When banjoist Julian (Winnie) Winston died here in NZ 2005, he left me in his will a lot of banjo stuff. One item was this in a box of pearl offcuts.
It appears to be a tool of some sort. The end of it is a hex socket measuring inside 0.190"/4.88mm
Any thoughts?
Edited by - banjonz on 05/18/2025 17:22:59
I don't know, but I have a guess...
Maybe it is for starting the nut on a truss rod when there isn't a "straight shot" for a nut driver. It would grip a 1/4" nut and perhaps flex enough to align the nut on the threads of the rod.
(If it is not stretchy enough to grip a 1/4" nut, then,,, never mind.)
(Now that I have that idea I think I'll make something similar for starting truss rod nuts!)
Nut driver attachment to tighten hooks?
... another I don't know, but I have a guess .... a "stubby" nut-driver? [ IF there are .190"/4.88 mm nuts. ]
Edited by - Owen on 05/18/2025 18:25:15
Looks like an apex bit holder, that you could put a wrench on, for something stubborn
quote:
Originally posted by sunburstI don't know, but I have a guess...
Maybe it is for starting the nut on a truss rod when there isn't a "straight shot" for a nut driver. It would grip a 1/4" nut and perhaps flex enough to align the nut on the threads of the rod.
(If it is not stretchy enough to grip a 1/4" nut, then,,, never mind.)
(Now that I have that idea I think I'll make something similar for starting truss rod nuts!)
It is not flexible anmd definitely not steel. I have checked with a file and its not brass. I suspsect therefore it is aluminium (or as you say aluminum).
Winnie played steel guitar. That looks like a tuning wrench for the pull mechanism on a pedal steel.
Edited by - stevo58 on 05/18/2025 23:19:55
https://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/product-page/tuning-wrench
Methinks Stevo gets the see-gar for this one. 
Edited by - Owen on 05/19/2025 07:35:29
quote:
Originally posted by Owenhttps://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/product-page/tuning-wrench
Methinks Stevo gets the see-gar for this one.
Bingo! Yes. I forgot he played steel
quote:
Originally posted
Bingo! Yes. I forgot he played steel
He not only played steel, he wrote the standard introductory book that probably 90% of steel players started with.
The Winston/Keith book is still considered the steel "Bible".
My Dad was never a book guy,but I bought him the W/K Oak book (many years after he started) when it first came out and he enjoyed it.
