How to Drill Angled Holes in a Banjo Tension Band

The twang of a banjo is an unmistakable sound, and the instrument has found its way into a number of musical genres, including folk, rock, bluegrass and even jazz. Most banjos have four or five strings across 22 frets are are played by strumming, plucking or picking. The tension band or tension hoop is a metallic loop that encompasses the circular part of the banjo and facilitates the reverberation of sound waves while keeping the instrument in tune. Modifying the tension band or installing a new one may require drilling holes into it to make room for additional tension hooks, which alter the sound of the banjo.

Things You'll Need

• Drill press

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Loosen the tailpiece nut and detach the tailpiece.

   • 2

     Turn the four bracket lugs counterclockwise several turns to loosen them, using your hand or a wrench if the lugs are resistant.

   • 3

     Remove the bracket hooks under each of the bracket lugs to "de-tense" the tension head before drilling.

   • 4

     Hold the tension band against the base of the drill press.

   • 5

     Lower the drill press slowly to the point where you want to drill the hole while angling the tension band so the drill penetrates the metal at a nonperpendicular angle.