Buying Guide and How To’s

By: Patrick David Sawyer There’s nothing quite as frustrating as a fifth string tuner that won’t stay put. If you’ve been playing banjo long enough, you’ve probably experienced this at some point—your tuner starts slipping, or worse, it pops right out of the hole entirely. Fortunately, this is an easy fix, and I’ll walk you (read the rest...)

Written By: Patrick David Sawyer When it comes to setting up a banjo, one of the most critical yet often overlooked elements is the bridge. Its height, placement, and string spacing all play a major role in your banjo’s tone, playability, and overall feel. As a builder and player, I’ve spent years fine-tuning setups, and (read the rest...)

Written by: Patrick David Sawyer As a banjo builder and avid player I’ve worked with a variety of domestic hardwoods—each bringing its own personality to the instrument. But time and again, I return to walnut as a personal favorite. Whether it’s the wood’s rich color, its tonal balance, or the way it shapes the character (read the rest...)

Written By: Patrick David Sawyer At Pisgah Banjos, we take pride in every detail of our instruments, and that includes the hardware we choose. One of the most crucial components of a banjo is its tuning system, and after years of experience building and playing banjos, we’ve found that Gotoh Planetary Tuners are simply the (read the rest...)

Written by: Patrick David Sawyer Photo by Andy Wickstrom If you’ve ever picked up a banjo with a warped or bowed neck, you know how frustrating it can be. The action is all over the place, intonation suffers, and the instrument just doesn’t play like it should. That’s why a truss rod is one of (read the rest...)

When I was a kid, we had a persimmon tree in our backyard. Every fall, I’d watch as the fruit ripened to a deep orange, knowing that once it softened, it would be sweet, rich, and unlike anything else. If you’ve ever bitten into an unripe persimmon, you know just how astringent they can be—but (read the rest...)

Written by: Patrick David Sawyer Photo By Andy Wickstrom As a banjo player, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of designing an instrument that perfectly suits your style, sound, and aesthetic. That’s where the Pisgah Banjo Design Tool comes in—a game-changing online configurator that lets you customize your dream banjo from top to bottom. Pisgah (read the rest...)

Written By: Patrick David Sawyer We are all guilty of waiting until a string breaks before replacing them.  I see this way too often at festivals, sessions and gigs which is unfortunate because a fresh set of strings can greatly improve the sound of your banjo.  The most effective way to maintain great tone, tuning (read the rest...)

Written by: Patrick David Sawyer As a banjo player, builder or enthusiast, you’ve likely come across the ongoing debate between dowel sticks and coordinator rods. A common misconception I’ve encountered over the years is the idea that banjos built with dowel sticks are unable to have the action adjusted. This simply isn’t true. Banjos with (read the rest...)