Last year, a Cammeyer banjo bought in the 80s from the then local junk shop had run out of road (again). After advice and a catch from various forum members - archived thread below - it was up and running again, and rather better than before.
banjohangout.org/archive/392469
After some time, I realised that the banjo's nut... well it appears to have been made wrong: the slots for the strings were all slightly to the right of where they needed to be, so it was difficult, when playing, not to be accidentally quenching the D string which sat close to the edge of the fretboard.
Rather than immediately start sourcing and sawing up a chunky seashell, the existing nut, for now, is currently simply nudged across a smidge, making everything a zillion times better. Putting the strings more where they need to be has the additional advantage that it's taken the strings off the points at which a couple of the frets are a bit worn, so that's a novel way of tackling *that* particular issue.
It's just had another change too: its set of steel strings switched for a straight set of the lightest option Nylgut strings via Eagle Music in Sheffield, which has very much changed the voice it can produce. With the steels it had, the D and G strings seemed to struggle (or, I struggled with them) but the change sort of pulls all the notes onto the one instrument. Presumably the change puts less tension across the instrument, so its structure will probably appreciate that too.
Four days into the new strings and they've more or less settled, just needing a small lift after sitting for an hour or so. Thanks again for people's past help* here.
Mark
*& thoughts, prayers etc.
