using Internet Explorer, to get a file copy just right click the picture and select 'Save target as..'
Depending on your computer and software, you should find that the picture will print out at right size, if not, you will have to scale it.
| Here is the scroll template - using Internet Explorer, to get a file copy just right click the picture and select 'Save target as..' Depending on your computer and software, you should find that the picture will print out at right size, if not, you will have to scale it. | |
I don't worry too much about precise dimensions except where it matters, I aimed for a temor banjo with a scale length of 20.5 inches and a pot diameter of 9 1/2 inches
(why 20.5? I happened to be working in millimetres and chose an actual scale length of 520mm)
Since the bridge needs to be about two thirds of the pot diameter from the neck, that makes the neck 14 inches long (20 - 6 inches). I Added another inch between the nut and
pegbox to make the string entry angle a little less sharp. (If the first tuning peg is too close to the nut, the 1st string has to cross from the outside edge of the nut over to the centre at a sharp angle - not good)
The fingerboard is 1/4 inch thick so a neck thickness of 1/2 inch brings the total to 3/4 inch and makes for a comfortable grip
None needed -
The fingerboard is ebony, which is very stiff and in combination with the mahogany neck makes a composite neck that shows no deflection at all when strung.
I begin marking out a neck by drawing a centreline. This will be where the third string runs.
The width at the nut will be 1 1/10 inches. I find this gives a comfortable string spacing of 3/10ths of an inch.
So I mark on each side of the centreline, 3/10ths, 6/10ths and 7/10ths of an inch (that last mark is to the edge of the fingerboard)
At the head end, I mark out five equal string positions across the width, allowing 1/10th inch for the edge of the fingerboard again and then I draw in the strings using a long straight edge.
Of course, the 5th string is a short one so the cut-out for that needs to be marked. I draw a line parallel to the 4th string, just 1/10th of an inch outside of it, down to a position half-way between the 4th and 5th frets (that's just 9 inches from the head end in this case)
The pegbox needs to be symetrical on the 4 long strings rather than the centreline of the wood so I also take a slice out of the cutout side from the nut up to the scroll end (parallel to the edge of the wood, not following the angle of the strings) That's a bit difficult to explain but take a look at the sketch.
Finally, I use the scroll template to mark the scroll position and extend the outer edges of the fingerboard up to that point. (The pegbox will thus have a slight taper that follows the line of the fingerboard rather than simply being rectangular.)
