jbev - Posted - 03/05/2026:  23:34:38

I like ultra wide spacing at the bridge for clawhammer, but most builders are locked into skinny necks. Why is there not more variation in neck widths and scale length - I like 24.75" scale. There is just no creativity out there in stock banjos. One of the best sounding banjos I have owned was a Chuck Lee but the neck was just to fat to get my thumb around. All those banjos out there - but not one for me. And going custom is scary.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/06/2026:  00:07:52

Call Steve Gerritsen at Stone Banjos. Reasonable prices; lots of custom options. He’ll work with you to find what you want. I’m a repeat customer.

As to your question: If you’re trying to make a living and making spec banjos. It’s wise to make what’s in demand. Otherwise you quickly wind up with unsaleable banjos and an empty wallet.

reubenstump - Posted - 03/06/2026:  02:06:47

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rogers

Call Steve Gerritsen at Stone Banjos. Reasonable prices; lots of custom options. He’ll work with you to find what you want. I’m a repeat customer.

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As I recently found out, if you go to the site he says he's scaling down.  The OP's request would be custom, so unless he's a repeat customer it's unlikely.

"In order to focus on our quality of life, travel, etc., I am no longer accepting CUSTOM banjo orders, with the exception of professional musicians AND return customers and friends that purchased a stock or custom banjo."  

stonebanjo.com/

Phil - MO - Posted - 03/06/2026:  04:55:19

I was visiting with Arthur Hatfield at SPBGMA several years ago and he said that he was thinking of refusing to make extra wide or deep necks. He had to rework too many of them. Knowing him. he probably didn't charge to keep customers happy.

Alex Z - Posted - 03/06/2026:  05:53:28

"Ultra wide spacing at the bridge" -- how wide do you like?

"Skinny necks"  -- where do you feel this most?  Nut width or thin from fingerboard to back?

"the neck was just to fat to get my thumb around" -- sounds as if you like a wide fingerboard, but not too thick from front to back.  Is this what you are looking for?

gbisignani - Posted - 03/06/2026:  07:38:07

After playing a bluegrass banjo for many years I found when I had a clawhammer banjo made that the neck widths are wider. At first I missed the thinner neck but soon became accustomed to the wider neck. I guess what I'm getting at is I was able to go from skinny to wider no problem !

gbisignani - Posted - 03/06/2026:  07:40:29

Didn't mention that I wind up using my thumb for the 4th string sometimes. Not a good clear note but that is the only issue I have.

KCJones - Posted - 03/06/2026:  08:53:51

I had a wildwood troubador with a nice wide and thin neck. One of the most comfortable necks I've ever played.

Dean T - Posted - 03/06/2026:  09:59:15

And out of left field….

I bought a Gold Tone CEB 5, with a wide neck, 14” head, designed to be strung with big fat nylon strings, and tuned an octave below a regular banjo. Well, it sucked for jamming as it was just too quiet, and the tone got absorbed by the other instruments. So…



I strung and tuned it like a regular banjo, with regular banjo strings. Nice wide string spacing at the bridge, nice wide string spacing at the nut and neck, loud as heck and super plunky deep tone. I wish I knew a clawhammerer, because I bet I’d never get it back if I let an old timer guy play it. It’s become my favorite banjo to play, when playing solo at home.

Edited by - Dean T on 03/06/2026 10:02:13

pinenut - Posted - 03/06/2026:  13:04:32

quote:

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Originally posted by jbev

I like ultra wide spacing at the bridge for clawhammer. Define wide.  

There are lots of new/used banjos wider than the old 1.25" standard.  Current open backs are hard to get narrower than 1-3/8" at the nut and 2" at the heel, which will support 'Crowe' spacing.  Most will have dimensions similar to the Chuck Lee neck. 

Might find a used boutique banjo like a Doc Huff or some similar if the weather is just right.  

 

Why is there not more variation in neck widths and scale length - I like 24.75" scale.  Good luck getting that guitar scale on a banjo; 25-1/2" is the new normal on open backs

 

One of the best sounding banjos I have owned was a Chuck Lee but the neck was just to fat to get my thumb around.  Chuck Lee necks/banjos are typical to the current domestic open back banjo normal.

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jbev - Posted - 03/06/2026:  14:22:24

Stelling style necks are too popular for fat necks to take over. I have a 24.75 scale mountain banjo and that is the neck I want. Finding the right scale length is just awesome.

banjonz - Posted - 03/07/2026:  11:59:04

quote:

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Originally posted by jbev

I like ultra wide spacing at the bridge for clawhammer, but most builders are locked into skinny necks. Why is there not more variation in neck widths and scale length - I like 24.75" scale. There is just no creativity out there in stock banjos. One of the best sounding banjos I have owned was a Chuck Lee but the neck was just to fat to get my thumb around. All those banjos out there - but not one for me. And going custom is scary.

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I once had a Goldtone BC 350+ which had a nice wider fretboard. Investigate them.

mikehalloran - Posted - 03/08/2026:  12:48:16

Like anything else, neck dimensions have their lingo. Learning the language helps everybody. "Fat" don't mean a thing as it can apply to more than one variable.

Width is obvious. Best to measure at the nut, 4th, 5th, 12th and 22nd frets—even if, on a scooped 'board, there aren't 22 actual frets.

Scale: Nominal scale is the inside of the nut to the middle of the 12th fret x2. Not everybody uses this, however, including Martin Guitar where they advertise dreadnaught Scale as 25.44" but the Nominal scale is really 25.34". Ok, not as critical on a banjo because you can slide the bridge but still, one should be aware of this.

Profile: This is normally the top of the fretboard to the back of the neck. Some measure the Profile from the top of the frets. Know the difference and specify which it is. A custom neck should specify the desired Profile at the inside of the Nut, 12th fret and 17th or 19th fret position.

Neck Shape: With guitars and basses, normally C or D nowadays — like the letter shape but that's just the beginning on a banjo. V, Soft V, so many other possibilities... Not unusual to make a clay mold of a neck you like or use a tracing tool at various spots to indicate what you want.  For example: a low C shape will have less material on the neck than a tall D with the exact same Profile.

Fret height, shape and material: Best to go to Dunlop or Warmoth to check out the possibilities. Get out a micrometer to measure what you have if there's a preference.

Fretboard Radius: is measured in degrees. Flat is by far the most common but 20°, 12° and Compound — 12° at the nut; 20° at the 22nd fret are all available.

Edited by - mikehalloran on 03/08/2026 12:54:01

Zachary Hoyt - Posted - 03/09/2026:  19:32:07

I've always heard of radius being measured in inches, rather than degrees.