|
Old Time Conversion
by D. Lee Thomas
Download this Article.
I have enjoyed being a student of the banjo for over thirty years. A PBS special on Earl Scruggs in 1971 convinced
me to discard my illusions of becoming a rock star and take up the banjo. I traded the Leslie tone cabinet for a new
shiny Kay banjo complete with particle board rim and began learning Cripple Creek from Earl.s book. As luck
would have it, I fell in with a great bunch of guys and a band was formed to play our brand of eclectic bluegrass.
We played regularly through our college days and then only occasionally as we pursued careers and family life.
We still get together at least once a year and perform but the members are spread from the Oregon coast to the
Piney Woods of East Texas. I played the banjo only rarely for several years because the three finger style I had
developed was more suited to ensemble playing and it became more difficult to find the time to get with fellow
musicians.
One day while returning home from a fishing trip through the woods of East Texas ,I was listening to Ralph
Stanley Play his style of clawhammer on a CD of songs his mother played. I had come to emulate Mr Stanley.s
three finger style in my playing and something about that music in that place struck a nerve. I decided to try my
hand at clawhammer. I acquired an inexpensive open back banjo, listened to a lot of old-time string bands and
musicians , and worked through several instruction and tab books. I am now an old-time convert, even though I
still love Bluegrass.
When I began to search for a clawhammer banjo, I favored the sound of the pre-war Vega tone rings, especially the Whyte Laydie, an upgrade of the Fairbanks Electric, and the Tub-a-Phone which was introduced by Vega in 1909. Vega produced many banjos during the 1920.s and early 30.s .Most of these were tenors or plectrums. Obtaining an original five string Whyte Laydie or Tubaphone can be an expensive proposition ,but a four string can be converted by changing the neck, dowel, and tailpiece. Here.s a condensed look at how to convert A Vega.
First you have to find a suitable four- string pot for your five string conversion. Below you see me trying to convince noted banjo repairman and four- string proponent , Vinnie Mondello that I should convert one of his tenor banjos.(see October 2003 issue). |
 |
Failing that, the major web auctions are a good source. Do your research and ask questions before bidding. Vega serial numbers and approximate dates of manufacture can be found at http://www.whitetreeaz.com
Once you obtain a suitable four string it is easily disassembled. You can ,by using certain techniques not discussed here, remove the dowel to use with the new neck. Unless the neck is in bad condition, I prefer to shape a new dowel so that the banjo can be returned to its manufactured state, if desired. |
 |
 |
Next you must obtain a suitable five string neck.. Of course, you can build your own or you can obtain a reproduction Vega neck. Wyatt Fawley of The Banjo Loft produces an excellent reproduction neck suitable for mounting on a Whyte Laydie or Tub-a-Phone pot. This neck requires final sanding, finishing, and nut slotting. A dowel stick blank with a cut tenon must be cut to length, shaped, and attached to the heel of the neck .A 3/4" Forstner bit works for attaching the dowel stick to the neck. I use a stationary belt sander to shape the dowel stick and hide glue to attach it to the neck. I prefer to use the French Polishing method for finishing the neck. This method was used by Vega until the mid-20s when the spraying of nitrocellulose became the standard finish. A great tutorial on French Polishing can be found at http://www.milburnguitars.com.french/ |
| Choose the tailpiece you prefer and you are ready to go. Here I am with some of the conversions I did: aTub-a- Phone with an 11 13/16" pot , one with a 10 15/16" pot, and a Little Wonder pot with a flush fret neck.. This TAB on Smith's Reel is how I learned it from my son Joey who occasionally played it as an old time Texas Fiddle Tune in contests. He is playing with me on the sound bite. |
 |
|
