Tuning for Ode Style D

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Ode Banjos

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For those who love, own & play Ode Banjos

180 Members, Created 2/6/2011 -

Administrators: kwfolk1 (owner)

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From Tina Latina Scott on 11/12/2016 9:55:06 AM

Hello all, I just purchased my first Ode from another BHO member, a 1980 Model D 6500. Serial Number 4-80-36. You may have seen it listed recently in the classifieds. I changed the clear Remo head it had to a light frosted one, put a new generation Snuffy Smith 5/8 bridge on (same height as the other one), and new light strings. I'm having a heck of a time getting it tuned properly. It sounds fine when I tune it harmonically, but then it still wants to play really sharp when I fret it, especially at the 5th fret on the 1st string. Whassup with that? I have 2 Ome Juggernauts with similar narrow necks but shorter lengths of course, so I'm wondering if the bridge placement/location is different than is it is with the Omes. They tune up without a problem and stay tuned. Am I wrong to try and place the bridge on the Ode where it's set on both the Omes?

Any help please from you sage Wise Ones out there will certainly be appreciated...

6 Comments
	rbfour5 says: 11/12/2016 10:34:55 AM Sounds like the bridge placement is off. The scale length is longer on the Ode. If you are noting sharp, the bridge needs to be moved closer to the tailpiece. You say the harmonics are "good". When you play a harmonic on the 12th fret, the fretted note of the same string must match the harmonic intonation. Have you checked it that way? Again, if it notes sharp, keep moving the bridge closer to the tailpiece, re-tune and check the harmonics/ fretted note until they match.
	Tina Latina Scott says: 11/12/2016 10:46:56 AM 10-4 on all the above rbfour5. I know only little adjustments are needed. Maybe the head's too tight, not tight enough? I didn't use a drum dial but tightened it based upon feel (read intuition) and comparing it to the tightness of the Omes which also have frosted heads. Thanks for chiming in and I'll keep working on tweaking it.
	darwinyarwin says: 11/12/2016 4:36:29 PM yrb4-5 has the best advice. However, you may want to go back to the basic fundamentals and check the scale length (12th fret x2). Ode D's nominally have ab27" scale length, while Gibsons and others are usually 26 1/4 or so. If you've set the D's scale length shorter it will go sharp. MANY D's have been known to have upward of 27", say 27 1/8."
	Tina Latina Scott says: 11/12/2016 6:07:10 PM That's high math for sure. I've tinkered around before now on my other banjos, but I decided to finally take a chance and go for broke with the Ode so this is my first attempt to set up from scratch. I understand the logic of what you're saying so I'll take some measurements with an eye to making adjustments accordingly. Thanks for the valuable input darwinyarwin. BTW, my claim to fame is I live less than 10 minutes from the Ome facilities here in Boulder. I've met Chuck and know Tanya and staff well.
	Tina Latina Scott says: 11/13/2016 3:01:34 PM OK, here's the 'after action' report.... darwinyarwin you nailed it with your different neck length comment and re-measurement recommendation. I was WAY off with the bridge placement too close to the neck, so I loosened the strings, took some tension off the tailpiece as well which I'd cranked too far down in my ignorance of the matter, moved the bridge back towards the tailpiece according to my new measurement, retuned the strings and..... drum roll please.... Voila! A wonderful thing happened... it's tuned perfectly and sounds great. Next up in the agenda, spend some quality time together and get to know each other. Thank you very much for your words of wisdom, and for all of you Veterans out there, thank you for your service to our great country and for the freedom which we all are privileged to enjoy. Best regards and never stop pickin',
	jun3machina says: 11/13/2016 7:56:05 PM Great info they gave!
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