Banjo Maintenance

How To Change Your Banjo Strings

There are only a few tools you need to change your strings. You'll need a fresh pack of strings, a string winder, a good pair of wire cutters, a chromatic tuner, and a pencil. Find out everything you need to know about changing your banjo strings...

How To Set Intonation

How To Set Intonation (to be done after action/string height adjustment): Tune banjo to pitch using a good quality tuner. Once banjo is in tune, play the harmonic on the 12th fret, then check the 12th fret note against the harmonic. They should be...

What Is My Banjo Bridge Height?

All Deering Goodtime Series banjos use a 5/8” Goodtime Smile bridge. It is important for you to know that your heel cut on your banjo is cut specifically for the height of bridge needed on your banjo. Therefore if you buy a taller bridge, you may...

What Kind Of Strings Came On My Banjo?

The most common gauge of strings used on any Deering/Goodtime/Vega banjo is our private label factory light gauge strings made for us by Dunlop here in California. The gauges are 10,11,13,21w,10. These lighter gauge strings will give the banjo a...

How To Adjust Your Banjo's Truss Rod

The relief affects the "action" or string height of the strings from the fingerboard. Lower action can be easier to play, but if your action is too low, you can get buzzing from the strings hitting the frets. Higher action can allow you to play...

How To Tune A Tenor Banjo

C, G, D, A Standard Tenor Tuning The most standard tenor banjo tuning. This tuning is the intervals of fifths and is exactly the same as viola or mandola. G, D, A, E Irish Tenor Tuning This tuning is also in fifths but is lower in pitch than the...

What is Midnight Maple?

Midnight Maple is a hard rock maple that we use for the fingerboards of our Goodtime Artisan models, as well as earlier Deering White Lotus and Vega White Oak models.It is the same hard rock maple that we use on our blonde Goodtimes, but we put it...

How Do I Set My Banjo Bridge Intonation?

Depending on how the bridge is positioned can often be the difference between an incredible sounding banjo and a lousy one. So correct bridge positioning is vital. It is a routine part of maintaining your banjo, particularly after changing your...

What Do I Need For A Basic Deering Setup?

Doing a setup on your banjo at home can be a daunting task. The key to successfully setting up your banjo is the right set of tools. Having the correct tools set out in front of you will lessen the stress and get you back up and picking your banjo...

What Tools Do I Need For A Basic Goodtime Set Up?

How Do I Install The Goodtime Banjo Resonator Retro Fit Kit?

Installing the Goodtime Resonator kit can be done with a couple of tools and some patience. Your kit includes a two-piece flange and the resonator with the wall lugs and 4 Philips screws, and an armrest, and two “bent” j- hooks. Tools Needed:...

How To Replace the 5th String Peg On My Banjo

What you are experiencing can sometimes happen if your neck has gone through some shrinkage due to environmental conditions. It is a simple process to replace the tuner. Remove the peg from the hole. Cut a small round circle out of white paper....

How Do I Change The Head On My Goodtime Banjo?

Deering Banjo Quality Control Manager Chad Kopotic guides you through how to change the head on your Deering Goodtime banjo. Watch now! To buy a new head for your Goodtime banjo go here!

What Banjo Head Crown Height Do I Need?

A high crown head is ½” and a medium crown head is 7/16”. Not much of a difference but it is a critical one. It is measured from the top of the mylar edge to the top of the aluminum rim of the banjo head. Once the head has stretched, it is...

Proper Banjo Bridge Placement

The "sweet spot" is actually easy to find on a banjo since banjos have a floating bridge (it is held on by the tension of the strings). Many folks mark their bridge placement with a pencil line. This is fine for a starting point, but you must...

How To Adjust Your Banjo Tailpiece

Having your tailpiece adjusted properly on your banjo will give your its fullest, clearest tone.

How To Tune A Plectrum Banjo

C, G, B, D Standard Plectrum Tuning The most standard plectrum banjo tuning. This is very close to the standard 5-string tuning (without the 5-string), but the 4th string is dropped down to C. D, G, B, E Chicago Tuning This tuning is the same as...