Dowel stick banjo neck reset

[Bob Gramann]

This Paramount tenor banjo dates to 1928 or 29 if I interpret the serial number correctly.

When I got it (it's mine now), the heel was broken and the dowel stick was loose. I removed all of the metal hardware from previous repair attempts, fit it back together (all of the breaks were clean and fit exactly), and reglued it with hot hide glue. I then glued a maple dowel through the break and replaced the heel cap. I don't feel too bad about what I had to do to it because it had been through a lot before I got it. It's pretty solid at this point, but the neck wood is pretty flexible everywhere. The neck has no truss rod but the relief is acceptable.

The action is 3/64" higher than I want it at the 12th fret. What is the standard way to reset one of these necks? I can move the end of the dowel stick at the tail toward the head but the wood is flexible enough that I don't think it would do much good. The heel fits the rim very well but only touches the rim at the lowermost 3/4".

Changing the angle where it contacts won't make much difference because of this small contact area. The area above this is metal that doesn't provide much support. What would be simplest would be to insert a shim between the top of the neck and the head attachment ring. What is the standard repair?

[Bob Gramann]

I put a maple veneer shim where the top contacts the head attachment ring and it completely solves the problem. Is there a method that's considered more correct?

[Dan Pennington]

Shim the neck and elongate the hole in the L shaped bracket at the far end of the dowel stick to give some up and down adjustment.

[Bob Gramann]

Thank you.

[Michael Lewis]

You can always change the bridge for one of a more suitable height. That is the easiest and least expensive method besides the shim.

[Bob Gramann]

The bridge is already only 1/2" high. I considered making it lower, but there's a point where it's just sloppy on the top (fortunately it's not there yet).

The banjos that I build have enough contact area between the neck and the rim that I can control the back angle that way. This one has so much unsupported metal between the rim and the neck that the dowel is about all there is to control the angle and it's not strong enough. The shim just seemed inelegant, but if it's all right with Dan, I'll take it. It's easily reversible.