Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Good Luthiers

#1

Anyone know of any good luthiers in the Fort Hood/Killeen, Texas area that could work on my banjo? I’ve got some buzzing that’s driving me crazy!

#2

Banjo buzzes are funny things. I’ve been driven bonkers by buzzes. Upon slow & careful observation, I discovered the different buzzes were caused by:

  1. a loose thumb screw that holds the resonator.
  2. a very minor bridge adjustment. Moving it forward a teeny tiny bit solved the problem.
  3. This one puzzled me for a long time because it was intermittent. I finally discovered the buzz was caused by a button on my shirt cuff barely touching the head as I played!

Finally, change your strings. This gives you the chance to really look at your banjo & see things you might not notice during regular use. It’s like washing your car by hand. You learn things about your car you never would have known by driving through the automatic car wash.

The scariest thing is if all fails & you have to adjust the coordinator rod. The key here is to go very slow & make only teeny tiny adjustments. There are plenty of excellent “how to” videos out there to give you a little confidence.

Remember, a banjo is just a collection of parts & pieces.
Some assembly required.

Be brave!

PS: This guy knows a thing or two about setting up a banjo. He’s happy to share his knowledge with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTYqTRI1qzc

And there’s this guy -
https://banjobenclark.com/courses/banjo-setup-with-steve-huber?from_track=beginner-banjo

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#3

I am definitely not a luthier, but I have restored a couple of banjos and worked on mine for years. I agree with everything Banjoe said above. Buzzes can be caused by a number of things. Some are a simple fix and others require some expert knowledge. The most common cause of a buzz is the action is too low. This can usually be fixed with a slight coordinator rod adjustment or a truss rod adjustment to add a little more bow in the neck. I have often found buzzes originating from the bridge or tail piece. As Banjoe said above, a slight adjustment of the tailpiece or bridge can often fix the problem. The weather can play a role as well. I have had my banjo buzz on days where the weather was cooler (I live in the desert) and the buzz disappears when the weather heats up. I have even had a buzz caused by the Paige style Capo being loose above the nut. Most buzzes can be fixed yourself through trial and error unless it is a fret problem (one fret is too high or coming loose) or a nut problem. Then obviously, an expert should be consulted. I hope you find the cause and can get it fixed.

Good luck,

Chuck

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#4

Thanks, y’all! I’ll see what I can come up with.