I'm Dave Bloxham from Northern California. Out here in the East Bay area banjo techs are pretty rare, so starting from the age of 12 I learned how to do everything on my own banjos myself. I've been to festivals meeting manufacturers and artists, and made a lot of contacts with many of the most prominent banjo builders in the USA, always armed with lots of questions. With these skills and knowledge I've applied to all kinds of stringed instrument repair, with refinishing as one of my strongest areas of expertise. For many years I've been a dealer of new and refurbished instruments and apply this to help others with their instruments, too. Follow my channel and watch how I get through problems and solutions for repair and set up on not only banjos but guitars and all stringed instruments. I'm planning on doing new things I've never tried before so be on the watch for my goof ups, too, but always- something to learn!
Great video, I have been looking at the drum dials and I wonder being that they measure deflection of the head, would it be consistent on different types of heads (calfskin mylar etc) and different thicknesses of heads?
Ear wax works just fine! just don't tell whoever owns the instrument unless they love the ear wax toannn!! Been saving mine up in a Jar for 4 years, almost have enough for a half a mandolin board! In all seriousness I am glad that I have a tin of renaissance wax on me for protecting antique pipes and really glad that I found this video / channel. Cool work! Subbed!
I have a very old plectrum (4 string) banjo with a 1927 Vega hoop and a custom carved neck. Is there any way to add a 5th string without causing damage to the neck? The neck is very narrow so the drone string will not be able to reside over the fretboard.
In the building course I took we used paste wax but it had to be applied fresh, no applying it and leaving it for a period of time and then gluing, don,t remember but I think turtle wax or similar, also used renaissance for some things, but it was ca glue that we used for gluing.
Im a little confused as to what I need to use on my archtop. It currently has a 5star high crown (supposedly) .. a while back i attempted to install a low crown Remo WK. It was a disaster! The 5star went back on like a champ! The Remo came apart at the rim!
Dave, I need one 'snowflake' inlay to complete a restoration of a Gibson TB3 tenor banjo. Could you refer me to a company that sells these? Thanks!!! Awesome video, too!!
Expensive? 40 frozen cats for thrown over the hill at least a couple weeks before the media pointed out that the PETA people had to get rid of a lot of their animals [sorry no reference]. I was running to work and I saw them so I only collected four cat skins used by the Appalachians along with raccoon skins. I made a two octive six string, classical guitar neck banjo with a 🐈 skin just to irritate both ends of music... I don’t leave strings up tense: bridge removed from the skin. An ash ring, wheel wires for roadside, open back could be altered…
I was taught to use a combination of drum dial+ear -use the numbers to get you in the ballpark and then adjust until it feels right. I’ve always seen that done on a flat top, however! Was interesting to see that process tested on an arch top-I plan an arch top myself and have always been curious. Great video!
Couldnt you also use your access holes (or create one specifically for)to create air flow to dry? My first thought was silicone or liquid gasket maker… I’ve always dabbed some silicone when I installed trussed rods…
That's not a bad idea. My thought is.. it does actually stick firmly to the rod, but it has enough flexibility to bend, so the fact that it sticks may not take away from its performance. I might want to limit the amount I put in, so it doesn't hold it too firmly. That's probably why you limit your use to "dabs".. Something I can't control. Maybe I should do some kind of experiments with it. But you;re right, if I have enough patience it will harden, even a tiny crack in a tube will eventually harden up the entire contents.
Early on, started with Eric Weissberg in '73 when Dueling hit the pop radio play rotation it hooked me at 12 years old. I got a teacher who introduced me to Earl and his book, I eventually learned all I could from the Deliverance album.. I learned to work out my own by ear and found Vic Jordan- became my favorite player for a long while. Great player. Also Bill Monroe's Love please come home.. Still not sure who recorded it but I worked that one out for a long while in high school. Don Stover, later on Ron Block, and Dennis Caplinger who I got to know personally before he passed a few years ago. I still play his banjo! He's the best player I've ever heard but I say a very tough one to emulate.
I was using a drum dial last night to find the sweet spot for head tension. 89 sound tubby with lots bad over tones 90.5 sounds great and 92 has weird sound of horses clopping on cement
Thanks so much. I had some dents on the front surface of my guitar. Unfortunately I was sanding too large an area because my application of the gluboost black was too much and using a flat edge to work it into the holes spread it far and wide. Sanding from 320 to 1200 ended up going through the finish to the wood. I’ve ordered some lacquer but it’s such a huge area I think I’ll need to get an airbrush which will be more controllable than the spray. Thinner is just acetone right? Thanks again very helpful. Loved the file technique.
There's plenty of discussion on drum dials with flatheads, but I've always wanted to see someone test the drum dial with an archtop. Thanks a million. I learned a lot.
Most interesting. The spacing of the 3rd, 4th and 5th frets seems to be irregular when compared to the decreasing spacing on my Wildwood 5th string. May be just the angle of your lens though. I enjoyed the combination of voiceover and screen text. You may to experiment with a flatter, softer light source to reduce the glare and even out the light.
The distance between frets is a mathematical formula and there's not any way it can be different one instrument to the next, that is, with the same scale length. The nut to the 12 fret is the same as the 12th to the bridge, or it wouldn't sound right. All the other frets are divided into segments of the string's resonance as well. As for the lighting, I had my little work light on which is pretty intense. I just have to have the light to see what I'm doing. I'll try to adjust the camera a little more next time. Thanks for the comment!
Sure could. Part of my goal was to cover up the smooth worn through part, as it's more visible if you don't but for a head without any frosting it would work fine.
For what’s it’s worth I run my arch tops at around 86-88 and my flatheads around 89-90. Also not trying to be a know it all but I never use the rods to adjust any action. I will add a small amount of tension to to the top nut to get some clarity but that’s it. I keep the rods neutral so the pot stays even. That gives you the best tone. I would cut the heel a tad bit to adjust any action or use a taller bridge. Good work on that banjo. You do some nice work!
It's good advice. I try not to if I can and I will change bridge heights but sometimes that's not going to make it either, when the half is too short and the 3/4 is too tall. I do adjust heel cuts on occasion, but it's an inexact science. And the tube and plate banjos, I have nobody who can re-cut those. I had a Huber once that was surprisingly way out of spec. Everything about the banjo was good except that, and how does that change? I sent the neck back to Steve for a re-cut on his jig which he graciously did but. It added a lot to the cost of the repairs. I also had Mark Taylor do one for me but nobody really knows what happened to him. Robin Smith was another resource that is gone. But I am probably going to talk to Eric Sullivan about it when I can't deal with it myself, he's been a lot of help to me and we've got a business relationship now. But again only the one piece flange banjos. I have done some minor adjustments to the heel with a Dremel tool. It worked but I'll tell you I like it to look right and have good surface area in contact at the pot. It makes me really nervous to do it.
@@beyondguitars9631that all makes sense. And all those guys you mention are good resources for sure. I’m actually flying with a new to me tube and plate banjo right now to CA to get the heel trimmed a bit. It’s always scary you are Right and it’s not an exact science. This one’s is a really expensive one though so I want to make sure to do it right. 1928 style 6 checkerboard: My buddy has both jigs in his shop but typically if it’s just a small amount needing cut we will just use the 10” radius sander and only sand the top or bottom part of the heel depending which way it needs to go and only do a small amount for the angle on the other part. If that makes sense. Anyways I watched your whole restoration of that bow tie and I was entertained and learned a thing or two! I appreciate the videos.
Wow I hope that banjo meets your expectations. It sounds like a winner. Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it and I'm always interested in the ways people find to trim or re-shape heels. Does he use a complex sanding drum or some kind of a shaper? Maybe something he made himself? @@goldenbanjo197
@@beyondguitars9631 yes he made it himself. It’s a 11” radius sanding drum for the parts that contact the rim. He has a table that you can adjust the angle of the neck and then push it into the drum. The cut out for the flange part he does by hand or with a Dremel. Everyone does it a little different but his way works very well.
Until you play in a jam w multiple instruments your instrument without a microphone will not have the power, volume needed to cut in a jam unless you go well over 92 to 93. The pros will say the same.
You mixed up which wax was on which section of the block several times throughout the video. 5:45: You applied the waxes, from left to right with the darker grain facing the top of the screen, Johnson / Renaissance / beeswax. 7:26: block is rotated 180 from where it started. 9:28: transposed location of Johnson's and Beeswax, which continued throughout most of the rest of the video; 13:55: suddenly the Johnson is in the middle and the Renaissance is on the left (which is actually the beeswax); 14:23: when you say the beeswax is 'not really so good', you're really talking about the Johnson's. The beeswax is on the other end of the block. Wasn't expecting a game of 3 card monte when I clicked on this video, but it's been fun all the same. 👍👍
Bees wax will easily dissolve down to a paste with turpentine or similar solvent. I have often used it on my workbench tops because it's a little stickier than furniture waxes. I personally use Clapham’s beeswax products for most of my finishing. Roger Clapham (who happens to be a friend and client of mine) developed his products in collaboration with famed furniture builder James Krenov and the Smithsonian Institute to develop the best possible formulations for both builders and historical restoration and maintenance.
This was so helpful! Thank you. I'm currently fixing up one of my mistakes and was a little hesitant to go ahead, this is exactly what I needed to see.
This was the exact process I wanted to see in practice. I'm currently working on my first ever refret and so far the process has went well taking my time but I'm to the stage of pressing frets in (with the nibs cut off for binding) and I mainly wanted to see the board waxing and gluing process. Thank you so much for showing us your process and detailing what was used! This is the first video I've seen of yours and I will definitely subscribe for more!
Hi Dave, Oddly enough, I tripped on my banjo tonight and caused a similar neck break. Your timely video is most reassuring. Now to find a repair person near here in the Vancouver, BC area. (Even more odd, it's a 78 Goldstar archtop, flying eagle.) Thank you so much...
Ohm man that's terrible. I've shipped instruments to Canada, it's not so bad, esp. west coasters like us. But take a look at the break. The way mine broke was kind of ideal because it went completely with the grain. If it were to break across the grain that's a very different situation and is frequently not repaired, or repairs are very intrusive, i.e. splines, or grafts of new sections. If you like I can look at it, just send some photos to dave@beyondguitars.com
Do you apply the wax before or after the frets have been hammered down or pressed into place? I ask because it seems to me in either method, one would need to be very careful not to allow any of the wax to get into the fret slots or on the fret tangs. Otherwise the glue will not bond properly to the wood and or the fret tangs. I'd like to see a vid on how you would avoid that potential problem. Thanks!
The next video, where I install the frets I address this. I like to wax after the frets are in. This way I won't really have much chance of getting the wax into the fret tang slot. Since the wax isn't a liquid it won't run into the slot. So, theoretically you could get away with doing it either way, in my opinion. Just keep the wax on the surface. Wipe in on lengthwise to the slot and it won't be scraped into the slot.
