does the banjo need? Ask him to send you pics and you post. It could be something simple.

Eric A - Posted - 08/03/2025:  22:02:02

I think a new thread that mentions Athens Georgia right in the title might catch people's eye a little better. I have no doubt there's somebody on here who would know, if they see the question.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 08/04/2025:  05:02:06

I'd start here at Classic City Vintage Guitars.
149 Oneta Street, Suite 6A1
Athens, GA 30601

(706) 850-8437

OPEN 11-6

WEDNESDAY- FRIDAY

At least ask them who does that work.

Dan Gellert - Posted - 08/05/2025:  10:00:56

I'll reiterate Richard's request for more information, especially detailed photos.



Do take advantage of the wonderful resource you have found here. The Banjo Hangout gives you easy access (at zero cost!) to literally thousands of person-years of knowledge and experience. All straight from real human eyes, ears, hands, and brains, not (yet, at least) homogenized, predigested and diluted by (expletive deleted) AI!

Edited by - Dan Gellert on 08/05/2025 10:01:12

pinenut - Posted - 08/05/2025:  10:44:46

quote:

---

Originally posted by donnakris

Hello this is my1st time posting. My son has an old Buckbee banjo y

That he needs work done on. He lives in Athens, GA. Are there any people within an hour n of v Athens that does old time banjo repairs? Thank you as

For any help you can give

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dan Gellert

I'll reiterate Richard's request for more information, especially detailed photos.



Do take advantage of the wonderful resource you have found here. The Banjo Hangout gives you easy access (at zero cost!) to literally thousands of person-years of knowledge and experience. 

---

Dan and Richard speak true.  That old Buckbee may need just a two-legged bridge and strings...  The odds of finding a local luthier that is actually comfortable with any banjo and of that type are low.  note:  Probably a little better odds in Georgia; still not great.

jakewildwood.blogspot.com/2017...anjo.html

smakulafrettedinstruments.com/...ring.html

Edited by - pinenut on 08/05/2025 10:59:26

csacwp - Posted - 08/05/2025:  16:43:32

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bob Buckingham

I'd start here at Classic City Vintage Guitars.

149 Oneta Street, Suite 6A1

Athens, GA 30601



(706) 850-8437



OPEN 11-6



WEDNESDAY- FRIDAY



At least ask them who does that work.

---

I wouldn't bring any antique banjo to a guitar shop. It's a recipe for disaster. 

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 08/05/2025:  18:46:24

quote:

---

Originally posted by csacwp

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bob Buckingham

I'd start here at Classic City Vintage Guitars.

149 Oneta Street, Suite 6A1

Athens, GA 30601



(706) 850-8437



OPEN 11-6



WEDNESDAY- FRIDAY



At least ask them who does that work.

---

I wouldn't bring any antique banjo to a guitar shop. It's a recipe for disaster. 

---

Yeah maybe I wasnt clear enough for you all. That is a shop that sells banjos in Athens. Take it in an ask questions. If they sound like they know what they are talking about then that is one thing, otherwise ask people in that shop or others who the banjo guy is in that town. It's a college town, someone will know.  

donnakris - Posted - 08/09/2025:  04:46:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by donnakris

Hello this is my1st time posting. My son has an old Buckbee banjo y

That he needs work done on. He lives in Athens, GA. Are there any people within an hour n of v Athens that does old time banjo repairs? Thank you as

For any help you can give

---

donnakris - Posted - 08/09/2025:  04:54:55

My son has the banjo in. He wants to thank everyone for thier replies. He said he's gonna check out classic guitars in Athens
Here are some pictures He wanted posted.

donnakris - Posted - 08/09/2025:  07:27:04

Here are pics

donnakris - Posted - 08/09/2025:  08:10:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by donnakris

My son has the banjo in. He wants to thank everyone for thier replies. He said he's gonna check out classic guitars in Athens

Here are some pictures He wanted posted. He said the neck is straight but he thinks the dowel needs to be reset and it needs 4th and 5th tuning pegs

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Eric A - Posted - 08/09/2025:  08:41:44

A dowel reset might be over the head of a run of the mill guitar shop, but hopefully they have a recommendation as to where to take it.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 08/09/2025:  13:45:19

A dowel reset will far exceed the “value” of this banjo.

Regarding guitar shops, they have a very convincing ability to act like they know what they are doing. “Luthiers” (i.e. local electric guitar minor repair guys) will let their ego dictate what they think they can do.

Here are some tips. If the shop says ANY variation on the following… “well that is an old one,” or “don’t see many of these”. Say “thanks” and walk away.

Ask about nylon strings, if the shop says “nylon strings for banjo? I did not know that was a thing”, say “thanks” and walk away.

You have a low end “jobber” banjo that could have been made by anyone with a workbench and a set of joiners tools. These are common, as far as this era of banjos go, and not “worth” much even in good condition. While “Buckbee” (which one? There were two generations) made a lot of this level of banjo, and it might have been from that shop, period accounts show that countless people were all making essentially the same banjos. Unless it is marked “JHB” or “Tremont” it could have come from any workbench.

I only bring up “value” as the cost of major work does not always make a great instrument. Putting money into this might be better spent saving up for another that does not need any work.

This level of banjo is best as pet hobby projects for skilled persons looking for a time filler.

banjoboyd - Posted - 08/15/2025:  21:12:23

Is your son the one planning on playing it? This banjo is a great opportunity to learn how to do basic repairs/set-up work. Nothing looks particularly wrong with it. Fitting replacement pegs is probably the most difficult part, but it's certainly doable.

donnakris - Posted - 08/16/2025:  01:08:07

Thank you.

Mark Ralston - Posted - 08/16/2025:  05:18:37

Donna - does the banjo have a history with your family ? I ask because I once fixed a fiddle for a guy who drove hours from his home in West Virginia to my shop because "experts" had dismissed his treasured, family fiddle as being not worthy of restoring. Your banjo is likely not a collector item, but it could be an instrument to learn on if it is set up properly, especially so if it has a family connection. A lot of old-time music notables played inexpensive instruments. Ditto what others have said about the importance of finding someone who has experience working with vintage banjos.

Years ago, my wife and I met a guy who had (has?) a shop on the square in Dahlonega, GA. I don't have his business card any more, but a Google search turned up some possible leads for you: tinyurl.com/Dahlonega-GA-banjo-search

Mark Ralston - Posted - 08/16/2025:  05:32:32

Donna - I found the card..... it spent a long time in the console of my truck and soaked up many coffee spills, but I think the shop is still in business. Vintage Music, website vintagemusic.com/