Banjo Tuning Pegs

[George Roberts]

I am working on a banjo with very nice gold plated hardware, and MOP knobs.  The fifth string peg, though, is a replacement: no gold plating, and a plastic knob.

Can someone identify the tuners for me?  I would like to find a matching fifth string peg, and I actually have a matching MOP knob that was in with my "odds and ends."

Thanks for the help, George

[Frank Ford]

Those are standard "patent" or "mechanical" friction pegs.  Fifth pegs of that vintage typically have a smaller tapered fitting than more modern ones, so the most practical solution might be to avoid problems fitting up by using a more modern fifth peg and fit the shaft to your MOP button.

Those friction pegs work easily with nylon or gut strings, but can be a real pain with steel, so another good alternative would be to switch to a nice set of geared "planet" or cycloidal pegs, using the original buttons.

[George Roberts]

Thanks Frank,

 The 4 tuners on the peghead have very narrow posts, which makes the tuning a little easier.  The part on the current 5th string, where the string is wound, is quite fat, making the tuning more difficult.  I may be able to machine that section down, but I was hoping to find an old, original replacement.  The banjo is, I believe, a Hughes, from the 1920s, and it would be nice to keep it as original as possible.