I could go on and on about fretwork, it too deserves more space than I have dedicated to it here. I’ll just touch on the basics. Fret wire comes either in a coil or in long straight pieces. The coil is okay for softer wire but when it comes toContinue Reading
The layout of the shoe bolt holes will depend on the type of tension hoop you have chosen to use. For the notched tension hoop you will have to make the shoe bolt holes match the pre-existing hook spacing on the tension hoop. If you have chosen to use aContinue Reading
The location of the rim dowel stick hole is interdependent with the location of the neck dowel stick hole. A lot of things come into consideration here, like the height of the tone ring, and the depth of the rim. Also, the neck should cover the place where the outermostContinue Reading
The rim is mounted to a wooden plate that is attached to a hub that chucks into the lathe. The rim is mounted to the plate with screws. It needs to be mounted evenly so that it will come out as round as possible. There is some danger of cuttingContinue Reading
Bending wood seems a little mysterious at first, but gets easier to believe after having done it for oneself. There are several ways to bend wood: boiling, steaming, and ammonia treatment. Boiling is the way that I have done it with the most success and least gear. An old pieceContinue Reading
The fifth peg hole holds the fifth string tuning machine, sometimes called the fifth peg. This is a hole in the side of the neck just above the fifth string bump out. Take a look at a fifth string machine tuner and you will likely find that it features aContinue Reading
The front profile of the neck represents the available space for playing. It is a good idea to use a pattern or another banjo as a template for this part of the design because the front profile of the banjo neck is an irregular shape. Think of the banjo fingerContinue Reading
The peghead presents an opportunity to show off some creative flair. There are many attractive peghead designs out there and it is easy to come up with your own. Aside from aesthetic opportunities, the peghead has a job to do: it holds the tuning machines. The peghead needs to haveContinue Reading
Because the neck bears against the rim of the banjo a ledge needs to be cut into the neck to allow the tension room to sit down over the rim without running into the neck. I call this ledge the banjo neck heel tension hoop rabbet. It makes a spaceContinue Reading