Comment by thereallyniceman on January 26, 2016 at 9:08

Hi Richard, I notice steel strings on the Thoroughbred.  I would strongly suggest that they are taken off as SS necks are known to twist like corkscrews when fitted with steel strings.

I am not an expert on SSS banjos...but I do know this fact!!

Comment by Richard Katz on January 26, 2016 at 11:48

The steel strings were removed and replaced with nylon as soon as I received the banjo. I also know this and changed them immediately. They were on there from the previous owner. Thanks!

Comment by Trapdoor2 on January 26, 2016 at 15:56

The "Common Sense" tailpiece can also be a weak point with steel strings, I have seen no few with the tie-bar bent out from the additional stress.

An additional comment: the flange on the bottom of this tailpiece (in the picture) is bearing on the head (and the rim underneath). It really should be on the outside of the tension hoop. Yes, this means that the tailpiece bolt is not going to be perfectly straight (often bent).

There were two versions of the Common Sense, one with a flange (I believe "earlier") and one without. Without the flange, the bolt itself bears all the tension of the strings. The flanged version spreads that force across a greater area...but the bolt then does not line up perfectly with the dowel-stick nut.

And...yes, virtually all banjos of the era were not designed for the additional stress of steel strings, not just SSS. Some of the higher-end SSS banjos have multiple decorative laminations under the fretboard which may (or may not) add to their strength. Most of the twisted ones I've encountered were lower-end models...but one can never tell how a given antique bit of wood will react.

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