Why must a banjo be set up?

The greatest problem for banjo players at every skill level is setting their instrument for the tone they want to hear.

When a banjo is built at the factory, it is set up to a set of specifications and quality standards that the company has in place. This "Factory" set-up does not take into account the individual needs of the player.

Unfortunately, that means that it may be playable when it leaves the factory, but most are not set up for maximum playability and tone. Even an instrument that has been set up properly will change in time.

All Banjos need to be Set-Up!  This is especially true for biginner and intermediate quality instruments. 

There are a great number of factors the influence the Tone and Playability of a Banjo e.g.:
 

If the action is too high, the instrument will be hard to play.  If the action is too low, the strings will buzz against the frets.

Most of the sound goes into the banjo at the bridge. If the bridge is not in the right location, of poor quality, or just plan wrong for the Banjo, the tone will suffer.

If the head is too tight the sound will be "tinny".  If it is too loose, it will be low and muddy.

Some of the sound comes from the neck, so if the contact between neck and rim is not perfect, the tone will suffer.

A good quality Tailpiece which is correctly adjusted can greatly improve the sound transmission of the Bridge.  

Just send me an Email and we can either set up an appointment, or discuss it on the phone.