Banjo Tailpieces: Learn How They Impact Sound & Playability!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.พ. 2022
- Hi everyone, in this video, we are talking about how important banjo tailpieces are in banjo playing. We’ll discuss why the tailpiece is a crucial part of the instrument, as well as its influence on sound, playability, and tuning. We’ll also look at different types of tailpieces, so you can make a better-informed decision when selecting one for your banjo. Come join us and learn more about banjo tailpieces!
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The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashioned by Black Americans in the United States. The banjo is frequently associated with folk and country music, and has also been used in some rock, pop and Hip-Hop, also created by the Black American community. Several rock bands, such as the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers, have used the five-string banjo in some of their songs. Historically, the banjo occupied a central place in Black American traditional music and the folk culture of rural whites before entering the mainstream via the minstrel shows of the 19th century. Along with the fiddle, the banjo is a mainstay of American styles of music, such as Bluegrass and old-time music. It is also very frequently used in traditional ("trad") jazz. Banjo is also a common instrument for Caribbean genres like Biguine , Calypso and Mento.
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On my Epiphone (beginner openback, B100) i swapped out the light stamped tailpiece it came with for a Pisgah Hawktail and it transformed the sound completely (it's rounder now, not as shrill.) I also prefer to have my tailpiece floating. Remember if you buy a new tailpiece you can always carry it to your next instrument, so it's a good investment.
Well that's exciting to hear as I've got an MB100 too! Will have to treat myself and experiment
Great tips! I now know about 200% more about bridges than I did before.
Glad it was helpful!
An update on getting the correct tailpiece/string angle………. Just got done bringing my banjo up to optimum playability and this was my final step. Per Deering specs my tailpiece is tight to the tone ring and with your information my string angle is now at 16 degrees. With new premium strings and fully drum dialed head I’m good to go. Love the sound and ease of playing. Thanks your your great posting on this. It just goes to show that your information does make a difference in others lives. Many thanks from a 75 year old left handed picker.
that is fantastic to hear! thank you for letting me know!
Very helpful. I set up my guitars, but just started banjo and wanted to get the best sound out of my inexpensive Epiphone. I never gave much thought to the tailpiece. I just thought it was decoration.
But this makes perfect sense.
Thank you!
Glad I could help!
Hey! I bet we have the same banjo. Epiphone mb100?
@@independentmind1977that's the one I went for, they've stopped making banjos which is a shame but I love my Epi!
I like the no-knot tailpieces, they look so much better, imo. I took the long tailpiece off my banjo and replaced it with a no-knot along with a fiberskyn head, to me it sounds much better.
This is one of the best things about the banjo - there is NO best universal setup formula! We all find our own best. I recently acquired a new Waldeman banjo that has a tailpiece set up unlike any I’ve seen before in as much as it’s made out of wood is totally floating with no adjustment screws and is about 2 1/2 inches long. This sort of contradicts everything that’s being said here for best tone. Of my 12 banjos differing setups, this is probably the best sounding one of all. My next best sounding banjo is a 1927 VEGA with a ridgid tailpiece very similar to the one being shown. Totally different, yet sounds just as good with strengths in different acoustic output ranges. Long story short, experiment.
I agree 💯
Very clearly explained! - Thank you for this. 😎 👌
Very welcome!
Very informative and useful. Thank you.
You are welcome!
good information and demonstration!
txs for posting
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video! Great info! I also have a Fender FB300 that I'm just now learning to play. Even though it's a cheap beginner banjo which I got for almost nothing and repaired, I upgraded the stock tailpiece to a Waverly and added a DAM bridge. It sounds pretty good for a bottlecap! Hey, if String Bean can play a bottlecap, so can I! Thanks for all of your great videos!
you are welcome! and thanks for watching
That's exactly what I needed to know 👍.
Thanks mate, from across the big pond 🏴
no problem!
Great job just what i needed to see
thank you!
Thanks for that Sandy, really interesting and informative.
I always wondered about the tailpiece setup, I've got an entry level banjo (Washburn b-9), and was always wondering why the tailpiece is set really close to the banjo head, like a cigarette paper width away, I'll be having a look at the angle of the strings now, to see if it's close to the 15/16 degrees. Cheers :0)
Nice video, thank you - really well explained.
However as a tenor, plectrum and classic (both regular and zither) banjoist I'd add that the tenor and plectrum use more tension not so much to prevent the bridge moving around, but because of both the sound desired and the projection required for the location where these instruments are mostly played - and that is as part of a band / orchestra with other reasonably loud instruments such as trumpets, trombones and saxophones (often as one of a dozen or more other musicians). This is also why innovations such as metal strings and resonators arose or at least caught on. The set ups used for four string players in this era and often still today (there are still plenty of 4 string players around) were also really popular for soloists in vaudeville (often also accompanied by an orchestra) so volume and projection were again all important. Although classic banjo players such as Vess Ossman and Fred van Eps etc. managed well with gut strings and open back instruments. Relatively speaking the music of Jazz Age of the 1910s - early 1930s was much louder than most of what had come before. (Although the Swing which followed on on was even louder with even bigger bands - but banjo featured much less in this era). In a dance band or jazz band the role of the banjo in this era / style is to give a rhythmic drive as well as laying down the harmonies - something that in more modern styled jazz bands is usually done far more by the drums than by a banjo, but the ability to be heard both in volume and tone amidst the band (even when playing at a soft dynamic) was and is really important. In other styles such as Bluegrass, the banjo is usually playing with other instruments that have a relatively similar volume range, so issues such as projection although an important consideration, are not quite so pertinent.
When I heard the accent I knew it was a good video
Ha ha! Sometimes it helps! Thank you for watching
Great info… thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
awesome content man
Thank you
I just tried a gold tone terminator tailpiece, loved it so I bought one for my 90s made in Korea Vega (mine had rusted and broken years ago). I’ve been getting by with a “stubby” short almost nothing tailpiece for years, not knowing that it’s not good for 3 finger style, allow me tell you why. The string tension the tailpiece provides is not only securing the bridge against the head of the banjo, but that string tension also very much affects the playability of the banjo. Not having enough tension is similar to trying to run in place on a trampoline, it doesn’t go well! Efficient transfer of picking power from your pick into the string requires tension that the tailpiece provides.
Awesome! I need to look into those.
I use Terminator tailpieces on my banjos, too. I float them about a popsicle stick thickness above the tension hoop and angle the front edge of the tailpiece slightly down from level. I use Purcell hard maple bridges (From and old factory floor) and phosphor bronze strings. I tighten the head to 89 on my Drum Dial. These banjos really bark when you dig in with your picks.
Thanks for this. I have a beautiful banjo that sounds good, but could be better. (Pre-Fender Tacoma) They used a tailpiece that seems a bit on the light side, and I'm looking to replace it with a better one, and along with that, want to dial in the best tone I can get. So many arguments over break angle, tailpiece style, etc. on the forums, and no one seems to want to just give the numbers for a starting point!
The higher break angle seems to give a better tone. But anything over 16 degrees seems to put too much pressure on the bridge. I have split bridges at 18 degree.
Awesome video. I'm learning about tailpieces now. I have a Fender FB300 that I'm learning to play on . Just a cheap beginner banjo , but recently upgraded from the stock tailpiece to an old style Waverly tailpiece at the recommendation from Ross Nickerson . Man what a difference it makes in tone and volume! I'm fine tuning now with reference to angle. I do have a question about adjusting it. Should I have the strings loose when turning the adjustment screw(then re tuning) or can it be done under pressure? Thanks for posting these great videos . They are always very informative and helpful
P. S....love the new merch you are offering now
Adjust it while there is preasure on the strings so you can get the correct string break angle
@@BanjoAddict okay, cool. Thank you for the advice
@@BanjoAddict Also, how do you go about measuring or checking the angle?
@@markusbartell9611 i use a StewMac Angle Gauge but you can find similar cheaper versions at lowes. search angle guage and it should lead you in the right direction
@@BanjoAddict awesome. Thank you!
Nice, informative video, thanks. I had a question about the device right next to the 5th string tuner…it looks like a tiny nail head; how high should that be off the fretboard? And, what is it called? Any help is appreciated, thank you!
It’s called railroad spikes . It’s for capo in the fifth string.. I would recommend taking it to a luthier to have it installed
this was helpful
thank you!
Great information. Thanks for sharing. My bridge has a slanted side and a straight side. Which side should face the tailpiece?
if i understand you correctly i believe the strait side goes toward the tailpiece. slanted toward the neck. also if the bridge has the company logo on it it should face the neck as well most of the time.
@@BanjoAddict
That answers my question exactly!
Thank you
Was hoping you were going to actually show the evolution of the banjo tail piece.
I'm just starting to learn banjo and I do have a question about the tailpiece. My tailpiece looks very similar to yours if not exactly the same and I understand what you said about the screw in the back adjusting the angle of the strings but can you please tell me what those 2 Phillips head screws do on each side? Looks kinda like a hinge? Thanks so much for your videos and I hope you can explain that to me 😊
I believe what you are talking about is just a pivot point on the tailpiece
That screw this in the back of the table base that adjusters upper down and so that needs to be 16°. I have a Sterling staghorn and that screws loose. I tighten it up but I really don’t know what I’m doing and that.
Hi I like your videos, my banjo arrived I tuned it up OK but I noticed the tail is crooked oneside flush the other side has a 1/4" gap how do I reset it I'm a novice lol🇬🇧
there should be a nut or screw on the back side of the tail piece that you can loosen and adjust your tail piece. just be careful to not loosen it too much or it will pop off. tail pieces are usually a tension fit, meaning the tension of the strings keeps them in place. so i would recommend loosening your strings before adjusting the tail piece
@@BanjoAddict thanks for the information I will take it into our local guitar shop for a set up be safer
@@BanjoAddict thanks appreciated 👍👍
Yes super impt Scott Zimmerman says it doesnt matter but it does matter will either kill a banjos tone or improve it.
I have a question. I have a banjo that sounds amazing up the neck but, toward the nut, sounds kind of thin and plunky. How can I get a bit more volume and a fuller tone toward the nut?
the easiest way is with new strings. Maybe change the gauge. if you are using light strings go to a medium or heavy gauge. if it has been a while since you have changed them i would start there. but if the strings are fairly new i would try upgrading the bridge. I would recommend the snuffy smith bridge from Kats eyz banjo bridges. especially the one with the pegged top. they are a little costly but definitely worth the upgrade.
@@BanjoAddict I usually run light strings. I've never liked heavier than that. I did upgrade to a Kat Eyz bridge. They're amazing. When I changed the bridge, I did change out the head and strings. That was not too long ago.
@@mandolinman2006 If your banjo didn't come with a bone nut, I would replace it with one. Superior in tone then plastic.
@@davidcudlip6587 it did.
Head needs to be tightened to at or around 93 on the drum dial. The ring wont perform as far as volume and tone are concerned till you get there.
My tailpiece is not really aligned, the 1st string sits too close to the edge of the fretboard. I could compensate this by moving the tailpiece to the left, but i’m afraid it makes the tailpiece rod in the back look very crooked. I’m using a golden gate gb1 bridge in 1/2 height. Any advice? Thanks!
It sounds to me like it’s more in the bridge. I have had to in the past slide my bridge right or left to align the strings on the neck.
@@BanjoAddict i tried, but the strings are so tight collectively that they wont let my bridge shimmy to either side. Is it better to cut a new slot for the 1st string slightly closer to the 2nd? Thanks for your response!
@@banjofett3949 No don’t cut a slot. Just loosen the strings with your tuning pegs, slide your bridge over , then retune your strings back up.
@@BanjoAddict hey friend, quick update- I changed the bridge to a 5/8 and this works out better for me. I watched your video on the coordinator rod to adjust the action to make it lower. It helped out:)
Darned if that doesn't look like a Recording King RKO-3S... there are different "Dirty 30's" and I only had $253 max to spend (and I mean anytime soon whatsoever) but I also wanted at least 1-1/4" nut width. So... even though the RKOH-06 was on sale 33% off for only $200 (!) with more brackets, a tailpiece, and a rolled brass tone ring.... but I know it has a 1-3/16" nut. I "traded" all that and a bit more cash to milk that last 1/16" because the RKO-3S says at Guitar Center and Musicians Friend it has a 1-1/4" nut. I just hope it's not some weird typo both places copied and pasted from somewhere, because RK doesn't say what the nut width is on the 3S, and when they don't say it's usually 1-3/16. I'll be so let down if it shows up 1-3/16. I'll be playing this a couple years and I want 1-1/4", lol.
I Liked the rko 3s .. was a really good banjo. i never measured the nut though. lol
How do I measure a 16 degree angle break? Is there a tool to measure and set 16 degrees?
Yes there is a inexpensive plastic angle finder at lowes that works wonders
@@BanjoAddict Link?
What tool do you use to get the 16 degree angle
I personally just use one of those cheap plastic angle finders you can get at lowes or Home Depot
Oh ok thanks
This was my question too. I'm experienced enough to estimate something is sitting at a 90⁰ or 45⁰ angle but 16⁰? I was like, "that's an awfully specific number, to eye ball it"! Thanks for asking this!!
Take a piece of cardboard, carefully plot your 16 degree angle, cut it out as precisely as possible. Keep the hollow portion, place it on top of your bridge. The string angle should match the cardboard angle.😊
The issue I have with my banjo (Ibanez b50) the low D string sounds just dead no real ring to it how do I get some life into said string, the other strings sound fabulous
have you changed your strings recently? that string could just be dead.
This is all good information however how do you see us calculating the 16 degrees? Is it 16 degrees from a level plane across the top of the bridge, or the head, or off the true vertical of the head surface, or…….. ? Please show in a graphic representation of what you are verbally telling us. Thank you.
Hey Barry, I personally use a cheap plastic angle finder that i got from lowes. I just lay it on top of the 1st and forth string for reference. i will try to get a picture up on the community tab here soon to show what im talking about.
Thanks for this info. With this key starting point the determine of the angle now makes sense.
Why are my strings touching the banjo head just below the tailpiece
the only reason that would happen that i know of is the strings are wrapped around the tailpiece wrong
@@BanjoAddict Also possible that the head has the wrong “crown” height, so the tension hoop sits too low, making the tailpiece sit too low.