How to Construct a 4-String Irish Tenor Banjo
The origins of the Irish tenor banjo date back to the late 19th century. The tenor banjo evolved from the five string open-back banjo. Influenced by the introduction of steel strings and played with a pick, the tenor banjo eliminated the fifth string of the open-back banjo. Another significant change was the tuning: tenor banjos are tuned in fifths like a mandolin. The standard tuning is GDAE. A number of banjo kits are available if you are interested in building your own. Banjo parts are also interchangeable, which makes it easy to upgrade your instrument.
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Instructions
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Purchase a banjo kit. Various types of kits are available online and from music stores. The tenor banjo used in Irish music typically is a resonator-style banjo rather than open-back banjo. The Irish tenor banjo has a short scale neck of 17 frets, rather than a long scale neck of 19. Finally, the tenor banjo has four strings, not five like a bluegrass banjo. These are the basic requirements for an Irish tenor banjo. Banjo kits come with all the necessary parts. No cutting or measuring is required. Building a banjo simply requires carefully assembling the parts.
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Install the four tuners on the headstock. The specific tuners will vary with the particular kit that you purchase, but the basic details are the same. Insert the tuner into the tuning peg hole from the bottom of the headstock. Screw or clip the nut bushing on the tuning peg on the top of the headstock. Screw the tuner in place on the bottom of the headstock until it is tight and secure.
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Install the banjo head on the pot assembly. Place the tension hoop on the rim to hold the head in place. Check to make sure that the head and tension hoop are level. Install the tension hooks and nuts with your fingers. The notch in the tension hook should be centered with the fingerboard. The hooks should be perpendicular with the flange. Tighten the tension hoop by tightening each nut with a banjo wrench. Give each nut a 1/4 inch turn and go all the way around the rim of the banjo. Continue turning the nuts until the head is tight. Tuning the head may require additional adjustments.
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Attach the neck to the pot assembly. Use the coordinator rods on the pot assembly as a point of reference. Make sure the center line of the neck is square with the coordinator rods. The neck should have a slight bow to it rather than being completely straight. Screw the neck in place with a Phillips head screwdriver.
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Attach the tailpiece to the outside of the coordinator rod. Tighten the nut until the tailpiece is tight and secure.
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Install the strings on the banjo. Insert the fourth string through the tailpiece. Pull it over the banjo head towards the headstock and place it in the slot in the nut. Insert the end of the string into its tuning peg, which is the lower tuning peg on the left side of the headstock. Wrap it around the tuning peg several times. Turn the tuning peg to tighten the string. Repeat the process with the other strings. Don't tune the banjo yet. The strings need enough slack to install the bridge underneath them. The bridge is not permanently installed on the banjo head. The tension of the strings holds it in place.
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Measure the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. Double the distance to determine the position of the bridge. Place the bridge on the banjo head underneath the strings. Lay each string in its slot in the bridge. Tune the banjo. Adjust the position of the bridge by checking the harmonic on the 12th fret of the first string. If the 12th fret harmonic is higher in pitch than the open string, slightly move the bridge towards the tailpiece. If the harmonic is lower in pitch, slightly move the bridge towards the neck.
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