Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

RK-75 Tailpiece

#1

Hi All

Just looking for some advice regarding the tail piece on my RK-75. When I got it the tail piece was touching the rim so I have lifted it a little as you can see in the picture but I’m not sure if this is right or not

Also does the front of the tailpiece look high or ok

Thanks

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#2

Ask @Jake. He would know.

#3

Cheers Archie

#4

@Jake

Hi Jake you any advice on this RK tailpiece

Thanks

#5

You may want to check out the lesson in beginning banjo on tail piece setup by Steve Huber. Also, I swapped out my presto tail piece on my RK with a Kershner. It gives you finer control for adjustments.

#6

I use a presto on my gold star and my cheaper Ashbury banjo. I have them both sitting above the tension hoop as you do. So I think it’s fine. Also you don’t want the hanger bolt that’s holding the presto on to be too tight. A presto is a floating Tailpiece and the tension of the strings will hold it in place. The presto should exhert enough tension on the strings to just stop the bridge moving. Some people who have an adjuster screw like to tilt the angle at the front to around a half inch above the head to sharpen the tone. This depends on what bridge height you use too. (5/8 or 11/16 etc) This is what I have learned from others online. I’m no expert but it works for me.
If your RK sounds good then I would say that you have it set OK . :+1:
If Jake says I have it all wrong then I’ll get my coat and call a taxi haha :laughing:

#7

Hi Joe

Thanks just watched it :+1:

1 Like
#8

@Jono

Thanks for that pal it does seem to sound a little better TBH raised up a touch

#9

Your welcome. You have a great banjo there. You will find that if you are like the rest of us banjo geeks, you will find yourself experimenting with picks, bridges, head tension etc as you become more knowledgeable and seek your own ‘perfect’ tone :wink: Us banjo players love to fiddle… (maybe we are using the wrong instrument :laughing:) :+1:

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#10

Hi Jono

The problem is where i am in the UK i only know one other banjo player and really don’t have any idea of setup, tone or experience of other banjos and how they sound and play etc…

My goal is to just learn it as best i can and hopefully along the way pick all this other stuff up

Thanks for the advice appreciate it

#11

That’s what I did. You will learn all this as you go along. :+1:

#12

:+1:

#13

Jake is so slammed he doesn’t have the time to check the forum as often as he’d like (hiring more folks soon!). It looks a bit high to me, but it is not an exact science from what i understand. The tailpiece video with Huber is really helpful: https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/banjo-setup-with-steve-huber-tailpiece-adjustment-banjo

#14

Thanks Ben I have watched the video and still unsure how to get the front of the tail piece lower as there is no adjustment on it :+1:

#15

There is a screw hole on the back of it. You need to put a screw in there.

#16

Hi Joe

Will check that I wasn’t aware of that thanks pal

#17

Hi @JoeB

Yes there is a small hole but no provided screw… Should there be one as i don’t want to put any old screw in there and the John Boulding video about the Presto Tailpiece he does’t use one

Have you a picture of yours?

Thanks

#18

Check this out

tailpiece%202

1 Like
#19

Hi Archie

Thanks for that and my Gold Tone had one on but my RK-75 is without one and im not sure why or if i should be messing around trying to find a screw for it or not.

#20

Hi Lee I can definitely see a whole for a screw in top picture bit it’s hard to tell if it’s part of the tailpiece. Is it possible that the screw was lost in transit? Did you check all the packaging?

Try writing to Recording King Customer Service at least you will get a more authoritarian reply from the makers.