$50 seems high. I pay $10 a spike here in Georgia, and that’s by an expert banjo luthier.

I always want one at the 10th fret, but that’s because I play Scruggs style and that lets me use my G licks for key of C if someone calls something fast that I don’t know well.

I recently did my first successful spikes, and now have done two banjos. Get a pin-vice set, a bag of spikes, and make sure you have a small hammer and punch, and a feeler gauge approx .002 thicker than your 5th string. Watch some YouTube videos, and search some threads here. Install a few spikes into a scrap block of wood, to get feel for it, and then go for it.

The spikes I put in my wife's Enoch Tradesman.

She doesn't sing and play anything in F so we decided against a spike at 10 this time.

Do not repeat my 3/4 –1/4 mistake. Place the hooks in the middle between the bars.

The higher the fret wire the more toward the middle works, If the fret wire is low then the spike should be closer to the fret, toward the "1/4". Pay attention that you don't drive the spike through the neck. banjered

Spikes at 7 and 9 are all I have used for forty years. I can hook and tune up or down a fret if needed.
$50 to install two spikes is highway robbery. I charge $10 a spike.

Thanks everyone for the great replies. I have decided to go ahead and do this myself instead of paying to have it done. There are some good videos online showing the process and I'll practice on some wood before doing it.

Do any of you glue the spike? I saw one video mention that.

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Originally posted by BoneDigger

Thanks everyone for the great replies. I have decided to go ahead and do this myself instead of paying to have it done. There are some good videos online showing the process and I'll practice on some wood before doing it.

Do any of you glue the spike? I saw one video mention that.

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Yes. After I had a professionally done spike pop out mid song, I reinstalled it with a drop of tightbond. I've used a drop of glue on every spike since. 

I do have some tightbond, so that shouldn't be an issue.

quote:

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Originally posted by BoneDigger

Thanks everyone for the great replies. I have decided to go ahead and do this myself instead of paying to have it done. There are some good videos online showing the process and I'll practice on some wood before doing it.

Do any of you glue the spike? I saw one video mention that.

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I glue the spike in. I use Super Glue but I see Dean's suggestion to use Tite Bond which would work equally well. One thing you would be smart to get before you try installing spikes is a feeler gauge. You can find them at automotive stores and some hardware stores. I got mine on eBay. I use an .011 gauge to install spikes.