The banjo’s tailpiece, as the name suggests, attaches at the tail of the instrument. It provides a way to attach the strings at the tail of the instrument. The tailpiece can take a variety of forms. Different types of banjos have different types of tailpieces. Some of the banjos I build string through the rim. Gourd banjos often have a wooden tailpiece that holds the strings off the edge of the gourd, preventing string tension from pulling directly against the side of the gourd. A lot of steel string banjos have a metal tailpiece. Some metal tailpieces are adjustable.
String Through the Rim
This is a minimal option for minimalist build styles. The banjo needs a good sturdy stick for this to be doable. I use ball-end strings with this approach. Although the strings pass through the rim, it seems to me that the stick handles most of the tension load applied by the strings. I use a hard felt pad where the strings cross the edge of the rim. The pad lifts the strings up off the head slightly and dampens any unpleasant ringing emitted by the tail of string.
The photo above shows the outside of the rim at the tail of the instrument and the hard felt pad on the edge of the head.
The photo above shows the string through the rim approach from inside the back of the rim. Ball ends cut off from old guitar strings keep the strings from digging into the rim’s string holes.
The Classic No-Knot Tailpiece
The No-Knot banjo tailpiece is very common and classic for steel strung banjos. It’s simple and does the job. It is a favorite with me. The No-Knot uses a screw and a nut to attach to the end pin. A small metal plate keeps the strings off the tension hoop. Five little knobs provide attachment points for loop-end strings. Players of nylon strings can the them on to the No-Knot. Simple and good! The one draw back of No-Knot tailpieces is that they tend to let the tail of string ring a little. Hard felt or leather can be wrapped around the tail of string to dampen any ringing. Another, perhaps more permanent option for string tail ring mitigation is to mount (with adhesive, double sided tape, etc.) a small patch of hard felt or leather on the plate that crosses the tension hoop.
Adjustable Tailpiece
Some tailpieces allow for adjustment. They have a metal plate that reaches over the banjo head and an adjustment screw, together these components create an option for adjusting the angle of the strings over the bridge. Sharpening the angle across the bridge puts more string pressure on the head. An adjustable angle tailpiece can be a nice upgrade for banjos that lack volume. I think they may have a little less tonal ring than the No-Knot tailpiece.
Some adjustable tailpieces have side-to-side adjustment with two screws that bear against the tension hoop. This feature provides the ability to adjust string alignment and how the strings lay on the fingerboard.
