THE BRIDGE
Bridge placement is critical in getting the best possible sound from
your banjo. ere is a specifi c place on the head where the bridge
should sit for correct harmonic adjustment.
Your banjo was set up at the factory to take a 5/8" bridge and the
neck alignment is based on this bridge height. Do not try to adjust
the action by lowering the height of the bridge.
e size and design of the bridge will aff ect the sound of your banjo.
Lowering the bridge creates less pressure on the head and a sound loss
results, the banjo becomes less responsive and even muddy sounding.
inning the bridges reduces the weight and mass of the bridge to
create a thinner, crisper or less bass sound. inning the bridge too
much can weaken the bridge.
When curing buzzes in an old bridge or putting on a new bridge,
take a V-fi le and V-groove the bridge slots with a 45
o
angle downward
toward the tailpiece so that the string makes contact right at the face
of the bridge. Do not make the slot deeper.
It is important to set the bridge exactly. If the bridge is as little as
1/32" out of place a large amount of sound quality is lost.
HOW TO SET THE BRIDGE
1. For an approximate setting, place the bridge perpendicular to
the strings - 26 3/16” from the nut, in spite of the 26 1/4” fret
scale length, because strings do not vibrate according to the exact
calculations of physics.
2. To get the bridge set exactly, use harmonics:
On the fi rst and fourth strings, play the 12th fret harmonic by lightly
touching the string above the 12th fret while plucking the string.
is should ring clearly, and is called “chimes.”
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