I've been looking for less expensive ways to use geared tuners on my banjos. These CB Gitty Econos work great. All I had to do was cut the shaft down and drill a new hole closer to the gear. I worried that the knob sticking up would be in the way but it's not a problem. It's a little hard getting the string started on the shaft - maybe a slightly bigger hole next time.
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Thanks for your advice. I was successful in modifying a cheap guitar tuner to work as my 5th string banjo tuner. As you said, the shaft "steel" is not that hard and I was able to do it with my hand drill and smallest two drill bits. I drilled the hole about 3/16" down the shaft from the base plate. I also used a hack saw to trim the length of the shaft to 1/2" so I wouldn't have to drill an excessively long hole into my neck. When I drilled the hole in the shaft, I first disassembled the tuner so the base plate, gear and knob would not be in the way. I used the 7" rule from my handy-dandy combination square which has a groove down it to form the base onto which I laid the shaft and clamped it down to my work table. I filed a flat face on the shaft so I could center the drill bit better. I also tried to hammer a nail into it for a starter "dent" for the drill bit, but I was unsuccessful in doing that. So, I used my smallest drill bit, and with a series of short burst of power, was able to drill through the shaft without any problem. I then used my second smallest drill bit to widen the hole to make threading the string a bit easier. After that, I re-assembled the tuner and mounted it to a scrap piece of wood that was about 1/2" thick. Using the piece of wood as a brace I clamped it to my table, took my hack saw and cut off the end of the shaft. I then un-mounted the tuner and took some 100 grit sand paper to smooth the file marks and the edge of the cut-off shaft. I could probably clean it up more, but it will be hidden once it is mounted. So, now I'm working on shaping my banjo neck. Will let you know how it turned out. Thanks again.
P.S. This is one of those operations where you want to wear your safety goggles.
Hey Rand, I've put the knob in both directions and most folks who play them think the down pointing knob gets in the way more than the up pointing ones. I also think pointing down looks a little better - I don't have any problem adapting my playing either way. I use a drill press for the hole but I think a hand drill would work ok. Clamp the tuner shaft down on the edge of your work surface with the knob hanging over the edge and then use a nail or something pointy to hammer a little starter hole so the 1/16" bit won't roll off the shaft. Some bits work better than others - I have a set made by DeWalt that has a little point in the end which helps keep the bit where you want it. It's actually easier than you might think since the shaft isn't really a very hard metal. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
One more question. Is it better to orient the tuner such that the tuner knob is up (points to your nose when you play) or with the tuner knob down (points to the floor when you play)? It seems to me that it looks better pointing down, but that it might be "too much in the way" of your fretting hand when you play the instrument. What are your thoughts on this?
I like this solution to the fifth string tuner problem with 5-sting banjos. I'm building a 5-String CBB with a pan resonator, but I'm currently puzzling over this issue. How did you cut the hole in the tuner's shaft. Did you use a drill press or hand drill? All I have is a hand drill, but I don't know if I have the steady arm and skill to drill a hole on a shaft. Did you have to build a jig of some sort to hold the tuner and drill steady? I guess what I really need to do is just go try it and find out how difficult or easy it is to do. Thanks for your posting this picture.
Hi Diane, I think this is 5/16 or 3/8. Sold it last week so I can't measure. On my next I think all the way thru will be the way to go to make stringing easier. Good luck and let us see it when done! Oh yeah Midnight on the Water is a goodun on that low D tuning. Drill away!
Well, a Servicemember just asked for a banjo, so I'm going to give your idea a whirl. Thanks for the tip, this was the aspect of banjo building that was holding me up!
Thanks Unc and Diane. Yeah Diane I tried it both ways and thought this would work. The idea came to me since I use these tuners on CB fiddles and usually have to shorten the shaft. It's just a lot shorter here. The cool thing is I didn't need a 5th string nut. The string kind of cuts into the fretboard and stays in place with the fret acting as the nut. That's because of careful planning (blind luck) that the tuner whole was just right!
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Hi Jim.
Thanks for your advice. I was successful in modifying a cheap guitar tuner to work as my 5th string banjo tuner. As you said, the shaft "steel" is not that hard and I was able to do it with my hand drill and smallest two drill bits. I drilled the hole about 3/16" down the shaft from the base plate. I also used a hack saw to trim the length of the shaft to 1/2" so I wouldn't have to drill an excessively long hole into my neck. When I drilled the hole in the shaft, I first disassembled the tuner so the base plate, gear and knob would not be in the way. I used the 7" rule from my handy-dandy combination square which has a groove down it to form the base onto which I laid the shaft and clamped it down to my work table. I filed a flat face on the shaft so I could center the drill bit better. I also tried to hammer a nail into it for a starter "dent" for the drill bit, but I was unsuccessful in doing that. So, I used my smallest drill bit, and with a series of short burst of power, was able to drill through the shaft without any problem. I then used my second smallest drill bit to widen the hole to make threading the string a bit easier. After that, I re-assembled the tuner and mounted it to a scrap piece of wood that was about 1/2" thick. Using the piece of wood as a brace I clamped it to my table, took my hack saw and cut off the end of the shaft. I then un-mounted the tuner and took some 100 grit sand paper to smooth the file marks and the edge of the cut-off shaft. I could probably clean it up more, but it will be hidden once it is mounted. So, now I'm working on shaping my banjo neck. Will let you know how it turned out. Thanks again.
P.S. This is one of those operations where you want to wear your safety goggles.
-Rand.
Hey Rand, I've put the knob in both directions and most folks who play them think the down pointing knob gets in the way more than the up pointing ones. I also think pointing down looks a little better - I don't have any problem adapting my playing either way. I use a drill press for the hole but I think a hand drill would work ok. Clamp the tuner shaft down on the edge of your work surface with the knob hanging over the edge and then use a nail or something pointy to hammer a little starter hole so the 1/16" bit won't roll off the shaft. Some bits work better than others - I have a set made by DeWalt that has a little point in the end which helps keep the bit where you want it. It's actually easier than you might think since the shaft isn't really a very hard metal. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
One more question. Is it better to orient the tuner such that the tuner knob is up (points to your nose when you play) or with the tuner knob down (points to the floor when you play)? It seems to me that it looks better pointing down, but that it might be "too much in the way" of your fretting hand when you play the instrument. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Jim,
I like this solution to the fifth string tuner problem with 5-sting banjos. I'm building a 5-String CBB with a pan resonator, but I'm currently puzzling over this issue. How did you cut the hole in the tuner's shaft. Did you use a drill press or hand drill? All I have is a hand drill, but I don't know if I have the steady arm and skill to drill a hole on a shaft. Did you have to build a jig of some sort to hold the tuner and drill steady? I guess what I really need to do is just go try it and find out how difficult or easy it is to do. Thanks for your posting this picture.
-Rand.
Hi Diane, I think this is 5/16 or 3/8. Sold it last week so I can't measure. On my next I think all the way thru will be the way to go to make stringing easier. Good luck and let us see it when done! Oh yeah Midnight on the Water is a goodun on that low D tuning. Drill away!
And should the hole go all the way through? Easier to wind on that way, mebbe.
Like how big? I am about to drill . . .
Well, a Servicemember just asked for a banjo, so I'm going to give your idea a whirl. Thanks for the tip, this was the aspect of banjo building that was holding me up!
Thanks Unc and Diane. Yeah Diane I tried it both ways and thought this would work. The idea came to me since I use these tuners on CB fiddles and usually have to shorten the shaft. It's just a lot shorter here. The cool thing is I didn't need a 5th string nut. The string kind of cuts into the fretboard and stays in place with the fret acting as the nut. That's because of careful planning (blind luck) that the tuner whole was just right!
Or you could flip it so the knob is down!
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