How high are your actions

[Scott Johnson]

Since getting my Bell banjo up and running, I'm curious as to how people have their various banjo's set up.  Particularly how high or low do you have your action ( or string height ) set on your favorite banjo's. 

I realize that string height is higher on minstrel banjo's, But living in the wilds of Colorado I don't have many minstrel banjoists with banjo's to compare mine with.

Particularly, I would like to know string height at the nut, 5th position, and 12th position.  And how high a bridge you are using.  I'll probably be making a few new bridges of varying heights to play with over the next week or so.  Any Input would be appreciated .

[Paul Draper]

Hi Scott --  mine are approximately:  at nut = 1/16, at 5th = 1/8, at 12th = 3/16, bridge ht = 5/8.

[Scott Johnson]

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the info

[Bell Banjos]

A good way to get the lowest possible action is to play your 4th wound string HARD and if it rattles against the neck, then your bridge is the correct height because in normal playing it'll be fine. If you play it hard and it DOESN'T rattle (buzz) then you have some extra bridge height you can sand away off the bottom of the bridge. Of course, this'll bring you closer to the danger zone when the weather is humid. The solution for those days of course, is to tighten your skin, or slip in a taller bridge.

[Scott Johnson]

Thanks Terry

I'll be working on it tonight and see how it goes.