Do-it-yourself banjo bridge lifter

youtube VRcTiJyW-0k

Issue 184 February 14, 2013

Dave Collins at Herb David Guitar Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan shows an easy-to-make tool for swapping banjo bridges.

 
In this Trade Secrets video:
  • Dan's at the Herb David Guitar Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  • Hot Tip! Dave Collins' shop-made banjo bridge lifter.

Video Transcription

[on-screen text reads: Dave Collins - Ann Arbor, Michigan]

Dave Collins: Let's say you've got a banjo that you want to do a quick bridge change on and don't want to take the time to loosen the strings. For that, I have this very simple tool. Nothing more than a piece of rosewood with a bevel cut into the edge, a leather pad on the bottom to protect hardwood tops on the occasional flat-top mandolin you may use this on, and then an Allen wrench with a Fender knob screw glued to it. You slide it under the strings, lift the lever, raise the string tension off. Remove the bridge, install your Snuffy Smith, or Moon, or Scorpion, or whatever type of bridge you like, and voila. Almost still in tune. That's pretty awesome.

StewMac

 

Dave Collins

Guitar Builder and Tech

Related items