banjo neck to pot adjustment question

[Mack McDonald]

I have a 1930’s Gibson TB-11 that is a tenor and I want to keep it that way.  The strings are already high with the 1/2” bridge and I want to go to a 5/8” bridge which of course will make the strings even higher.  I’ve done a lot of coordinator rod adjustments in the past, but that’s when the string action was already pretty close.  I’m thinking it’s too much adjustment for the rods and rim?

 

Hence, the neck heel will need to be milled changing the angle to bring the strings down?  I feel comfortable doing this, but my question is and there seems to be much debate about this; should the fretboard contact the stretcher band/tension hoop?  My Williams KI and other modern high end Masterclones have an ever so small gap at this point.  The only place where the neck contacts the pot is the two points where the neck screws are. 

 

This style 11 banjo fretboard contacts the hoop.  And you might remember that while these necks also have two neck screws that attach to the pot, there is only one coordinator rod.

 

[Greg Mirken]

I assume the neck is straight. On some banjos you can't avoid contact between the fingerboard and tension hoop. Here, though, there should be enough room above the flange between the rim and heel for a shim. It won't take much; maybe 1/32" thick would do it.