5 string project

Lags were positioned incorrectly  at FQMS and must be moved to correct a low neckset

That would be 1/4" below the plane of the head.
 

The heel angle is too steep, and I will be able to make a spacer to make up the distance
 

It will incorporate a  single  co-rod system

RESONATOR FITTING
 

I changed the resonator that was on this rim to a Gill prewar spec, with a flamed maple sidewall and back that matches the grain in the neck
Jerry wanted a lighter tobacco brown with a fade and I took the sidewall and colored it to match the rim color and made the back as he wished.
 

This is a nice resonator with alot of dazzle

I will work on the neck angle and get all that work completed then start the inlay process.

Jerry decided he wanted the neck to have binding  to match the used Gill resonator that I had here so I had to break out the binding channel router in an attempt to freehand it.
I'll start on this old TB00 neck and some old maple stock to regain the feel of the tool.
This is a one shot deal and I do not recommend anyone try it  that cannot afford to replace a ruined neck!

OK, here we go...
 

Ill take it down in 2 stages so as not to grab too much at once and chip out

The 5 th peg area will be finished out with a hand tool.

Now there is none of this particular binding left on anyone's shelves and the pieces I have will just have to do.
It requires one thin bottom strip, that is White /Black/White that will be the breaker lines.
 

Time compressed......
Top strip added, trimmed  and planed to level
First coat of stain added
 
 

Heel cap installed
Maple veneer with Rosewood cap

Sealer coat added, ready to add clear

Decent match on the bindings
The sidewall and back of the resonator will need to be slightly tinted to match the color that the neck came out with.
It was a very yellowy maple and did not match the older colors
 
 

Sanded and ready to Re-Tint

3 color re-tint with medium brown edge fade to close match the neckwork.

Medium brown tint coming for the sidewall.

Bindings scraped, a few glamour shots and then back in for some clear

Now I can continue to add clear to the resonator and work on the neck inlay scheme.
I chose to do this in not a normal sequence but matched other work that is ongoing in the shop so now all I need to do is protect what finish I have while I inlay.
 

Laying out the inlay, preparing to rout cavities
 

Scribing around the inlay to get a close profile

All inlay removed and routing to depth

Rosewood dust to fill the voids, and thin cyano to bond them in

Leveled and ready for frets

Using a comfortable wire, Stew Mac #147
Hammer in over the heel

Compression fret up the neck

Ends trimmed, leveled crowned polished and fingerboard steel wooled and ready for oiling.

Laying the Peghead MOP on to get it all centered.
Its a tad larger than the original

The original tuners were 7/32 Page shafts, and these are modern 3/8 so you have to deal with some missing MOP just as you do when you retrofit an old one with new tuners
Whitened to mark position for routing

ready to rout the cavities
The white paint is a preferred method for me, when it comes to outlining my routings
The TBOO neck is coming up the line at the same time since I  am in inlay mode.

Cavities routed, ready to set

Im tacking it down as I go to hold the profile as best I can

And its all in now, with leveling complete.
Now to add little bits of filler where there are some voids and stain/seal for now
Tuner holes have been gone thru and MOP trimmed from that area

Ready for side marker dots and a nut and 5th string pip.

Fresh coat of satin black on the inside of the resonator

Side markers drilled

2010-01-JL stamped up and under tone ring , hard for thieves to see that one

Rim stained and ready for clear

Polishing tone ring and hardware after machine buffing

All parts cleaned up and resonator buffed and waxed
Neck is still taking on a few clear coats and then tomorrow I will assemble it again, this time to start the playability setup
Thats an unplated brass FQMS armrest and an old Grover  4 groove Presto style tailpiece

It will stay together with Jerry playing it and us dialing it in  until we can get a slot for Raymer to engrave the MOP and then I'll send the neck and Armrest for its detail work.

I wanted to get this thing together, to work on its playability so I cut to the chase on pics, and its ll strung and action set a a decent medium low, and we will let Jerry get here to play on it and tell me what he desires from here.
This way all this will be done and when we get ready to send off the neck and armrest, it will be a simple re-attachment and go again
 

The Grover tailpiece is weak, and will affect the tone somewhat, it should make it a bit more mellow
I still think it will need a downforce tailpiece on it if this one is not cutting it.
 

Final adjustments made, and tailpiece changed to a Richelieu tensionator and a full set of 5 vintage MOP buttons that really jazzed it up.
Thats it for now, plays well up and down with no buzzes and a very nice clear tone.
Jerry will wring it out for awhile until we get to the copper flashed plating and MOP engraving lined up.

We decided to go with a vintage 2 hump grover from an old "Maybell" banjo, and we had Ron match the graving style to the tailpiece, and now its headed in for Nickel plate.

Ron's usual fine work, it's a pleasure to utilize him each and every time.

I made it personalized, the "L" is the first letter of  Jerry's Surname
First coat of sealer
I will shade around the filler and add the clear finish

Jewelers wax rubbed into the gravings to make them have depth, I will oil the fingerboard and polish it all again before assembly

Adding the side marker material

Adding clear coats

Settling back in and sounding very good.
This banjo is a PLAYER, no 2 ways about it.
 

I will oil the board once more now that I have the neck set as it was.
Check the head, minor stuff, she is good to go.
Im using an engraved armrest of mine until his gets back from plating
Now it can get back to the business of making the locals jealous.

A great combination of parts with a setup that works, thats all a man needs.

Thanks for watching

Now to get them off to the plater and onto the banjo

Back in from plater with my Epi Deluxe tailpiece as well