StewMac 5th String Peghole Reamer
Key features
- •The right tool for correctly tapering a 5th string peghole in a new neck
- •Also perfect for enlarging a standard 5th string peghole to fit a new geared 5th peg
- •This fluted reamer has a 6-degree taper, from 1/2" to 21/64" (12.70mm to 8.33mm)
- •Made from hardened steel
StewMac 5th String Peghole Reamer
List Price: $99.87$89.88DEALYou Save: $9.99 (10%)
Free shippingFree Returns – 30 daysFree Order CancellationSecure Payment2–3 Days DeliveryGet It June 22, 2026In Stock (1)No marketing spamNo account requiredFulfilment by FedEx / Amazon / UPS / ShipwirePayPal / Card Buyer Protection
Customer Reviews
Reviews sourced from verified Amazon purchasers5.0
out of 5
Based on 1 reviews
5★
100%
4★
0%
3★
0%
2★
0%
1★
0%
Perfect tool to install a 5th string geared banjo tuner!!!
Louis Cat✓ Verified Purchase•July 24, 2023
I recently purchased a mid 70's 5-string archtop banjo with a friction 5th string tuner that was a pain to keep in tune as it would constantly slip. This is a common problem with older banjos. I decided to upgrade the tuner to a geared tuner to correct this problem. The old tuner pulled right out by hand with a little effort however the hole was too small to accommodate the new "Gotoh" geared tuner (also purchased on Amazon). All geared tuners will be larger than the friction tuners.
This 5th string reamer by StewMac is specially designed to open up the hole easily by hand on Banjos. I slowly rotated the reamer stopping to check the depth by inserting the new tuner and blowing out wood dust. Once I was able to insert about 3/4th or slightly more of the new tuner I stopped to file a spline notch in the hole. The newer tuners have a raised spline to lock it in. The tuner string nut should be positioned slightly toward the top of the neck and not at 90 degrees to the neck. I pushed the new tuner in hard enough with this alignment to mark where this spline notch needed to be. I then removed the new tuner and using a very small hobby/jewelers file filed a notch for the spline. At this point I removed the knob on the tuner and inserted the tuner in the hole aligning the spline with the filed notch. Using a small socket which just fit on the tuner hardware and a rubber mallet gently I tapped the tuner in the remaining 1/4 so the it was just flush with the neck at the bottom of the tuner. This is where the neck expands for the 5th string. This worked perfectly. Be careful not to make the hole too deep or you will impact the neck rod. Plus as mentioned you should have about 1/4 or a bit less of the tuner to tap in for a secure fit. All that only took me only about 10-15 minutes and I really took my time.
The tool worked as advertised cutting easily with the correct taper. The tool is somewhat expensive but probably saved me a few bucks in the long run on travel & time to a music shop and the days waiting for the work to be completed. Plus there is some satisfaction doing the work yourself. This will probably be just a one time use tool for me so I may sell it on Amazon or Ebay to get some $ back. I am very happy with the reamer and would highly recommend it if you want to upgrade an older banjo to a geared 5th string tuner and StewMac is a great company to purchase from. Fast shipping too! Hope this helps! Pick-On! Cheers! Jerry
This 5th string reamer by StewMac is specially designed to open up the hole easily by hand on Banjos. I slowly rotated the reamer stopping to check the depth by inserting the new tuner and blowing out wood dust. Once I was able to insert about 3/4th or slightly more of the new tuner I stopped to file a spline notch in the hole. The newer tuners have a raised spline to lock it in. The tuner string nut should be positioned slightly toward the top of the neck and not at 90 degrees to the neck. I pushed the new tuner in hard enough with this alignment to mark where this spline notch needed to be. I then removed the new tuner and using a very small hobby/jewelers file filed a notch for the spline. At this point I removed the knob on the tuner and inserted the tuner in the hole aligning the spline with the filed notch. Using a small socket which just fit on the tuner hardware and a rubber mallet gently I tapped the tuner in the remaining 1/4 so the it was just flush with the neck at the bottom of the tuner. This is where the neck expands for the 5th string. This worked perfectly. Be careful not to make the hole too deep or you will impact the neck rod. Plus as mentioned you should have about 1/4 or a bit less of the tuner to tap in for a secure fit. All that only took me only about 10-15 minutes and I really took my time.
The tool worked as advertised cutting easily with the correct taper. The tool is somewhat expensive but probably saved me a few bucks in the long run on travel & time to a music shop and the days waiting for the work to be completed. Plus there is some satisfaction doing the work yourself. This will probably be just a one time use tool for me so I may sell it on Amazon or Ebay to get some $ back. I am very happy with the reamer and would highly recommend it if you want to upgrade an older banjo to a geared 5th string tuner and StewMac is a great company to purchase from. Fast shipping too! Hope this helps! Pick-On! Cheers! Jerry
