Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

In Tune, But Too Sharp

#1

According to my Snark tuner, my banjo is in tune, spot on, smack dab on target open G tuning.
However, when I fret the 3rd string at the fifth fret, I get a C#
As I continue to work my way up the scale, everybody is a little sharp, but the open G is right on target.

Could this be caused by the bridge being a wee bit off?
If so, should I wiggle it towards the tail to solve the problem, or towards the neck?

I’m getting this weird feeling that the next two days are going to be all about banjo maintenance, cleaning, string changes, tweaking & cleaning again.

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#2

Yeah, that sounds most like a bridge issue (unless the strings are really really old). Since you’re sharp, move the bridge towards the tailpiece until the harmonic at the 12th fret matches the note at the 12th fret. It’s probably best to set this with the two D strings, as the middle G is almost always a little bit sharp unless you have a compensated bridge.

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#3

Good tip Michael Mark. I’ll give that a tweak using the D strings as well and see if I get a better tuning. Over the years of playing guitar, I developed some little things that help (like tuning the B string about 2 cents flat, especially when playing in G). Tips like the one you gave can help me get to know my banjo quicker.

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#4

Perhaps not “really, really old” but certainly well played, which is why changing them is on my list of things to do.

Love the tip about the D strings. Thanks! :+1:
(I’ll bet Siri didn’t know that :grin: )

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#5

By the way, my example of tuning the B string flat was for a guitar, not a banjo. Although I am thinking I like the G string tuned a little flat on banjo.