What height should a banjo bridge be?

5/8”
5/8” is the optimum and most popular bridge height. Note: Some novice players think that the height of the bridge is for setting the ‘action’ of their banjo, this is not the case! The action is set by adjusting the ‘neck angle’ on a banjo.

What makes a good banjo bridge?

The Compensated Bridge For the best intonation on your banjo, technically speaking, each of the strings should be at a different distance from the nut. You can see these types of bridges made in an arc shape, as a stair-step shape, and some just compensate string number three with a little v-notch.

Should a banjo bridge be straight?

A general starting point on any banjo is to place the bridge the same distance away from the 12th fret as the nut is from the 12th fret. It is o.k. if your bridge is not exactly perpendicular to the strings.

What is Crowe spacing on a banjo bridge?

A 1 ¾” spacing is sometimes referred to as “Crowe” spacing. Players with larger hands sometimes prefer this spacing as they feel less “cramped” because it allows more room for “inside rolls” on the strings.

Why use a compensated banjo bridge?

Made of dense maple with an ebony saddle, this compensated bridge will improve the intonation of your banjo. For best intonation, each banjo string should be at a slightly different distance from the nut. This “stair step″ style compensated bridge does just that.

Which way should a banjo bridge face?

The backside (side facing the tailpiece) is cut at a 90 degree angle and the front edge (facing the nut) is slightly angled back; this combination offsets the string tension and keeps the bridge more stable on the banjo head.

Which way should banjo bridge tilt?

The bridges that tilt toward the tail piece tilt that way in order to get the bridge farther out on the head for a better sound. The center if the head is where the most vibrations are. It’s from the minds of violin makers and someone thought, if it’s good for violins it’s good enough for banjos.

What is compensated banjo bridge?

A specially machined bridge with adjusted scale lengths to improve intonation for capoing and playing up the neck.

What is a compensated bridge?

Travel stretch: When you move the string from its basic open state to a fretted state, you stretch the string slightly as you press it down to the fret. This is commonly “compensated” at the bridge.

What is the nut on a banjo?

At the base of the peghead you will find the “nut”, a small piece of ebony/plastic that has slots in it for the banjo strings. The nut is where the strings are aligned before they travel down the fingerboard of the banjo.

Why are banjo bridges compensated?

What size are the bridges on a 6 string banjo?

High Quality 6 String banjo bridges for Banjo Guitars sometimes called Banjitars, Gitjos or Guitar Banjos. Tenor, Irish Tenor and Plectrum Banjos. We have different sizes and bridge heights for 4-string including 1/2 inch, 9/16, 5/8 inch standard, 21/32, 11/16 and even 3/4 inch bridges for a 4-string banjo.

What is the best banjo bridge for the money?

The Nick Banjo Bridge (0) $35.00. The Nick Bridge is a handmade custom 5-string bluegrass banjo bridge that produces excellent tone.Having the best banjo bridge on your banjo has a dramatic affect on the tone, tuning and clarity of your banjo.

What kind of bridge does JD Crowe use on his banjo?

High Quality Maple Snuffy Smith bridges for 4, 5 or 6 string banjos. We have Snuffy Smith, Style 1, Style II with compensated G, and Snuffy Smith “Crowe” Spaced banjo bridges that banjo Player JD Crowe uses.

What is Crowe spacing on a banjo?

Wider bridge spacing for banjo players with bigger fingers or pickers that prefer the wider bridge spacing. This design is called “Crowe” spacing after banjo player JD Crowe who uses the wider spacing. The wider spacing is slight but you can really feel it is different.