Not the lofty kind, heard and played in quiet concert halls or recital rooms, but our music, the music played by and for the people. You need to bring it upright by doing the following: 7. Simply remove these (see how here) and you can take off the resonator to access the neck bolt. We stock all banjo bridge heights for Snuffy Smith Style 1, Style 2 and Crowe spaced in 1/2 inch, 9/16, 5/8 (5/8 is standard size) 21/32 (.656 is the same height as 21/32) 11/16 and 3/4 inch. [1] The details are not repeated here. Figure out which end of the bridge needs to go under the skinny strings, put the bridge under the strings, and start tightening the strings until the bridge stays in place by itself. There are 4 thumb-screws that hold on the resonator on the Jameson banjo. This note refines a previous suggestion regarding the impact on the frequencies of the strings' and bridge's motion. FYI I play one of Tom’s ‘Elite’ banjos and to ensure perfect intonation on every string and every fret my bridge also ends up at a jaunty angle similar to the ones in your photos. This note re nes a previous suggestion regard-ing the impact on the frequencies of the strings’ and bridge’s motion. New banjo owner here, just recently acquired an RK-R20 from a friend. He believes banjo bridges should be made from fine quality maple and ebony wood, which transmit a transparent tone favored by players who prefer old banjos. The motion of the floating bridge of the banjo, in conjunction with the break angle of the strings over that bridge, produces string tension modulation that is first order in the amplitude of the string motion. For that, I use my banjo neck fitting and resetting jig. Put the Bridge On and Tune the Banjo - On most five-string banjos the bridge should be 12"-13" from the twelfth fret. Setting the bridge angle 30-40 is ridiculous and serves no purpose. I’m using a Kat Eyz 1/2" banjo bridge on my Vega. If you are just adjusting the bridge, skip step 1. "These are the banjo bridges I use and I highly recommend them" Thanks, Ross Nickerson. So, even if you call up someone as order a neck blank with a one-piece flange heel cut for a 5/8″ bridge, you can still expect to make some adjustments for it to perfectly match your pot. They can be fun, they ARE effective, and, ZERO DEGREE BREAK ANGLE DESIGN Of course, if the strings are removed, the bridge will drop, since mandolins are built using free floating bridges for better sound transmission. Two-polarisation synthesis based on the measured $2 \times 2$ bridge admittance matrix of the banjo, with a pluck angle $\theta=90^\circ$. A novel bridge and tailpiece design allows direct comparison of the sound of zero break angle with same banjo (and all its parts) configured to have an angle of 13 degrees. This video goes in to more detail and shows you how to set the bridge so the intonation is correct and the banjo plays in tune up and down the neck. Install the correct height and weight bridge for the banjo. An adjustable angle banjo tailpiece can be nice too. How to Build a Bluegrass-Style Five-String Banjo: Whether it's jazz, rock, blues, or folk, we Americans love our music. I started practicing today and discovered that the 5th string tends to pop out of the bridge slot with the slightest touch. Nechville makes the Enterprise Bridge in all sizes between 9/16 and 7/8”. Awaken the bridge. First, one needs to cut the proper angle of relief to get the desired action (how high or low the strings are on the fretboard) and proper down pressure from the strings to the bridge to the banjo head. Second question, the 3rd string frets a bit sharp, what would be the cause of this? oating bridge of the banjo, in conjunction with the break angle of the strings over that bridge, produces string tension modulation that is rst order in the amplitude of the string motion. Fiddle bridges are set up the way Ken's picture showed and many banjos should also. It could have been cleaned and oiled, but it would always be a cranky thing to try to tune, so I replaced it with a modern geared peg. If your action is too low, replacing the bridge with a higher one will raise it. What was needed here was a nice ebony topped banjo bridge. This weekend I used some SS shim material (.005" and .002") to change my neck angle a little bit - … The pressure is dependent on a combination of the string’s tension, the string’s gauge, and the string-break angle (the angle the strings make over the bridge). For movable bridge instruments such as the banjo, where the strings are anchored at the tailpiece and the peghead, the down pressure is the important component to manage.