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<p>[QUOTE="all_fakes, post: 37015, member: 55"]I do play banjo, on a 4-string tuned in the Irish manner (like an octave mandolin).</p><p>Light-gauge steel strings should be OK on this nice banjo; and it is generally quite easy to adjust the action (string height) on a banjo, so putting strings and a bridge and tailpiece on would definitely be a good idea. </p><p> A professional could help you get the bridge in the right place as well as selecting a bridge of the correct height (if you measure the distance from nut to twelfth fret, the bridge should be about twice that distance from the nut, as on a guitar.) The bridge height and action are inter-related, so a typical process is to try a bridge, see how the action looks, then either choose a different bridge or adjust the neck angle to change the string height. Repeat until everything is set up correctly.</p><p> Tuning the head is also something you might want help with, but there are some pretty good sites online with good advice on that subject. You can get a general idea by seeing how far the bridge sinks when strung and tuned up; the head should be depressed a bit, but not too much. But you certainly don't want to damage the head, so having someone who knows their stuff help you would be wise. Not all music stores will know how to do this. That said, if the head does get damaged, a replacement head will not affect value much if at all, and replacement skin heads are generally pretty available, though finding the right size could be a pain.</p><p> I have sold and shipped a banjo, without a hard case (sent from the US to Ireland); I'd listed as US/Canada only, but was contacted by a nice gentleman in Ireland who really wanted an American instrument.</p><p>Banjos are pretty sturdy, but as with any semi-fragile item, a good layer of bubble wrap, then an oversized box, perhaps lined with some solid Styrofoam to help defeat punctures, and plastic peanuts will do the trick. Shipping from me to Ireland came to $75 US.</p><p> I've bought two banjos on ebay, and both arrived to me in fine shape, packed in that way.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="all_fakes, post: 37015, member: 55"]I do play banjo, on a 4-string tuned in the Irish manner (like an octave mandolin). Light-gauge steel strings should be OK on this nice banjo; and it is generally quite easy to adjust the action (string height) on a banjo, so putting strings and a bridge and tailpiece on would definitely be a good idea. A professional could help you get the bridge in the right place as well as selecting a bridge of the correct height (if you measure the distance from nut to twelfth fret, the bridge should be about twice that distance from the nut, as on a guitar.) The bridge height and action are inter-related, so a typical process is to try a bridge, see how the action looks, then either choose a different bridge or adjust the neck angle to change the string height. Repeat until everything is set up correctly. Tuning the head is also something you might want help with, but there are some pretty good sites online with good advice on that subject. You can get a general idea by seeing how far the bridge sinks when strung and tuned up; the head should be depressed a bit, but not too much. But you certainly don't want to damage the head, so having someone who knows their stuff help you would be wise. Not all music stores will know how to do this. That said, if the head does get damaged, a replacement head will not affect value much if at all, and replacement skin heads are generally pretty available, though finding the right size could be a pain. I have sold and shipped a banjo, without a hard case (sent from the US to Ireland); I'd listed as US/Canada only, but was contacted by a nice gentleman in Ireland who really wanted an American instrument. Banjos are pretty sturdy, but as with any semi-fragile item, a good layer of bubble wrap, then an oversized box, perhaps lined with some solid Styrofoam to help defeat punctures, and plastic peanuts will do the trick. Shipping from me to Ireland came to $75 US. I've bought two banjos on ebay, and both arrived to me in fine shape, packed in that way.[/QUOTE]
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