426 RSW 1920's Wurlitzer Banjo Mandolin

[@johnkangas8916]

What a FANTASTIC trade to hand down! The knowledge required to be a Luthier is great. Mechanics, wood working, and stringed instrument design and traditions. What a wonderful thing to witness, watching a young person grow into a trade that can only be handed down by an expert. It's an centuries old art form. I'm a singer and a drummer, I love music and have for over 45 years. I have heard $80 guitars and $8.000 guitars. The difference is incredible. Handmade stringed instruments are worth every penny.

[@rangerstl07]

"I don't let stuff like that stop me....." Words to live by. You go, Jerry.

[@TheArmedGardener810]

@Rad Derry nice

[@rickhubbard7342]

Ah the roaring 20s, wow that thing was over 30 years old before i was born and thanks to you folks it will be around 30 after i'm gone. Another fine job, well done and thanks for allowing us to see it.

[@robertdeen8741]

I'm very pleased to see you're passing on your hard learned knowledge to another generation. Good on you

[@alanthatcher1471]

I have a Wyman Banjo Mandolin from about the same era. It was in pieces when I got it and needs some repair. I was glad to see how they go back together. Thanks for the video.

[@davidmcausland4088]

I'm sure Caleb will have learned a lot watching the master at work, it's really hard sometimes to sit back and watch but that's the way it goes every now and then, Great work from the two of you very educational and enjoyable thank you.

[@bruceducker2029]

I must say since watching your videos I have been educated in the myriads of instruments that have been constructed from a man/woman's bran design. A six string banjo (guitjo) or a banjo mandolin (mandajo or bandolin) Never ceases to amaze me. Thanks for the video. Maybe you and Caleb can get into wrestling..... a tag team.

[@danbishopaz]

I stumbled across your channel a while back and watched several of your videos before you brought Caleb on board. He's a natural, I hope he knows that we enjoy his work and commentary and look forward to seeing him grow as a luthier.

[@bodiedominguez]

Caleb is doing a great job. I watch a lot of his videos.

[@robertkinsall7990]

I don't know how KZbin's algorithm got me here but EXCELLENT work .. subscribed!

[@sparky3829]

Guys I wasn't sure what it was but I'm 20 and I'm so glad I seen this I love this channel all of you keep it up

[@dchristy56]

If you look at 20:11 you'll see that the metal pin in the neck brace has not been pushed all the way through which is why he had to tighten the screw down so far. There's another shot at 28:11 where you can see it clearly. This is a very helpful video and my thanks to Rosa String Works for posting it.

[@ErikKatgerman]

What a lovely little instrument. You both took good care of it and it doesn't sound bad at all. Never seen a banjo-mando before. Loved how you (Jerry) solved that rod thing. I was thinking ahead while watching and you pretty much did what i was thinking should be done. Great video guys, thanks!

[@barrywebber100]

Great to see the Master and Pupil working on the same instrument. Another good result in the end too! Thanks for posting.

[@WaywardCars]

Fantastic Jerry & Caleb! This is almost exactly the repair I need to do on my 1920's Beltone Banjo Mandolin. The neck angle is way off, and so the action is super high. It's been waiting for me to figure out how to safely reset the neck, and you just did it. And Now I know to check the diameter of the drum for distortion as well. Thanks!!!

[@RedRose4711]

That was a good job you's two. It was very entertaining to watch as well. I just love watching those real difficult jobs.

[@davidskimin3471]

Brilliant, skilled workmanship, rarely seen nowadays, thanks, Davy

[@leonardburns1780]

Jerry & Kaylib that was a very interesting video i enjoyed it very much thank you

[@TheGuitologist]

Great video, gents. Both of you made this old banjolin happy. These are worthy of preservation.

[@jeffwarren9791]

Man oh man this guy does some amazing work!! I just watched a vide from 11 months ago of jerry reconstructing an old French violin that got crushed in a residential move……looked amazing!! This thing was in prices and you really had to look to see any repairs and they were many and large!!!! Jerry is a master for sure!! Builds beautiful acoustics too!!

[@jeffwarren9791]

Hope things are going good for you man!! I know you were going through some bullshit at the moment and I hope ya come out on top man!!

[@swssfms]

Jerry and Caleb, I really appreciate the fact that play-ability is the aim of your work. That's not to say that what you do leaves beauty by the wayside. The fact is that in restoring instruments to playable, or more playable, condition you are restoring their purpose. If an instrument isn't playable it ceases to be an instrument at all and becomes or remains merely an object. Who cares if every part on the thing isn't exactly what came off the factory floor? Folks put new tires on "restored" cars.

[@fox5411]

Have done a bunch of these time sinks over the years. They seldom warrant the time invested in them to play and work well unless they allow someone to play music.good job !

[@kevinsnyder4425]

Excellent work Jerry & Caleb ! I wouldn't want to tell you how to do this job..... and no thumbs down from me !! Love & look forward to your vids guys . Thanks bunches !

[@63vetteman]

Bravo!! Enjoy the collaboration to bring another old one back!!

[@koshersalt3233]

Had a similar repair done on this banjo I bought. Had no idea it was this intricate, but it works like a charm!

[@motorcop505]

Great video! Funny and a really cool instrument.

[@richardcarver5356]

Love the toothpick fix. I've used it for years fixing loose door hinge screws !!

[@sgnt9337]

That cross grain shoulder solution was clever. It took me a minute or two to understand it. The first thing that I thought of was a ferrule, but your approach was much easier and better.

[@perihelion7798]

Good work and good narration, young man. You have a bright future in video. Learn from the best.

[@pdppanelman5889]

The best thing RSW has produced to date is Caleb.

[@DrGeek01]

A really nice collaboration effort! The banjolin of that age is absolutely a tricky lil beast to work on. Built long before “rule-books” were written on em. This vid was more informative than some could realize -Thank You guys! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Great job. It looks like one of the more difficult jobs that came across your workshop there but you handled it well. If I ever have some old vintage instrument that needs work, I'll send it to you.

[@bj.roberts6410]

Wow that was excellent.... how timely this was for me.... it's amazing how it happens.... I just picked up an old May Bell 4 string banjo... it's been well loved and played... a lot... it requires some love... and the tips you offered here will more than likely get me into a hole lot of trouble.... but such is life....so I'm not going to let stuff like that stop me.... and watch this video a million time as I go along....BJ.

[@cmdrerniepaul]

I too have a May Bell plectrum banjo with the same construction and action that is way too high to play beyond the first position. Unfortunately, mine has a massive metal tone ring right where I would need to drill through the outer shell. I may be able to get some relief by drilling a new hole at the end of the dowel. It does have a resonator, so any mistakes I might make won't show!

[@john-wk4ks]

great to see one generation passing on their knowledge to the next generation and even greater to see is the next generation taking in that knowledge i have learnt allot about stringed instruments from watching your videos and no doubt caleb has learnt more from you than about instruments but about life i am sure caleb will do well in life as he is willing to learn and has an excellent teacher people will always want these old instruments fixed or restored and there arent many people around that do the kind of work you do i think i have watched every video you have posted and i a looking forward to more post by you and by caleb

[@redlinemando]

Great video Jerry!!!!!!! As a 27 yr veteran of playing & working on banjos, I can say without a doubt, they are always harder than they should be (dow rod banjos being the worst) & causing way too much thinking, but I still love em!!!!!!!

[@richardfasano3907]

Great work, Caleb... glad things are working out for you

[@vaccarioou22]

Great teamwork - good comms meant the handover point was opportune. Lovely sound - really punchy :-)

[@bobl2995]

Hi Jerry that was a great repair. I had a similar repair I ended up drilling a 6mmx 50mm hole in the square dowel and inserting a rosewood dowel with Titebond predrilled it for the endpin screw and it it worked a treat 👍

[@colindamo]

Awesome video Jerry as always! Very interesting and genious way of inlaying the pieces of cross grain wood on the end of the banjo post. Just that technique alone blew my mind no joke 😀

[@colindamo]

Ricobass0 Yes that is a good observation and good logic. Here’s how I see it: (keep in mind I’m not a luthier/expert/guitar repair person just expressing an opinion) Ricobass0: your solution would probably save the customer some money as your method would take less time because of the omission of the routing. In terms of aesthetics it may not look pleasing because the inlays are sticking up proud from the post (but you do express a good point in that obviously it will not be looked at that often because it’s in the back). As well The pressure of the banjo ring butting up against the end of the post might “push” The inlays loose because of all the pressure (i’m just assuming this might happen.... maybe you could provide a rebuttal). Jerry rosa’s technique: would probably cost the customer more in bench time because of the time it takes to route the post. But it looks aesthetically pleasing and I think each inlay has a “shallow ledge” created by the routing to buttup against in case the pressure from the connection between the inside of the banjo ring to the end of the post increases. In the end I think Jerry would have the best say in this matter. Again I don’t mean to offend anyone and I don’t mean to sound like a corksniffer but I’m just very interested in Guitars/luthier work. I’m a guitar geek and I like to geek around with this kind of stuff 😀😀 both your techniques I think do the job and are logical. Ha!!! I learned from both Ricobass0 and Jerry BONUS LESSONS!!! take care everyone!

[@mikecurtin9831]

In the immortal words of Gilda Radner, "It's always something." Nice job. Thanks for the tips, and thumbs up to crush a troll.

[@nomdeplore7604]

Big ups to Gilda!!

[@rb032682]

I really like the sound of that banjolin. That birdseye shell is lovely. It would make a great snare drum.

[@ordyhorizonrivieredunord712]

Great work, that's the way we fixed hinges when the screws got loose...Cool, Banjoline

[@Marie-LouiseArt]

❤ Happy New Year in anticipation! 🎉❤😍🙏 Thank you for being you 🎉❤😍🙏

[@arctichare8185]

Neat instrument there, and thanks again so much for demonstrating your problem solving approach.

[@WhiteDragon689]

Well Jerry, no doubt Caleb learned lots from that one. Good call. A banjo-mandolin is a creature of purgatory, where as they play mandolins in heaven and banjos in hell. LOL But you manage to fix just about anything they throw at you. If some one would put strings on a giraffe neck, you would fix that too.

[@markgandcompany]

Another interesting hybrid instrument team effort. Way to go guys. Thanks !!!

[@jeffgrier8488]

You and Caleb did a fine job, and that thing has a really interesting sound!

[@stevewilliams7852]

Thanks for the insight into these early instrument systems. I've got a tenor banjo and a biscuit bridge resonator guitar with the same problems.

[@willmorrison1022]

Yeah, I'm always bummed when I don't find a map to buried treasure too. Hardly makes it worth taking things apart, sometimes.

[@jamesoscar5212]

For your marking, drilling issue... Some neodymium magnets should do the trick. Just tape or lightly glue a magnet on your mark ( or just hold it there with fingers). I've used this technique on plywood and it works great. Thank you for the great insight into how to tackle a repair like this. The info is much appreciated! Cheers!

[@champtree]

Hope you both are doing well and making a good team. Blessings to you both.

[@robertrosenfield405]

Great! If it was too easy you wouldn't have any fun. Great job both of you! Thanks for sharing!

[@seamanjive]

Great work, problem solving mode and all your experience!

[@2old4u]

A piece of aluminum square tubing slipped over the end would keep it from splitting... Always enjoy your videos.

[@rupe53]

Papa ... good from an engineering stand point but doing old instruments usually requires a touch of old school. IOW, staying with wood. OTOH, the same idea in brass or chrome might have been spiffy! (and not looked like a new repair)

[@marcuscicero9587]

absolutely, a piece of square metal tubing the length of screw with the wood routed appropriately to receive it.

[@one1gretsch]

The repair/set up turned out good in the end. There are many ways to skin that cat, but not as many when it comes to a reasonable price. Good job both.

[@Zer0Spinn]

Caleb looks like he's 12 and 25 years old at the same time.

[@RickRomanelli]

Thanks Jerry and Caleb!

[@dennismason3740]

Oh please, the banjolin sounds fan-frikkin-tastic. Also your apprentice' nods to detail are awesome - like the lubing of the peg gears. Good show. My Silvertone sounds like your The Gibson from a hunnert years ago. Wood ages and changes in unpredictable ways. I have re-built/restored/fixed half of my guitars simply due to RSW. Keep on truckin'.

[@danawheeler6517]

I have used a slot in place of the hole in the pot so the neck angle becomes adjustable and that has worked. I needed to make my own brass washer so it looked prettier. I wasn’t worried about maintaining the original aesthetic. I also added a barrel nut (cross dowel) to screw into the dowel stick. Still very carefully as it was easy to distort the cheap pot.

[@joemcgraw5529]

very nice repair !!!Ijust refretted and cleaned up a banjolele luckily for me it had a steel rod instead of wooden thanks for posting ,I have a old banjo that is very simular to this 1 thank god its my personal wallhanger lol

[@andyoke50]

A Colab with Caleb, A new way of putting it all together, Well done-

[@SeekerFor1000]

You could also use a dowel at the end of the peg with a needle pin to mark the inside hole exact.

[@coltknight3945]

That is one of prettiest banjolins I have seen.

[@brianpragereduchannel464]

We love you guys.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

Write Me A Letter... got that high mountain sound

[@johnmitchell3749]

Hi Rosa String Works, screws into end grain are never a good idea. So I thought , drill and glue 1 or 2 little dowels across the grain of that square bar inside the banjo body. Then the screw would have some side grain to bite into. Maybe? What an interesting job you have!

[@flatbrokefrank6482]

I have a mandolin Banjo as a work in progress, there was a piece of brush handle in there as a Co-ordinator rod, i think i'm going to drill out the base of the neck and cross drill to hold a brass rod in place to give some adjustability. yours comes across loud and clear - Stay safe.

[@BuzzcutGtr]

(watches Jerry rout the end of the post and then build a box around it) 😲 This is why I'm not a luthier. That's some TALENT, man!

[@RandySchartiger]

you would think they would have used 2 coordinator rods like most banjos have inside the pot, all kinds of adjustments with them. great work on keeping it original.

[@ernestschultz5065]

Caleb in the house!

[@mikelisacarb]

Angelina Baker! I have a similar banjolin from the early 1920s, with what may turn out to have similar issues, so this has been great to see! Time to do some measuring up and sizing up, because the high action definitely does keep me from using it as often as I'd like. I find that the punchy, crackily sound of this instrument is a nice alternative sometimes, more effective for single note playing than chording. I especially like it for Celtic tunes, because unlike the ones I've tried with smaller sized pots, it cuts through nicely during noisy Irish sessions. Also, the looks of it really project a certain cute little spunk, playing the part of a little clunky baby banjar that's trying to bang away as loud as the big boys in the room. (Have you ever thought of reinforcing a tight hole like that with a helicoil insert? A long time ago, I worked in a machine shop for a year or so, and those things would often save the day when we really wanted to torc things up without having everything start splitting up or popping out of a delicate material. Your crossgrain shore-up was brilliant, however, and there is indeed something to be said about sticking to traditional materials on these old gems.)

[@randyb726]

You do real nice work

[@rontuohy8902]

Nice job both!

[@brendanmcevoy2765]

Hi Jerry, I've watched and enjoyed many of your videos for a few years now and although I have an engineering background I am certainly no Luthier. But I think I know a quicker and better fix for the brace inside this instrument and that is to use a "Barrel nut" fixing (they're available in different sizes). Where you cross drill the brace and fit the barrel nut and a new Allen key bolt would pass inside the brace in the same position as the original screw. I think you may know what a barrel nut is but if not a quick Google will show you. Then you could put as much torque on the brace without risk of it splitting. This is by no means a criticisms but sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can see things from a different perspective. Anyway this info may be useful for future repairs. Keep up the good work and keep the vid's coming. Brenda from Cornwall UK

[@MinimGuitars]

I'd have definitely written something on that piece of card!

[@JerryDechant]

Your helper is learning from the best. :)

[@mrfester42]

Your Wurlitzer banjo mandolin was actually manufactured by Slingerland!

[@1244taylor]

Good job guys..

[@syntholabo]

Nice fix guys. I am just having a go at improving my old Gretsch banjolin. Fingerboard is off, and I'd like to know what the straight-edge clearance should be, over the tail piece? I can maybe have a go at resetting the neck angle. Thanks

[@davestambaugh7282]

Most of the neck dowel banjos that I have seen have a brass square tube around the neck dowel on the end to keep the screw from splitting the dowel. Stew Mac sells a set with the metal parts you see on the other end.

[@nicholasmanupella3475]

Caleb.....you stick with Jerry and you will be THE man. Luthier extrodinaire running your own custom shop.

[@georgemontgomery5786]

I have an old Vega Little Wonder tenor banjo. It has a metal ferrule at the end of the dowel stick that serves the same purpose as your cross-grain inlay. It's surprising the banjolin didn't have it. The metal ferrule is a standard piece of banjo dowel stick hardware. I suspect that might be what gave you the idea for the cross-grain inlay.

[@bell8541]

Thanks for that. Good video!

[@jeffreykettler5923]

Jerry you’re the best!!

[@phooesnax]

Cross drilling from 90 degrees will also work. Some player piano companies did this to put grain at right angle to screw in pneumatics.

[@JTSunriseMusic]

Well done

[@jockwebb3435]

Pretty good as these things go, but like you said Jerry, why make a bad mandolin out of a good banjo. Another great effort.

[@rrrosecarbinela]

I was thinking the same about putting something on the end of that rod, but my solution was maybe an aluminum ring hammered to shape.... Mine is rough and ready, yours is elegant!

[@stellingbanjodude]

Those two cherries chisels are worth their weight in gold

[@danw1955]

I used to have the Washburn version of one of these, and I sold it years ago. It sounded OK, but they were miserable to tune, and to keep them tuned.(as you mentioned near the end)😉 Where you routed out for the 'cross pieces' in the end of that dowel, it might have been better to wrap it in thin piano wire rather than more wood. It would have looked nice and it would never split out if you drilled the end fairly large and glued in a new hardwood dowel for redrilling. Anyway, it still came out nice, and Caleb did a great job refretting the neck and getting the final setup lined out. Looks like you've got yourself a pretty good assistant there!😁👍

[@seanc8054]

i dunno anything about banjos at all, but i liked this guy so much i just subbed anyways, lol

[@JohnCarey1963Jag]

Jerry, I have an old banjo that needs this same treatment, but my hoop is metal, so I don't want to plug and re-drill the stick end mount screw hole. What I read about was you can remove the stick from the heel of the neck and reset it. Have you ever done that?

[@chuckearp3564]

Just cool to watch

[@GhettoGumball]

So, what instrument over your career has shown to be your nemesis? Which one was a real pain in the "guitar neck" that you wanted to just throw off a cliff, but ended up coming out the victor?

[@abz124816]

Nice video. I wish that someone would have played it before and after the repair to compare the difference.

[@RosaStringWorks]

There is probably very little difference in the sound the difference was in the playability it was unplayable before

[@yellowrosecottag]

Jerry’s got the map to buried treasure!!!

[@robmoreau3272]

Hey jerry. what if you cut a piece of wood cut the right size to wedge across the banjo body to keep the body from shrinking on the width?

[@robmoreau3272]

P.S. Greetings from millimetre land. I just love watching your videos and I can fully sympathize when you say "It ain't easy being me"

[@taokaichunkfish460]

Thank you for sharing this!!! I've somewhat recently gotten into repairing and making banjo-fam instruments. My first project (that wasn't a guitar) was a banjolin very similar. A pro said the neck couldnt be fixed, now I know what they may have been talking about. Nonetheless, it was also missing a head so I used a sheepskin sham-wow for auto polishing and reassembled. The difference in sound was strikingly soft and warm. More recently I took a stab at building my own tenor banjo from a cookie tin and a soft pine 1x2 hanging out in the garage. It's still evolving and I'm learning so much! Do you have any guidance for amateurs like myself? I'm a traveler too so I've been playing with this idea of having a mobile micro shop. Thank you for doing what you do and sharing it with us. It's inspiring and encouraging. ✌️😁

[@docoluv9]

Jerry love the colab. Question. How long do you think it will take for caleb to build his first stringed instrument? No rushing him just was a question i had.

[@cindygoblirsch9438]

So interesting watching you guys work on this COOL Instrument! Awesome work! I would say THUMBS UP for preservation!

[@briankavanagh7191]

Jerry can I ask why you didn't find a nut to fit the thread of the bolt and fit it into the block of wood 1" or 1.25" from the end, so when you tightened it pulled into the nut? Nice job. (I hope that makes sense?)