https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/banjo-setup-with-steve-huber-string-height-action-banjo
Learn to adjust the height of your strings, also known as “action.”
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Banjo Setup with Steve Huber- String Height/Action
This is a helpful video on finding a good starting point for string height.
Does anyone have recommendations on how to actually adjust the action? Maybe a good video, or article?
Did you watch the other videos in the series? He talks about coordinator rod and truss rod adjustment.
Seriously? How did I not see that?
Steve gives some useful tips here. I got my banjo action set just right after watching. Another tip I found online for fine tuning from Donny Little. Fret the first string at the 12th fret. Pluck the string and lift off the fret almost immediatly keeping finger on the string. It should resonate quite long. If it dies off quickly, tweet the coordinator rod a very tiny amount then check again. By doing this you can get the best sustain out of your banjo.
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How does the action get changed…what would happen to make this adjustment necessary. Also, with the truss rod, what would cause the neck to lose its bow?
Thank you
@Peg_E, there is really no short answer to this. However, common causes are things such as string gauge changes and weather. For instance if you change string gauge, there is a change to the tension the neck is under, which would call for a truss rod adjustment. Changes in temperature and humidity can cause the wood to expand or contract which can change your setup as well. If the head stretches and settles it can change your action. Or if you adjust the head tension for a different tonal quality. I’m no expert, mind you. A banjo is a mysterious machine full of wonderful magic. It can be maintained by most anyone, but there are few that are masters of bringing that magic to the surface.
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My action is so high that I think I need to shim the neck. Do you have any tips for this? The previous owner tightened the coordinator rod so far that the head was noticeably oval 
. The action was still high, but now that I’ve replaced and tuned the head, and adjusted the coordinator rod back to normal, the action is atrocious. It’s an old, beginner banjo, so I’m having fun with some luthier work without fear of damaging an expensive instrument.
Welcome to the forum, @sarahannlemke. The co-rods while, by design are intended to adjust neck angle and thus action, are not the only factor affecting action. First thing I would check is neck relief. A quick truss rod adjustment might be the fix. If that doesn’t work, perhaps a shorter bridge. Even though action is not typically adjusted by bridge replacement, that might be a better choice. I’m no luthier, so that’s about all I have to offer. If you’ve already been down those paths, hopefully someone will be able to offer some advice on shimming.