The Truss Rod

The truss rod in the neck of a banjo controls the ‘‘relief ‘‘ or subtle curvature of a banjo neck and helps counteract the pressure of the strings to help prevent warping and twisting. An adjustable truss rod can be used to change the “playability” of a neck by allowing the neck to curve a little more or by flattening the neck out a bit more. Players with a hard attack generally need a little more “relief” in the neck and players with a lighter touch generally like a slightly flatter neck.

Many vintage banjos and some are built today without truss rods in their necks. The selection of timber and the way they are built is critical to guarantee a stable neck that will give the correct relief and not warp, this can be said for the excellent Deering Goodtime range of banjos that have a selected maple neck.