Banjo hardware and parts can be specialized or rather commonplace depending on the build style of the instrument. When it comes to vintage and hand crafted banjos there is a good deal of variety. Most modern bracket-style banjo hardware cannot be found in a typical hardware store and must beContinue Reading

The dowel stick brings the rim and the neck together. The dowel can take different forms. I use a wooden dowel stick. Many banjos feature a steel rod that serves as a dowel. Some banjos even have two steel rods that may be adjusted to change the neck angle. InContinue Reading

Here we see the fundamental with the 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 partials overlaid.

Scale length is the length of the string from the nut to the bridge. This is the active part of the string that vibrates when struck. Scale length measurements do not include string ends above the nut and below the bridge. Generally, a longer scale length means a greater distanceContinue Reading