Maxing out a banjo coordinator rod?

[Ryan Matzen]

Howdy,

I have a question about banjo coordinator rods...

What is the maximum amount a coordinator rod can be adjusted?

Thanks for your help,

Ryan

 

[Greg Mirken]

It depends.

[Ryan Matzen]

LOL! I was expecting an answer like that!

LOL! I was expecting an answer like that!

[Mike Kolb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY50OCE-ki0

[Ryan Matzen]

Thanks. I actually watched that video this morning.

I’ve decided to just leave them in there neutral position.

Seems like some people and manufacturers say it’s fine to use the coordinator rods to adjust the action  (and supply directions on how to do it). And, others seem to think that you are a complete imbecile for even thinking about using them to adjust the action!

[Greg Mirken]

If you are asking if coordinator rods can be used to adjust banjo action, the answer is yes. How much adjustment is possible depends on the age of the instrument, the construction of the rim [after all you are trying to squeeze it out of round], the solidity of the neck to rim junction, and the reason the action needs to be adjusted in the first place.

It's the sort of question that takes a few seconds to answer with the instrument in hand, but impossible otherwise.

[Ryan Matzen]

I installed the highest bridge (3/4”) that I could put on my Deering Vega Little Wonder (it is new and has a laminated maple pot).  But, I still needed a little higher action for classic playing (using nylon strings). So, I adjusted the coordinator rods. I did get my action where I needed it to be. But, in doing so, I basically maxed out the bottom coordinator rod. This put the bottom part of the pot out of round by a little less than 1/8”. I was wondering if this would be harmful to the banjo? Deering did say it would be fine, but the folks at Banjo Hangout said otherwise. And, seem to think that I am an imbecile for even asking such a question. The consensus over there seems to be that coordinator rods are absolutely not used for adjustment of the action. So, I just readjusted the rods to the neutral position again. I am thinking a shim may be my be option. The proper use the coordinator rods seems to be a very polarizing topic!

[Greg Mirken]

Deering is right [it's their instrument, after all]; Banjo Hangouters are wrong.

But a shim made of a strip of business card at the bottom of the heel will do the job too.

[Ryan Matzen]

Thanks for the input. It is appreciated. A luthier friend of mine told me the same thing (that it was fine). The folks at BH told me that I need a new luthier.

[Walter W Wright]

i'm no master banjo guy but i've worked on my share

it seems annoying that for such an overtly "mechanical" instrument where everything is bolted and screwed together that there isn't a simple and logical mechanism to tweak the neck angle and thus easily adjust the action. we're still left with torqueing the pot out of round with the coordinator rods (seems like a bad idea) or stuffing shims between the neck and the rim.

[Ryan Matzen]

I totally agree!