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Banjolin and dowel sticks
I am wondering about the idea of trying to install a dowel stick myself , with the knowledge that the instrument isn’t worth investment of money.
I picked t up at a flea market a year or so ago because it looked interesting as wall art and possibly would be playable. A new head helped somewhat. I had advice from Bob Smakula fretted instrument shop in Wv and he predicted mission creep would occur and that it wasn’t worth t unless there was sentimental value. (There is not) So before I relegate it to “wall art” I thought to debate with you all the idea of me attempting to create and install this dowel stick. I only could find banjo tutorials on YouTube not one with a banjolin specifically . It might be properly called a mandolin banjo due to the 8 strings. What say you ?
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amyFb Huss & Dalton CM McKnight MacNaught Breedlove Custom 000 Albert & Mueller S Martin LXE Voyage-Air VM04 Eastman AR605CE |
#2
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Looks a lot better than the old 'inherited' banjolin I've got. Looks like there is already a brace inside the body, what would a dowel stick add?
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Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass |
#3
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This thread over on mandolincafe helped me adjust the dowel stick in my 30's Stahl banjolin.
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#4
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my buddy that swapped out the head advised me that a dowel stick would help the neck straighten out above the 5th fret.
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amyFb Huss & Dalton CM McKnight MacNaught Breedlove Custom 000 Albert & Mueller S Martin LXE Voyage-Air VM04 Eastman AR605CE |
#5
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from the looks of it, some attempt was made in the past to fix it by making a steel brace, which has since been removed. I would try to remove the existing dowel and reinstall it, or a replacement dowel, trimming the heel as needed to get the proper neck angle. ... but I'd probably swap out the nut as well and run it as a uke. Them mando banjos are obnoxious enough when new
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Martin 000-17SM Supro 2030 Hampton Taylor 562ce 12 X 12 Taylor GS Mini-e Spruce/Rosewood Waterloo WL-S Wechter TO-8418 Cordoba 24T tenor ukulele Kanile'a Islander MST-4 tenor ukulele Kiwaya KTC-1 concert ukulele Kolohe concert ukulele Mainland Mahogany soprano ukulele Ohana SK-28 soprano ukulele Brüko No. 6 soprano ukulele |
#6
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Quote:
My guess is what you really mean is the action is too high as you go up the neck. Modern banjos use coordinating rods which can adjust the action. To change the action on a dowel stick banjo you either re-plane the neck heel or shim the neck-to-pot contact point. I went for a shim when I did mine. In either case you have to pull the tailpiece and move the point where the dowel stick connects to the rim. This requires drilling a new hole in the rim, dowel stick or both (as in my Stahl's case). |
#7
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Indeed, you can see a sizeable gap between the heel of the neck and the rim. The proper fix for this would be pulling the old dowel out and reinstalling at the correct angle - or replacing it... and trimming the heel as needed....but yeah, it might be a can of worms and even the best repair would yield an instrument that would likely be hard to love
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Martin 000-17SM Supro 2030 Hampton Taylor 562ce 12 X 12 Taylor GS Mini-e Spruce/Rosewood Waterloo WL-S Wechter TO-8418 Cordoba 24T tenor ukulele Kanile'a Islander MST-4 tenor ukulele Kiwaya KTC-1 concert ukulele Kolohe concert ukulele Mainland Mahogany soprano ukulele Ohana SK-28 soprano ukulele Brüko No. 6 soprano ukulele |
#8
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Great information guys, I really appreciate the input.
I am calling it wall art and will go back to practicing guitar.
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amyFb Huss & Dalton CM McKnight MacNaught Breedlove Custom 000 Albert & Mueller S Martin LXE Voyage-Air VM04 Eastman AR605CE |
#9
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Not necessarily - I've seen a number of pre-1930 banjos that came equipped from the factory with exactly the type of nickel-plated steel brace you suggest was retrofitted - my suggestion would be to talk to Smakula again and see if he has something compatible in his parts bin; regarding the dowel stick, a competent local carpenter should be able to make up/fit a period-accurate replacement for not a lot of money, in the event you decide to actually play it...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#10
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Quote:
If Smakula's shop was nearby, I might be tempted to pop in and pick thru his parts bin, or pick his brain a little more. But his email to me was pretty straightforward regarding the impracticality of expecting any truly satisfying results. Appreciate the eyes on the picture and the thoughts on the condition, but I think it's just going to be a conversation piece of wall art, and if anyone wants to pick at it while visiting me, they're welcome to it. thanks again guys!
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amyFb Huss & Dalton CM McKnight MacNaught Breedlove Custom 000 Albert & Mueller S Martin LXE Voyage-Air VM04 Eastman AR605CE |
#11
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Quote:
I seriously doubt this one came from the factory with whatever bracket used to be there. It definitely looks home made to me.
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Martin 000-17SM Supro 2030 Hampton Taylor 562ce 12 X 12 Taylor GS Mini-e Spruce/Rosewood Waterloo WL-S Wechter TO-8418 Cordoba 24T tenor ukulele Kanile'a Islander MST-4 tenor ukulele Kiwaya KTC-1 concert ukulele Kolohe concert ukulele Mainland Mahogany soprano ukulele Ohana SK-28 soprano ukulele Brüko No. 6 soprano ukulele |
#12
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I think that's the best course of action ....like I said, even new, mando banjos have a few strikes going against them.
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Martin 000-17SM Supro 2030 Hampton Taylor 562ce 12 X 12 Taylor GS Mini-e Spruce/Rosewood Waterloo WL-S Wechter TO-8418 Cordoba 24T tenor ukulele Kanile'a Islander MST-4 tenor ukulele Kiwaya KTC-1 concert ukulele Kolohe concert ukulele Mainland Mahogany soprano ukulele Ohana SK-28 soprano ukulele Brüko No. 6 soprano ukulele |