BDCA - Posted - 12/30/2025:  10:08:19

I have worked on dozens and dozens of banjos over the years but never a Weyman. I am converting it to and Irish tenor. My friends father played the banjo up until a few weeks ago when he died at 99 1/2. I doubt the banjo has been out side the assisted living center for 20 years.



I am afraid to do much using the adjustable widget as it's not my instrument.

Edited by - BDCA on 12/30/2025 10:11:33

Weyman Back View

 

Joel Hooks - Posted - 12/30/2025:  10:59:40

Is this a 5 string? If so, sell it and buy a tenor.

BDCA - Posted - 12/30/2025:  11:23:18

It is a tenor and doesn't belong to me, but it makes a great Irish tenor. I saw a few of them on a recent trip to Ireland.

Edited by - BDCA on 12/30/2025 11:24:20

Joel Hooks - Posted - 12/30/2025:  12:57:19

I was confused by the use of “converting” which typically means replacing the neck to make a different instrument.

BDCA - Posted - 12/30/2025:  13:18:54

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

I was confused by the use of “converting” which typically means replacing the neck to make a different instrument.

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I meant converting from a standard tenor to an Irish tenor, which is more marketable.

Thanks,

Bob

Joel Hooks - Posted - 12/30/2025:  14:01:16

How does one make a Philadelphia, USA banjo become Irish?

Just kidding.

pasdimo - Posted - 12/30/2025:  14:29:24

I owned several Weymann’s, they are great. I still have a style 2 and a 135. I never used the neck adjuster a lot, just turning the screw a little bit whithout forcing and it works. If the action is very high, use a (thin) shim between the neck and the rim and/or try another bridge. The combination of the three ways should be fine.
Tuning GDAE for Irish music instead of CGDA is not a conversion, just a different tuning.

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 12/30/2025:  18:54:48

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

How does one make a Philadelphia, USA banjo become Irish?



Just kidding.

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Tune it like an octave mandolin and play Irish melodies on it. Hopefully it is a 17 fretter.

stevo58 - Posted - 12/30/2025:  23:59:49

quote:

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Originally posted by BDCA

I meant converting from a standard tenor to an Irish tenor, which is more marketable.

Thanks,

Bob

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Isn't that just a matter of filing the nut slots? Sorry, I'm ignorant about Irish tenor.

Be careful with that neck adjuster. Crank it too much and you can split the heel.

I have a model 150 plectrum, and looking at that adjuster, it's fixed on one end with the tailpiece bolt; the other is pretty much fixed by the hole for the dowel stick - I suppose you loosen the mounting hardware - and you apply pressure in the middle with the adjuster bolt. I'm no engineer, but that looks like a recipe for disaster to me. Maybe Dan Shingler can shed some light. The adjuster on mine was broken where the bolt goes through, and some genius "repaired" it with hot melt glue (!) - a well-known substitute for brazing - ; it was being held together with the bolt. I removed it and made a maple block to take up the slack at the tailpiece end.

Edited by - stevo58 on 12/31/2025 00:05:24

martyjoe - Posted - 12/31/2025:  01:16:05

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob Buckingham

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

How does one make a Philadelphia, USA banjo become Irish?



Just kidding.

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Tune it like an octave mandolin and play Irish melodies on it. Hopefully it is a 17 fretter.

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I'd say hopefully it's a 19 fretter. None of the good players over here want 17 fretters. I have a 17 fret 1933 Vega Tubaphone here that just sits on the junk pile until I can get a long neck t get it to 23". 

Bob Buckingham - Posted - 12/31/2025:  05:50:31

quote:

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Originally posted by martyjoe

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob Buckingham

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

How does one make a Philadelphia, USA banjo become Irish?



Just kidding.

---

Tune it like an octave mandolin and play Irish melodies on it. Hopefully it is a 17 fretter.

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I'd say hopefully it's a 19 fretter. None of the good players over here want 17 fretters. I have a 17 fret 1933 Vega Tubaphone here that just sits on the junk pile until I can get a long neck t get it to 23". 

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Thank you for that clarification. The banjo players around here who play Celtic all prefer 17 fret models. I once took a Vegaphone 17 fret in trade for a bluegrass parts banjo. It came with an extra 19 fret neck. Long story short I formerly played bluegrass but for the past 40 years have only played old time. I have taught bluegrass but I have never played Celtic music on the banjo was only repeating what folks here in the Carolinas have told me.  It is good to know.

DSmoke - Posted - 12/31/2025:  07:29:11

All of the Weymann Orchestra models were 19 fret, originally 21-7/8" scale and later 23" scale. The neck brace action adjuster is very handy for dailing in the action. Weymann's original bridge was 5/8" so most Orchestra models are ready for a proper bridge for Irish music. I use 9/16" on most of my banjos. To make the action lower you will go counter-clockwise with the bolt. I have adjusted probably close to 100 of them and have not cracked a heel........yet. Some made me more nervous than others.

 

DSmoke - Posted - 12/31/2025:  07:32:15

quote:

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Originally posted by BDCA

I have worked on dozens and dozens of banjos over the years but never a Weyman. I am converting it to and Irish tenor. My friends father played the banjo up until a few weeks ago when he died at 99 1/2. I doubt the banjo has been out side the assisted living center for 20 years.



I am afraid to do much using the adjustable widget as it's not my instrument.

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That photo is interesting. First off, it's a Style No. 2. The Weymann Style No. 3 had a brown/gray stain on maple with an extended fingerboard. Secondly, I've never seen 2 different serial numbers on a dowel stick.

BDCA - Posted - 12/31/2025:  13:21:53

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

quote:

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Originally posted by BDCA

I have worked on dozens and dozens of banjos over the years but never a Weymann. I am converting it to and Irish tenor. My friends father played the banjo up until a few weeks ago when he died at 99 1/2. I doubt the banjo has been out side the assisted living center for 20 years.



I am afraid to do much using the adjustable widget as it's not my instrument.

---

That photo is interesting. First off, it's a Style No. 2. The Weymann Style No. 3 had a brown/gray stain on maple with an extended fingerboard. Secondly, I've never seen 2 different serial numbers on a dowel stick.

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Very observant.. That's not the actual banjo. I just grabbed it from the internet. The neck systems seem to be identical althoug there seems to be a wood plug visible in the Stle 2 photo missing on mine.

BDCA - Posted - 12/31/2025:  13:25:59

quote:

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Originally posted by martyjoe

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob Buckingham

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

How does one make a Philadelphia, USA banjo become Irish?



Just kidding.

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Tune it like an octave mandolin and play Irish melodies on it. Hopefully it is a 17 fretter.

---

I'd say hopefully it's a 19 fretter. None of the good players over here want 17 fretters. I have a 17 fret 1933 Vega Tubaphone here that just sits on the junk pile until I can get a long neck t get it to 23". 

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They used to be called Ladies Banjos and now they are called Irish Banjos by American companies??!!

BDCA - Posted - 12/31/2025:  13:27:46

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

All of the Weymann Orchestra models were 19 fret, originally 21-7/8" scale and later 23" scale. The neck brace action adjuster is very handy for dailing in the action. Weymann's original bridge was 5/8" so most Orchestra models are ready for a proper bridge for Irish music. I use 9/16" on most of my banjos. To make the action lower you will go counter-clockwise with the bolt. I have adjusted probably close to 100 of them and have not cracked a heel........yet. Some made me more nervous than others.

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Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Bob