My 80+ yr old neighbour has decided to learn bluegrass banjo, having never played an instrument before in his life. He bought a beginner instrument a few weeks back and I've just taken a look at it.
I've never so much as touched a banjo before in my life, but to me it seemed a pretty decent instrument. I've deepened the nut slots a little so the action is better, although was by no means terrible to start off with, but he has Parkinsons and arthritis so anything to give him an easier time playing it is worthwhile.
Sorted the intonation too as that was horribly out from where he had the bridge.
However the tuners are utterly awful and it falls out of tune if you so much as breathe on it and tuning up is 'lumpy' and the tuners creak.
I can see how having to tune it up every time you play it could be a barrier, and he'd got the G string an octave too high and the B string an octave too low, so I think better tuners will help him a lot.
I've said I'll have a look for some but I don't really know what I'm looking for.
Can anyone advise what might be good geared tuners to get? Not looking for anything fancy, just something not shit that tunes up smoothly and holds tuning well.
Here's a few photos of the banjo for reference:
banjo3.jpg
banjo2.jpg
banjo1.jpg
I don't know much about banjos, but I would begin by removing one of the tuners and measuring the diameter of the post hole on the headstock.
From there, you'll at least know what size tuner will fit in there. If it were me, I'd consider going with the planetary-type traditional banjo tuners, which would be tuned from the back of the headstock rather than the sides.
Look up banjo tunets that is what they are called range from 10 to 178 US I will look I replaced mine when I got my banjo spent around 40 and they work well and they were smother then the spiral gear set he has on them now
Tim
Went and checked they are Grovers