Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm building a proof of concept prototype Banjoline out of an 3/4 scale SX strat copy. I will need to re-cut a new nut, but the thing I'm concerned about is the bridge. The Banjoline has 4 courses of string, with the highest two doubled. I will need to find or adapt a bridge for this configuration. Any ideas? I was thinking a 12 string bridge would be a good place to start. This is my first project like this do any input would be appreciated.

You could get one of these hofner bridges and then adapt the four saddles, but it is an extreme pain to intonate, I have one on my Hofner Icon, and I just drilled it into place. It is a very finniky bridge, but it has that vintage vibe, and since you'd be adapting it, you could improve it as well.


For the tailpeice, you could use either a 4 string bass tailpeice and ram two strings in one hole (for the top two sets) or you could get a six string tailpeice, but you then may have trouble with the placement from tailpeice to bridge.



The reason I say Hofner parts is because on Hofners, the string spacing is very tight.
Hope this helps.

This bridge looks very high compared to the strat bridge, like by an inch. Don't think this would work.

Hard tail or vibrato body?

It could have a B-Bender.

I'm converting a strat copy. The bridge is very close to the body so the string/saddles are about a half inch above the body. This bridge will make the action a few inches off the body so it will be impossible to play. At least that what it looks like when I look at it. I'm not a luthier, so that's why I'm asking for help. If I'm seeing it wrong and this could be installed on a 3/4 scale strat let me know how. I was hoping for something that would have movable saddles to intunation would not be a problem. now I'm thinking maybe an 8 string bridge would work better.

Did I miss something? Why is this in The Low End, are you making a bass banjo?

I'm making a banjoline, a kind of tenor guitar/mandola. It's low end because I'm using an SX strat copy. I want to see if this thing will be usefull. If so I may try a conversion with a higher end guitar. But for now I don't want to spend much cash getting this done.

rikk wrote:I'm making a banjoline, a kind of tenor guitar/mandola. It's low end because I'm using an SX strat copy. I want to see if this thing will be usefull. If so I may try a conversion with a higher end guitar. But for now I don't want to spend much cash getting this done.

Um, the Low End is about bass! You know the Low End?

Oops. Never thought of that.......ouch, headstock in the head.

Not that we couldn't hurt help you here, of course. We are truly versatile here in the forum, we could probably help put a rat face on to the top of a neck and have little feats (yeah!!!) music coming out of that banjotrampoline thingie.

Before this gets too stale, you know the 5002's use a 12-string bridge, with saddle screws in the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th holes? So that otter work for ya.

Used a Tele style bridge. Kind of neat instument. Having played this now, I can just imagine what a real Rickenbacker Banjoline would sound and feel like.

Any pictures/recordings to share the looks/sound with us?

Here is my effort at recreating a tenor scale length Banjoline like instrument. I bought a black Squier 3/4 Strat and got my local guitar guy to remove the neck, slim it down with his band saw and replace the bridge with a Tele style one and modify the nut to main the six string/four course conformation. I do have a series of photos but I'm not sure how to post them. I can post them on my own web site which is vintagetenorguitars.com or try photobucket.