If it bothers you that much.... replace it NOW or as soon as you can. No need to be frustrated and apprehensive about a disaster happening when with a quick, easy not too expensive part, you can be done and over with and you don't have to worry about a disaster at all.

Yeah why get into such a stitch-in-time over chickens burning the bridge behind then as they cross the road? banjered

Is it actually the gears or is it a sloppy knob?

If it's the knob, it may be easier to replace the tuner instead of finding/making a knob that fits. 

So,,, same answer; it's broken you need a new one.

Take the tuner button off first and see if it is worn so it is not tight on the shaft.
If that is the problem, Smackula sells new ones.

If it's a sloppy fit of the knob on the shaft, I've made a shim out of the side of a Pepsi can.
Still works good.

You can fix it before it's broken down, at a convenient time, on a planned schedule and budget.

Or you can fix it after it breaks in the middle of production, on an emergency schedule and budget.

Those are the only two options you have.

Make your choice.

(This applies to all maintenance of all things, not just banjo tuners.)

Mr. Smakula's store:  Gotoh 5th string tuner $12.  Button only $3.

Can make a diagnosis of what you need in about a minute.  Mr. Bob will fix you up.  

Thanks for the suggestion about the knob maybe being the culprit, I haden’t even thought of that! So I swapped out the knob with one from my other banjo (no slop on other banjo, same slop on Sierra). No difference, it is definitely the tuner, and not the knob. So… I believe I will get a new one before I loose an eye.

So I went on Smakula’s web site, and that started another dilemma. Gold, nickel, brass, black, white knobs, black knobs, aged nickel … oh my. I just might change the whole set while I’m messing with things. Them golds would look good on an old Sierra yes, or stupid on a banjo with silver flange? Or aged nickel might give it a nice old vibe? Black with white knobs would be cool. Oh the stress of hard decisions… what would you do?

So can someone who knows, tell me that the new Gotah 5th string tuner will absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt for sure, be an exact drop in fit for a Deering 5th string tuner from 2006? I had some bad luck in this department in the past, so I want to make double dog sure. THANKS!

Per recent correspondence with Deering, the tuners on their better banjos, like yours, are Gotohs. But they didnt say how far back that goes, so why not just send them an email and ask?

quote:

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Originally posted by Dean T

Thanks for the suggestion about the knob maybe being the culprit, I haden’t even thought of that! So I swapped out the knob with one from my other banjo (no slop on other banjo, same slop on Sierra). No difference, it is definitely the tuner, and not the knob. So… I believe I will get a new one before I loose an eye.

So can someone who knows, tell me that the new Gotah 5th string tuner will absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt for sure, be an exact drop in fit for a Deering 5th string tuner from 2006? I had some bad luck in this department in the past, so I want to make double dog sure. THANKS!

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Dean,

Is the borrowed knob tuner branded?

Post pictures of the bottom of the worn tuner.

Easy enough to tell if a new Gotoh peg will be a drop-in fit: Measure the tapered part on your peg that fits into the neck (length, min. and max diameters) with a micrometer, and compare with the spec's on Gotoh's website.

While you've got it out for measuring, you could try tearing yours down, cleaning and re-lubricating it. Might not need replacing...?

Pinenut, the borrowed tuner knob came off a 2013 Sierra, and both tuner knobs are identical. The 2006 tuner knob has no play when installed on the 2013. I’ll email Deering and take some measurements, and go from there. The banjo is 20 years old and VERY well played, so new tuners are prolly a good idea. The planitaries are ok but not smooth and tight, like new. I’ve got them smoked to get usable resistance, so I’ll just change the whole set.

… thoughts and prayers…

It's rare that there is this much agreement on Banjohangout, so for the sake of tradition, I suggest you wait until your original scenario plays out. A banjo player with an eye patch would be a good look.

quote:

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Originally posted by banjowannabe

It's rare that there is this much agreement on Banjohangout, so for the sake of tradition, I suggest you wait until your original scenario plays out. A banjo player with an eye patch would be a good look.

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But that would make it harder to read my music on the music stand, at a jam

Ok, this story has an embarrassing conclusion. It turns out that Billl, Jack and Kam were all right. Sloppy knob, tuner is fine. I can’t believe, as a lifelong mechanic, a banjo tuner kicked my ass. I’m blaming it on old age eyesight. Something just wasn’t adding up between the two banjos. Both banjos are Deerings. Both banjos have Deering branded 5th string tuners, and both tuning knobs look identical, and both install on to the 2013 Sierra with zero slop, and both knobs install onto the 2006 Sierra super sloppy. This gives the illusion of a bad tuner. But wait…

So today I did some more investigating. Slipping both tuners onto the suspect shaft without the screw… both sloppy. Did the same on the known good shaft, both solid. Small vice grip clamped to suspect tuner, and it's solid and operates good. Got my Calipers out, and I kid you not, the shaft on the older Sierra is smaller than the shaft on the newer Sierra. WTH? My only theory is the older Deering branded 5th string tuner was made with slightly different specs, and at some time, the previous owner replaced the tuners knob, which works, but very sloppy. So... case closed, I can save my $$$, and tonight I drink a Pepsi, and make a nice little shim. Thanks everyone for a fun thread, with a happy ending...

Sounds like you need the world's tiniest set of vice grips to clamp on that tuner shaft for a handle.  

I did do that for a door window handle in an old truck… never did get a handle… when I sold the truck, the vice grip went with it….

quote:

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Originally posted by Dean T

quote:

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Originally posted by banjowannabe

It's rare that there is this much agreement on Banjohangout, so for the sake of tradition, I suggest you wait until your original scenario plays out. A banjo player with an eye patch would be a good look.

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But that would make it harder to read my music on the music stand, at a jam

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Then you could write a song..."One Eyed Dean"..

If you look at the different tuner buttons on the Smakula Fretted Instruments
website, you'll see that with some of the buttons for the fifth string tuners
have a smaller shaft size, than the other four tuners on the banjo. Maybe
someone put a regular button on the 5th string tuner when it needed one of
buttons for a smaller sized shaft.

Maybe the whole body of the tuner is slipping.

Dean ... no need to concern yourself regarding "how long until...  ."   

Just adapt/adopt the tried-and-true guideline for head tightening:  "...... and then back off 1/4 turn."  

If you are thinking of replacing all of your tuners, I would go to Rickard Banjos and get a full set from them. They are the best tuners to be had.
A link
rickardbanjos.com

quote:

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Originally posted by KCJones

You can fix it before it's broken down, at a convenient time, on a planned schedule and budget.

Or you can fix it after it breaks in the middle of production, on an emergency schedule and budget.

Those are the only two options you have.

Make your choice.

(This applies to all maintenance of all things, not just banjo tuners.)

 

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This is not even an expensive fix ($28): https://www.deeringbanjos.com/products/copy-of-planetary-banjo-tuner?variant=14085959620 it is the time to receive it that will make you cranky. Check the knob, it's 5 bucks on the Deering site. Or you can support Bob, which is always a great option.