PickaFive - Posted - 04/30/2009:  18:59:18

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Quite a few very talented builders, including Steve Huber, have been doing their best to duplcate everything they can of pro picker xyz's prewar banjo for a long time. Steve's premier example is the Mills model.

I have one made in 2006. It isn't the Mack Crow banjo, but It is an easy playing and great sounding instrument. The quality of workmanship is exceptional. It is completely original (you're thinking "Boy those strings must be sad") and I have never felt the need to change the bridge let alone the tone ring. For me that is pretty amazing.

I congratulate Steve for his ongoing work attempting to improve his product. If he offers a new tone ring and has set a price I will join many others in considering it. Until then I'll enoy playing what I've got. Thanks Steve!

Dick Huyett
PickaFive

larry p - Posted - 04/30/2009:  20:30:34

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I don't have a dog in this hunt whatsoever, but I do have a personal experience with the new Huber tone ring. I had a visit with Steve in his shop this past winter, looking at banjos etc he had for sale. I happened to notice a prewar engraved gold plated tone ring flat head tone ring sitting on a shelf in his vault, and asked him about it. He said it was one of the very best if not the very best ring he'd ever heard in a banjo, and demonstrated some of that rings tonal characteristics for me in a unique but very convincing way; he sat the ring down on the fabric covered couch and thumped it with a fingernail. Even resting on that couch which most certainly was greatly muting the tone and projection of that tone ring, it still produced an incredible amount of tone. He did the same thing with several other tone rings by several other highly venerated makers-but NONE of them produced the tone or volume that the prewar ring did.He said that the characteristics present in that old ring had become his target for a new ring he was in the planning stages with. I got to play and hear played a relatively new banjo that had one of his new rings in it, and it was MOST impressive.
I understand folks who don't want to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a tone ring; I don't want to either! BUT, IF I was going to-Steve's new ring would be the one I'd get. I've long appreciated his commitment to excellence, and admire anyone who's not content to rest on their laurels, but always reaching higher and digging deeper for more and better.

Larry Perkins
www.larryperkins.net

chrome - Posted - 05/01/2009:  05:05:05

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Not to get off topic, But I want to ask Larry what ever happened to the pattern your dad made for a tonering? I made 4 from that pattern.

larry p - Posted - 05/01/2009:  06:55:59

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Hi Chrome..
How's it going?
I gave most of my Dad's things like that to my daughter-including his old blue Chevy pickup truck...she got married last month so maybe it'll get passed on to a new generation of pattern makers from our clan.
Dave Osborne at 'The Music Barn' in Greensboro has a banjo with one of the rings my dad made in it and it's always sounded really good. Have you ever poured any?

Larry Perkins
www.larryperkins.net

chrome - Posted - 05/01/2009:  07:06:20

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Yeah, Carolina poured me 4, and I machined them at the pattern shop, Dang good ring too, they wound up in Aria Pro II's that I bought and sold, hugh improvement from what was in them. Thanks for the reply...

Now back to our regulare programming.

Bill Kemp - Posted - 05/05/2009:  16:49:07

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Any further news as to how the new tone ring is coming along?

I am really looking forward to getting some news about production and availability on the new ring.

Steve puts out great products and I am hoping that he will blow the roof off of the Oprey with this new ring.

Bill

banjodr - Posted - 05/06/2009:  11:08:16

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Bill, talked to Steve a few minutes ago and casually mentioned the interest here and he thinks he's 6-8 weeks out from production and availability.

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

Bill Kemp - Posted - 05/06/2009:  15:58:56

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Thanks Dr. It will be great for everyone involved to see and hear the finished product. I am positive that it will be a great addition to the banjo world.

Say hellow to Steve for all of us Canadians

Bill

banjodr - Posted - 05/06/2009:  20:22:52

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will do

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

banjodr - Posted - 05/07/2009:  08:13:09

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True Colors! I'm not starting a new thread on this but here is the whole crock of crap on the "gee it only cost 35 bucks worth of brass for a tone ring" argument when actually I'm a XYZ..guy and I want to crap on any thing else that's out there
take a look at what the first post by the host is willing to pay for a ring.............http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=144672

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

BDC1 - Posted - 05/07/2009:  09:22:27

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Priceless

wannabepicker - Posted - 05/07/2009:  12:22:06

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quote:

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Originally posted by banjodr

True Colors! I'm not starting a new thread on this but here is the whole crock of crap on the "gee it only cost 35 bucks worth of brass for a tone ring" argument when actually I'm a XYZ..guy and I want to crap on any thing else that's out there
take a look at what the first post by the host is willing to pay for a ring.............http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=144672

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

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Dave-
It's not the same poster you had the exchange with on this thread.

Personally, I can't wait to see the Huber ring, and Shimdog, please keep us posted. Is there going to be a whole 'nother banjo built around it?


—————————————————
Ability to play the banjo soon places one in a social position to pick and choose from scores of social invitations. Everywhere, the banjoist is assured of a hearty welcome.
- from THE BANJO, 1927 pamphlet published by Gibson, Inc.

banjodr - Posted - 05/07/2009:  14:26:24

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OOOOPPPPPSS my bad you are right thanks for CMA sorry guys do I need to retract....????

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

renopker - Posted - 05/07/2009:  14:49:40

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True colors huh ? 35.00 might be on the steep side.

banjodr - Posted - 05/07/2009:  19:44:56

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for sure it aint .......sorry for the one lump sum renoman ..didnt mean to get the ole gastric tide to rollin

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

Prewar3 - Posted - 05/08/2009:  04:53:45

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Has a price been established on these new rings yet? Lets see,,Dannicks 900....Berlile 1500....Huber ?



Jim Prewar3

Muletrain - Posted - 05/08/2009:  04:56:21

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Does anyone know if the "Old Ring" will be discontiuned...I kinda like the sound of the old ring.

BDC1 - Posted - 05/08/2009:  05:20:32

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"I wish I could give you all of the technical work that has gone into this new ring, but I couldn't do it justice."


If Steve Huber is behind it Im sure it's gonna be a killer ring, and I will most certainly have to have one

banjodr - Posted - 05/08/2009:  07:09:26

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Jim, no on pricing that 700 buck fee was speculation but I think it did come from the shop. Steve will indeed have the old rings in production....there may be more than one of the new (weight and cut) rings. There will be an upgrade option for existing Huber owners but not sure how that will work yet. And I say again it ain't all about a new ring there's more to it than that but the R&D is ongoing. I have played one banjo set up with the full monty against 5 pre war flatheads, 3 cut converted 40 hole tenor conversions, 2 standard model Hubers and a couple of other banjos with modern tone rings in them that were made by some of the most popular makers today and the result is really amazing. I will tell you this that all the banjos in that setting were crazy good and by Steve's own admittance. While we get in here and bounce which ring is "better" and which maker is "better" it is great to see someone like Steve brag on other popular makers products in an environment where he really don't have to because no one would ever know. I'll have more later as I am going to the shop to pick up a few things now so ..todaloo

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

wannabepicker - Posted - 05/08/2009:  12:55:45

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quote:

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Originally posted by banjodr

Jim, no on pricing that 700 buck fee was speculation but I think it did come from the shop. Steve will indeed have the old rings in production....there may be more than one of the new (weight and cut) rings. There will be an upgrade option for existing Huber owners but not sure how that will work yet. And I say again it ain't all about a new ring there's more to it than that but the R&D is ongoing. I have played one banjo set up with the full monty against 5 pre war flatheads, 3 cut converted 40 hole tenor conversions, 2 standard model Hubers and a couple of other banjos with modern tone rings in them that were made by some of the most popular makers today and the result is really amazing. I will tell you this that all the banjos in that setting were crazy good and by Steve's own admittance. While we get in here and bounce which ring is "better" and which maker is "better" it is great to see someone like Steve brag on other popular makers products in an environment where he really don't have to because no one would ever know. I'll have more later as I am going to the shop to pick up a few things now so ..todaloo

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

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Dave- You're becoming a tease ... sounds like a new model might be in the works? I can't imagine a whole lot of improvement in Hubers ... nothing is better in my limited opinion.

—————————————————
Ability to play the banjo soon places one in a social position to pick and choose from scores of social invitations. Everywhere, the banjoist is assured of a hearty welcome.
- from THE BANJO, 1927 pamphlet published by Gibson, Inc.

banjodr - Posted - 05/08/2009:  13:14:47

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It is hard for me to tell a big difference in sound when I'm out at a festival or somewhere like SPGMA with the noise droan is so bad. However, when you have a setting where the set up is the same or similar on all banjos...you can really hear and feel a difference. I think the "belly vibe" is one thing that sets the old stuff apart from the new and the new combo has that for sure. There are some great banjos that are the standard for his tests for sure and if he can get close at all it will be great. I'll update more tonight or tomorrow...Steve and Heidi and me and my wife are supposed to have supper tonight so we'll see if anything is up. I really think he is close. My custom is going to be the first actual model with all the new engine and everything is ready except for the engine and it is close probably a couple of weeks away. I can tell you this much now without spoiling anything as of now it will be a "TRUETONE" model like his strings. (unless he changes his mind again) ha

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

vtyankee5 - Posted - 05/08/2009:  13:17:16

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Huber always made good stuff. I'm sure he will continue.

bigmr_clean - Posted - 05/27/2009:  12:36:47

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You know it seems like you can't even comment on a guys banjo without having AT least 2 smart ass mouths in the crowd. Banjodr...peachfuzz..Yeah...I tell you what you can do you and Mr. silvio. Take any prewar you want and put it against Scruggs RB4 that PAUL HOPKINS has and any other pre war he owns because he has every pre war 5 string model they made in his house. Put it against them and then put against HIS banjo and his will beat it everytime. He invites you and or anyone else to do this in his shop anytime you wanna go. Play them back to back and he'll beat you everytime. I've done this and I've heard it and I have a good as ear as anyone on this site if not better probably and by God he's right. If you haven't done this then if you post a comment or an opinion about this then it doesn't apply. I just got an 07 lancaster huber and it is as good or better than any banjo i've ever owned. A LOT better than the granada I got rid of. So I have a lot different opinion on steve hubers banjo's now that I have one. Very nice banjo and if his new tone ring come's out I will try my best to get one. As for what I was saying earlier. Everyone can't afford stuff like this I just wish there was a way to help others out that are less fortunate. I understand everyone doesn't feel that way but I do. Huber is a great banjo as well, I just like the block style rim better than the hide glue 3 ply. On the other hand I'm definatly not getting rid of my huber. I like how a lot of people sit behind their computers and they are billy bad butt..I'd love to meet a few in person.:):)

Mike Smith

Retropicker - Posted - 05/27/2009:  13:18:23

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Just when I thought I'd seen and read it all. LOL....

____Keep the hay in Bluegrass__________________________

silvioferretti - Posted - 05/27/2009:  13:19:04

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Yeah, I love you too, Mr. Mike... BTW, where did you make your buy? Must be real bad stuff...

"Always drink upstream of the herd, and don''t squat with your spurs on" - John Wayne.

Silvio Ferretti http://www.scorpionmusic.com

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Edited by - silvioferretti on 05/27/2009 13:21:27

bigmr_clean - Posted - 05/27/2009:  14:35:25

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That's what I figured. Apparently you ain;t seen very much. Lemme know when you take your banjer down to paul and david's shop and test em' so I can say told ya so. Until then take care.

Mike Smith

rb4player - Posted - 05/27/2009:  15:21:12

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Sometimes my jaw just drops to the floor.

Jim

mastertone250 - Posted - 05/27/2009:  18:16:51

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Hubers Rings Are AWSOME, Burlie rings are REAL Nice. The J.D Crowe Ring that Gibson makes are fine Rings. Arthur Hatfeild Makes some Dandy Rings. Im gonna regret saying this,but i dont like Dannick Rings, they just have that Hard Pick sound with no sustain, ive played 3 and never liked em. (Ducks and Runs! :-)

"Surround Yourself With Good Muscians". J.D Crowe

banjodr - Posted - 05/27/2009:  19:00:47

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quote:

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Originally posted by bigmr_clean

You know it seems like you can't even comment on a guys banjo without having AT least 2 smart ass mouths in the crowd. Banjodr...peachfuzz..Yeah...I tell you what you can do you and Mr. silvio. Take any prewar you want and put it against Scruggs RB4 that PAUL HOPKINS has and any other pre war he owns because he has every pre war 5 string model they made in his house. Put it against them and then put against HIS banjo and his will beat it everytime. He invites you and or anyone else to do this in his shop anytime you wanna go. Play them back to back and he'll beat you everytime. I've done this and I've heard it and I have a good as ear as anyone on this site if not better probably and by God he's right. If you haven't done this then if you post a comment or an opinion about this then it doesn't apply. I just got an 07 lancaster huber and it is as good or better than any banjo i've ever owned. A LOT better than the granada I got rid of. So I have a lot different opinion on steve hubers banjo's now that I have one. Very nice banjo and if his new tone ring come's out I will try my best to get one. As for what I was saying earlier. Everyone can't afford stuff like this I just wish there was a way to help others out that are less fortunate. I understand everyone doesn't feel that way but I do. Huber is a great banjo as well, I just like the block style rim better than the hide glue 3 ply. On the other hand I'm definatly not getting rid of my huber. I like how a lot of people sit behind their computers and they are billy bad butt..I'd love to meet a few in person.:):)

Mike Smith

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HUH! If you feel froggy c'mon Cleatus.....

Silvio thanks for the goodies they're great!

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

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Edited by - banjodr on 05/27/2009 19:05:06

bigmr_clean - Posted - 05/27/2009:  19:47:04

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I'm froggy 24/7 my friend.

Mike Smith

banjodr - Posted - 05/27/2009:  21:22:02

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Mikey...Mikey....Mikey..................

Stay Tuned! gDGBD

89GranadaHF - Posted - 05/28/2009:  04:28:30

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Hey Mike congratulations on the Huber. You own a great banjo that will only get better. As far as Banjodr he's a personal friend of mine that is anything but a smart A_ _ and he certainly doesn't sit behind his computer and play billy bad butt. He is one of the most knowledgable guys around when dealing with pre-war Gibsons and can absolutely build and set up some of the best sounding banjos I've ever played. The great thing about the hangout is a person can state their opinion on banjos and products let's leave it to that. As for Paul Hopkins I've never met him I did meet his son at IBMA and he is a very nice guy. They make a great looking product that some people own and play. Are their banjos the holy grail ,not for me but maybe for others just my opinion. Enjoy your Huber and lighten up on my buddy . Hey Dr check out my Huber case on my homepage. I like it

bhrb75 - Posted - 05/28/2009:  07:06:25

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Mastertone250, I think my Dannick no-hole has enough sustain and volume. I think it all has to do with the setup.

B.

"He lives so far back in there, they had to roll ''em Martha White biscuits in in a wheelbar."

bigmr_clean - Posted - 05/28/2009:  08:01:55

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lol..I'm just having a little fun. Makes for a huge response tho. Banjodr..I hope you didn't take anything serious I said..I was just cutting up...As well as Mr. Silvio..I own one of your bridges so You as well I was only messing around..In all out honesty I'm a very nice guy..People person..I have to be..I run an automotive shop and fix peoples automobiles..If they don't like me they wont bring it back :P...This day and age I need all the business I can get! As far as my hopkins..It hasn't arrived yet but when it does I'll post some sound clips and ya'll can tell me your opinions...good or bad. My huber I love I will say..I don't know of anyone that doesn't like steves banjo's...I wish I could afford a jim mills model or ron block model right now..

Mike Smith

vtyankee5 - Posted - 05/28/2009:  08:48:59

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quote:

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Posted - 05/27/2009 : 18:16:51

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Hubers Rings Are AWSOME, Burlie rings are REAL Nice. The J.D Crowe Ring that Gibson makes are fine Rings. Arthur Hatfeild Makes some Dandy Rings. Im gonna regret saying this,but i dont like Dannick Rings, they just have that Hard Pick sound with no sustain, ive played 3 and never liked em. (Ducks and Runs! :-)

"Surround Yourself With Good Muscians". J.D Crowe

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We all have disimilar tastes.

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Edited by - vtyankee5 on 05/28/2009 08:50:11

bigmr_clean - Posted - 05/28/2009:  08:53:29

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That's the first person I've heard talk about the dannick ring like that. I'm thinking of getting one and putting it in my rb250...I think I'll stick with charlie cushmans opinion on the ring.

Mike Smith

vtyankee5 - Posted - 05/28/2009:  08:57:47

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Agreed Mike.

steve davis - Posted - 05/28/2009:  09:01:55

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Have your own opinion,imo.

Pool

mastertone250 - Posted - 05/28/2009:  18:54:38

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Well thats my Opinion. It just seems that Aaron McDaris (whos an awsome Picker), his banjo is like got that Hard Pick sound to it and its clunky in a way. Im sure People who have Dannicks like em , i just dont. For several Reasons. #1 There WAY WAY Tooo much in my eyes. #2 They dont list the "Private Stock" No Hole Dannick Price and i think thats just kinda Dumb, like its a Top Secret tone ring only certain people can buy. #3 i just dont like the tone. No offense to anyone who owns one, and really the only banjo i really like that has a Dannick in it is Cushman's. Just Doesnt suit my Taste. But more power to anyone that owns one :-)

"Surround Yourself With Good Muscians". J.D Crowe