Dual Rim Rod Set for Banjo

Installation and adjustment instructions for a Dual Rim Rod Set for Banjo.

This rim rod design is for use with a 3/4"-thick wood rim and a Gibson-style resonator flange.

The location of the upper neck attachment bolt is determined by the neck attachment hole in the tone ring (Gibson-style flathead or archtop tone rings). To install a neck purchased from us, align the bottom of the fingerboard (the fingerboard/neck glue joint) with the top of the tone ring.

Transfer the neck attachment bolt locations to the neck heel, by marking them through the holes in the wood rim. Drill two 5/32"-diameter holes in the neck heel and install the neck attachment bolts.

Drill 11/32"-diameter holes in the wood rim for the rim rods. The rods should be parallel to each other and to the bottom of the rim. The upper hole should not be drilled completely through the rim. The lower hole should be located to allow sufficient clearance for the tailpiece bracket beneath the resonator flange.

Attaching the neck to the pot
Insert the rim rods into the wood rim. Back interior hex nuts A and C off enough to allow the opposite ends of the top rod and lower rim rod connector nut to have at least an 1/8" gap between their ends and the wood rim.

Insert the neck bolts (installed in the neck) into the wood rim until they stick out just far enough on the inside to get one small washer on each bolt. Carefully thread the top rod on a few threads then repeat with the lower rim rod.

Use a nail or 3/32" hex key inserted through the hole in the top rim rod to tighten the rod to the wood rim, pulling the neck tight against the other side of the wood rim.

Be sure that the top of the neck/fretboard surface is parallel to the top of the tone ring. If not, twist the neck slightly to line it up, then finish tightening the rod.

On #0274 rim rod with long nut: tighten the nut with a 7/16" wrench. This will firmly attach the neck to the wood rim.

Any further adjustments need to be made with hex nuts A and B and a 3/32" hex key inserted through the hole in the rim rod to keep it from turning during adjustments.

Adjusting string height over the fingerboard
• To raise the string height, loosen hex nut B, tighten hex nut A, and retighten hex nut B.
• To lower the string height, loosen hex nut A, tighten hex nut B, and retighten hex nut A.
• Hex nut C should remain snug after any adjustments.

Do not adjust more than 1/16" in either direction, to avoid unnecessary compression or possible delamination of the wood rim. Insert a nail in the small hole midway on the lower rim rod, to prevent the rod from turning while making adjustments.