Practical Hints on Modern Banjo Playing.

[Carl Anderton]

by Clarence L. Partee.

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No. 9-Care of The Banjo.

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(from The Cadenza, Jan-Feb. 1896)

     Extremes of temperature are most injurious to musical instruments, so it is well to avoid exposing them to sudden changes.  The banjo is especially affected by dampness, on account of the rapid absorption of moisture by the parchment, or properly speaking, the calf-skin "head,"  which is really the sounding board; it will be readily understood, therefore, that the tone of the banjo is materially injured if the instrument is exposed to the atmosphere in damp or rainy weather. 

     When not in use keep your banjo in a flannel-lined leather or canvas case; do not rely on a cloth bag or cover, as it is not sufficient to properly protect the instrument.

     If you are compelled to carry your banjo to and from lessons, rehearsals, or elsewhere in the rain or snow, place it in a cloth cover, or wrap the rim in felt or chamois skin, before placing it in the leather case.  The double covering will be no more than is necessary to keep the instrument thoroughly dry.  Steam heat has, perhaps, ruined more banjos and guitars than any other agency, although thousands of good instruments have been practically destroyed by the carelessness of their owners, in standing them near over-heated stoves, often leaving them exposed to the extreme heat for hours at a time.  A banjo cannot survive being alternately overheated and frozen anymore than a human being, so it is best to keep it in a room of moderate temperature and dry atmosphere, where the degree of temperature is nearly always the same.

     Keep the banjo strung up with good strings always, and keep it tuned to the correct pitch at all times.  Do not loosen the strings when done playing, but place the instrument in its case just as it would be if ready for immediate use.

     Do not let down the bridge after using the instrument, unless you wish to carry your banjo some distance, in which case you may let down the bridge to avoid jamming it down and breaking it, otherwise, it is a mistake to remove the bridge at any time.

     To prevent slipping of the pegs, wind the strings under the strands which hold them in place around the pegs; every turn of a peg will then draw the string tighter, and each peg will remain in position.

     If a strings is false, cut off a portion of it and try it again; after repeating this once or twice, a true length should result.  If not, then throw the string away, and try another.  False  strings are worse than useless.

     When cleaning your banjo, never use water under any circumstances.  A single drop of water will often cause the head to burst, especially if dropped thereon when the head is very tight and dry, as it should be.  To clean the head, use an ordinary square rubber pencil-eraser, and rub the finger-marks from the head just as you would erase pencil-marks from a paper.  Use a slightly oiled rag to clean the portions made of wood, as the "arm," "finger-board," etc.  To clean the metal portion of the rim, or other metal parts, use  Putz Pomade.  This preparation may be bought at any music store, and is always used in cleaning metal instruments, such a cornets and horns of all kinds.  Place a small quantity of the pomade on a soft rag, and rub it off afterwards with a clean rag, and, with gentle rubbing and a little exertion, a fine polish will reward your efforts.

                                                                  Finis.

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[Adam]

Well, this is timely, Carl! I was thinking today of asking the group how they go about caring for their instruments. So if folks would like to add to this, I'd sure like to hear what folks do.

I use simichrome to clean really dirty metal parts. But I don't have a preferred method for lighter cleaning.

As for the wood, I use a guitar cleaning "kit" I got from my local shop. I think it's called Rossignol. Or something like that. Seems to work well.

Still, I don't actually "clean" my banjo all that often. Maybe a simple wipe down with a clean rag now and then.

As to points in the article you posted:

Keeping it strung: I certainly keep banjos that are being played strung up and in tune. But if a banjo is going away for a while I definitely loosen the strings before putting it in a case - gigbag or hardshell.

Bridges: When I bought a grain measure banjo from Bob Thornburg he encouraged me to set the bridge down when done playing in order to release some pressure from the head. I've followed his advice on the grain measure he made and on my gourd banjo ever since. I don't know if it really makes a difference, but intuitively it makes sense so continue to do it - but only for those two banjos, for some reason. On other banjos I leave alone.

Finally, I don't understand what a "false" string is. Does he mean a string that won't stay in tune?

Thanks!
Adam

[Carl Anderton]

As to the bridge thing, I would think the reasons for not lowering it would be 1) less strain on it, and less chance of breaking it, and 2) keeping it in the "habit" of staying in its precise position. For those reasons it probably matters more on a classic, G-tuned fretted banjo than an ol' tub.

A "false" string was probably more common back in the day when quality control was not as high as it is today. I imagine a "false" string was one that would not stay in tune, or play with a clear tone.

J. Adam Latham said:

Well, this is timely, Carl! I was thinking today of asking the group how they go about caring for their instruments. So if folks would like to add to this, I'd sure like to hear what folks do.

I use simichrome to clean really dirty metal parts. But I don't have a preferred method for lighter cleaning.

As for the wood, I use a guitar cleaning "kit" I got from my local shop. I think it's called Rossignol. Or something like that. Seems to work well.

Still, I don't actually "clean" my banjo all that often. Maybe a simple wipe down with a clean rag now and then.

As to points in the article you posted:

Keeping it strung: I certainly keep banjos that are being played strung up and in tune. But if a banjo is going away for a while I definitely loosen the strings before putting it in a case - gigbag or hardshell.

Bridges: When I bought a grain measure banjo from Bob Thornburg he encouraged me to set the bridge down when done playing in order to release some pressure from the head. I've followed his advice on the grain measure he made and on my gourd banjo ever since. I don't know if it really makes a difference, but intuitively it makes sense so continue to do it - but only for those two banjos, for some reason. On other banjos I leave alone.

Finally, I don't understand what a "false" string is. Does he mean a string that won't stay in tune?

Thanks!
Adam

[Joel Hooks]

Still available...

[Adam]

And the DIY-er can make his/her own!
http://www.homegardenguides.com/home-improvement/general-home-care/...

[Joel Hooks]

Yes, but you don't get the nifty tin.

So, how is this stuff different than using 0000 steel wool or sandpaper?

[Adam]

True dat. A nifty tin goes a long way! :)