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Mopick - Posted - 12/17/2010: 19:24:27
Chris, one of the best things that ever happened to me was meeting you guys. I wish I lived closer so I could hang out and just watch you do your magic, and play some fine banjos. And my banjo is sounding better and better.
Merry Christmas to you and Christy.
Randy
Eastbanjo - Posted - 12/18/2010: 08:34:36
Chris,
I am looking forward to getting my old Huber fixed and getting your trademark setup. I always enjoy talking with you.
rebelchile - Posted - 12/18/2010: 10:42:57
Merry Christmas to you too... Christopher.!!!!!!.. I hope you and Christi have the nicest and bestest Christmas you have ever had together.
Thanks again for all of your help, and advice. I am extremely blessed to have crossed paths with you,... and Randy.. with his friendship, and in pointing me to Springfield, Tennessee.
Well,.... I'm on my way to play a Christmas job tonight.... I'll be thinkin' about my 75 waitin' back at home for me, and the good friends that she has introduced me too since last Spring.
Your friend.... kent
Edited by - rebelchile on 12/18/2010 10:45:36
don wiseman - Posted - 12/19/2010: 07:47:11
Chris did some extensive work to my '97 RB250, and I couldn't be happier. Huge difference in sound and meticulous workmanship...not to mention informative and regular communication about the work.
Merry Christmas
Beardog - Posted - 12/19/2010: 15:43:03
Wow, Chris, thanks for the kind words!
And, Merry Christmas to you, as well.
I've got to say, I think that "Christmas post" of yours on page 6 must be a BHO record! You must type as fast as you can think! It would take me 3 days to compose a post like that!
Thanks again for everything, and I'm looking forward to picking up my old Aria Pro II at SPBGMA time.....I have so much faith in what you do for banjos, that I think I am going to leave all my other banjos at home!
Rian Adams - Posted - 12/28/2010: 04:17:00
Chris,
Thanks for the shout-out in your Christmas post. Once I get out of this hospital and back to Afghanistan I'll try to post some pictures.
You guys will be happy to know I'm giving banjo lessons in Bagram Afghanistan, although I'm not really qualified to do so  . We have a kid, a SPC, who just got a new Epiphone banjo and we get together and pick about once a week. He's slowly getting better. When he played me 3 I saw the magic, he, like so many of us in the past, was forever changed by the tone and "playability" of a good banjo.
"Do all Gibsons sound that loud Sir?"
"No buddy, just the ones my buddy Chris works on."
So Chris, I've got you another customer in a couple of years once he gets enough money saved to get a profesional grade banjo. 
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Rian+
dgoodnight - Posted - 01/09/2011: 15:58:04
Chris did it again!
I spent the day last Thursday visiting with Chris while I picked up my TB11. I sent the 11 to Chris to "work his magic" on and he came through again. He took a lot of the wood off of the neck and then had it repainted to a perfect match, leveled the fingerboard, complete fret job, plugged and re-drilled the holes in the pot, reset the neck to the pot like a prewar, adjusted the fit of the tone ring (Dannick no hole flathead), and performed a complete setup, etc.
It is not the same banjo I left with him; it sounds fantastic. That's two down and three to go for me. Many of you have read the thread on the amazing job he did on my '29 Checkerboard TB6 and now my TB11. Next he is reworking my '34 TB3, my SS Stewart clawhammer banjo, and a Granada copy I have.
No one but Chris will ever touch my banjos from now on. If you haven't had the pleasure of getting to know Chris and working with him, you are missing out.
Beardog - Posted - 01/16/2011: 16:43:13
I still can't decide which banjo I like better...My RB5 arch top, or my RB250 bow tie flat head. I did a couple of unrehearsed, raw versions of Lonesome Road Blues here:
youtube.com/watch?v=On9WSZ5HG-w
All I can say is that Chris did a great job on both banjos!
BanjoDuster - Posted - 02/21/2011: 09:24:29
I’d like to add my comments about Chris and the quality of his banjo-repair work. But first, I’d like to share an experience that I had had with a luthier a few years ago. I took my banjo to him to see what he could do to improve the way it played and sounded. After playing it for a few minutes, he tightened the head, changed the strings and put a new bridge on it. After that, he essentially said, that’s the best he could do for it. Needless to say, I was disappointed. I had expected more. The banjo sounded about the same, except for an increase in loudness.
After getting home, I inspected and played the banjo, but it still didn’t have the “sound” that I was looking for. Notes played up-the-neck sounded dull and, in some places, out-of-tune. I simply had a ho-hum feeling about how my banjo performed.
Now back to Chris. I want to give thanks to “Mopic” (Randy), for recommending Chris to me. After reading his comments (and comments of others here) concerning Chris’ work and also talking with Chris, I was convinced that I wanted Chris to work on my banjo.
I had a few introductory and fact-finding phone conversations with Chris to learn more about his banjo-repair philosophy and approach. It became quite clear to me that he takes special interest and pride in each banjo that he works on. Although I highlighted the kind of things that I’d like for him to address, I told him that he had my carte blanche approval to do whatever was needed to get the “best” out of my banjo. He appreciated that but he added that if he found other things that needed attention, he would call me to discuss them and get my ok before doing the work.
Later, after getting pointers from Chris on how to package my banjo for shipping, I purchased a shipping box, packaged the ole 1955 Gibson, RB 250 Archtop (Bowtie) banjo and went to the USPS to send it to him. A few days later, after receiving my banjo, he sent me an email letting me know that it had arrived safely. From that time on, Chris kept me informed as to what he was doing with my banjo via email and phone.
Recently, I received my banjo from Chris. When I opened the case and removed the banjo, I recognized right away that it looked new—but still really 55 years old!). The fingerboard was clean and free of ruts and pearl inlay was polished; and all metal parts, neck and resonator were buffed. There is a new bone nut; a new 5-string nut; new capo spikes at the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th frets; 22 newly installed stainless steel frets; a new Huber head; and a new Huber bridge (.657 [21/32] ). Three tuning buttons were added to match closely the ones that came with the already installed Keith D Tuners.
Also, Chris plugged and reinstalled lag bolts to mount the neck in proper position on the pot. Neck set was needed to fix a crooked neck. He custom-fit new resonator L brackets to existing screw holes with original screws. He did other things that I simply don’t recall at this moment.
If I viewed the work that Chris did on my banjo, one by one and collectively, it would reflect absolutely superior workmanship! His attention to detail, combined with his desire to bring out the sound and tone quality “hidden” inside my banjo, exceeded my expectations—which was high already.
Now I am eager to pick up and play my “new” banjo for a few hours or more each day. When I play notes both up and down the neck they ring true and loud. The quality of my playing (for my skill level) is noticeably apparent to me.
I’m sure there are many fine luthiers who are members of the BHO or elsewhere. Yet, IMHO, I believe there are but a few luthiers who are of the caliber of Chris Cioffi. Aside from his knowledge and craftsmanship, Chris was very approachable, cordial and interested in what I wanted in my banjo.
If it hadn’t been for conversations with Chris, I might have given up playing my banjo and sending it to one of my sons as a keepsake. He suggested, however that I hold off considering that until after I get the banjo back from him. I’m glad that I waited. The banjo looks and sounds great! Now I’m (re)settling into a meaningful and much needed daily practice routine.
BanjoDuster - Posted - 02/26/2011: 11:16:03
I've uploaded some pictures to my homepage that show some of the work done by Chris. Of course pictures alone don't do justice to actually seeing and playing the banjo in person. However, IMHO I can attest that it is a much better looking and sounding banjo than ever before. "Double thumbs up to Chris Cioffi's workmanship!
rebelchile - Posted - 02/28/2011: 19:44:47
Just wanted to say that I am more impressed every day with my 75 that Chris rebuilt for me. This instrument changes for the better, every day.
It's no doubt that it had potential before it went to Chris, but now that I have had it back since early December, it constantly blows my mind.
I had never heard of Persimon bridges before Chris put one on my Banjer, and it gives it a very nostalgic "old" sound. That just gets more pronounced.. and more "mature" every week.
The volume has increased tremendously, as well as the tone itself,.. as time time goes by..... it seems to be getting a tone with more ..."bite".... and even more... "growl"..... but... when I play it up the neck.... it still rings like a sweet sparkle... you know, kinda like that sweet tear drop sound when you play backup rolls, up high.
ANYBODY.... that doubts the potential in a late model Gibson....... needs to send Chris Cioffi their Banjer...... YOU.....WILL.....NEVER......BELIEVE...that it could sound so good
Later Chris..... thanks again....kent
humphammer - Posted - 03/09/2011: 19:46:04
I would have posted this earlier but I have not put my banjo down in two days!
I have an old RB-100 that I souped up a few years ago with a new hoop, Huber tone ring, and a few other bells and whistles to get it into a decent instrument. It has seen a LOT of use since then and a few months back it needed some love so I took it to Chris, who has done work for me before. Everything he has done has been superb, by far the best luthier work I have had anywhere, and I have a lot of nice instruments that are all players.
The job he did on this old Gibson is the best I have seen. He literally took what I thought was a good instrument before and turned it into the most amazing banjo I own. The more I play it, the better it gets. He pointed out a few things that he did, that I won't really go into here, that really brought the mojo out of this old girl. He reset the neck, fretted it, and set it up but then he went WAY WAY above and beyond on this job.
I really wish I could express to all of you how thrilled I am with his work, but I just cannot find the words. THANK YOU CHRIS FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR ME!!!
Ken
The Pope - Posted - 03/10/2011: 10:40:43
"He pointed out a few things that he did, that I won't really go into here."
Maybe you could - inquiring minds want to know...
Mopick - Posted - 03/10/2011: 11:20:36
quote:
Originally posted by The Pope
"He pointed out a few things that he did, that I won't really go into here."
Maybe you could - inquiring minds want to know...
Well if I know Chris, he........ Turned the rim and hand fitted the tone ring. Complete re-fret New bone nut New bone 5th string pip New .656 bridge Neck set New head Cleaned and polished all metal parts Cleaned and polished all wood parts Replaced stripped out screws in resonator hangers, etc. Cleaned and lubricated tuning machines Possibly filled in and re-drilled the hanger bolt holes (depending on the height of plane of the fingerboard). Set up It's called Extreme Make-over Banjo Edition! Randy
Edited by - Mopick on 03/10/2011 11:23:34
tubeandplate - Posted - 03/10/2011: 16:42:56
Hello Lab Rats (or Babes in Banjoland, which every you prefer) !!!!
I’m going to respond to everyone since my Christmas post.....not necessarily in order, and some replies will overlap with some subject matter in common.
When I started this madness that we now call "Chris's Banjo Repair Shop and Ant Farm Emporium" a while back, the official opening date being the first post of this thread, I had no idea what the future held. 
I figured I’d get the not too uncommon BHO brush-off......and then go broke, and disappear from the banjo world as I have in years past for differing reasons. 
But, as Providence would have it, many nice people have come into my life, and enabled me to NOT have a reason to disappear from the banjo world…actually, the contrary is happening….I don’t think I could get away from this if I wanted to….a few times this year I have felt that I wanted to because it’s been pretty overwhelming.
However, some of you folks on this thread have encouraged me to keep on going, and to not “sweat the small stuff"....but sometimes small stuff feels like really big stuff to me....when someone trusts me with one of their prized possessions, it doesn’t feel like “small stuff” anymore....
When I’m late on completing a project is when I get anxious....but it all melts away when someone gets their banjo back and tells me “you done good, Son”.....
Then, I fell rejuvenated, and dive back in. 
So…this sort of cycle of building growth, especially this last year, has developed to a point that not only do I not have as much time as I'd like to check the BHO to see if anyone posted on my thread ('cause I used to do that 'cause this thread used to be pretty SLOW), but I have to make myself put down a fret job or some other banjo project to sit down to respond to posts here.
Unfortunately, I don’t respond as often as I’d like....however, FORTUNATELY it’s for the reason I hoped would happen....’cause I got so many banjos to work on here!
I certainly didn’t mean for this to become a thread where I pop in quarterly, but the last few months, that seems like what’s happened…. My apologies to all for that. 
Enough update thoughts…..now, some responses.
Hi Don Wiseman!
You are right….the “post modern” RB-250’s do have an understated elegance overlooked by many…simple and to the point inlays coupled with unadorned mahogany and ebony…what else to you need 
It was a pleasure working with you, and meeting your wife when she dropped off the banjo….I love dogs, so it was neat your wife brought your pups along…..they’re welcome anytime.
Don was taking delivery of his 1960’s Bugeye Sprite English sportscar after an extensive restoration about the time I was shipping his banjo back to him after a similar “ground up” maintenance restoration....
Apparently, both turned out to Don’s satisfaction....I can attest to the car turning out GREAT from the pictures Don sent me, and I also myself feel Don’s banjo turned out wonderfully, too….it had some neck bow problems that the truss rod could not adjust out within it’s range of movement, so there was some sensitive and carefully thought out neck work to deal with.....I enjoyed the challenge and was honored Don called upon me.
Don, don’t forget….as your wife sternly corrected me on the phone….that car is “OUR” car (meaning hers and his)….NOT “DON’S” car……..
Rian……
You are too kind. I’m very happy that things worked out with your unexpected accident, and that you made it home for leave…..
Guess we are playing phone tag…..
Thank you again for your service….both in the Armed Forces, and as a Shepherd in Christ’s service.
David Goodnight-
Thank you for your kind words on your TB-11! As with Don Wiseman's banjo, David’s TB-11 neck had similar bow (in the opposite direction of Don’s neck…one was a backbow, the other too much relief) issues to deal with, and while the frets are out is the best time to do that…
Recarved/reconfigured this TB111 neck for David, and the work was very similar to what I showed earlier to the similar work on David’s TB-6 conversion neck….
David, I forgot to give it to you, but I have the “heel cap” section of your TB-11 neck that I removed when I shortened the heel to “prewar” dimensions…I forgot to give it to you…..regardless, it’s a nice memento of your banjo’s life story, whether it’s on my workbench being displayed or with you….I’ve got it here for your next visit when you come get the TB-3 and we have a “power meeting”….
BTW….TB-3 pot is back together, ring/rim fits great, and frets are in the neck with glue drying awaiting the spit and polish of said newly installed Stainless Steel bits…..I’ll keep you posted……
THANK YOU for offering your professional services to me to help with my shop plans……
Sammy !!!!!!
Again, not sure what it is with me, but sometimes I get banjos that folks love to “knock” and when folks like Sam get them back, they for some reason, aren’t “knock able” anymore.... 
That Arai Pro II of yours is a great banjo now….unbelievable! That was fun having you, Ken, and Ben come to SPBGMA this year to pick it up, and then hanging around down the hall from Art & Bev Hatfield's suite (....Art seemed to like that Aria...or there was some other reason he played it there for an hour...) watching you play that banjo, and having people walk by, turn their head because the banjos sounded “noteworthy”, and THEN watch their faces change when they read what was written on the peghead was…..FUN!!!!!!!
Sure was fun visiting with Ken Edens again, and finally meeting and visiting with Ben….Ben will likely have something to say to us all shortly…..
Speaking of SPBGMA, Greg Rich (of Recording King fame) approached me at the convention to see if I was interested in working on some of his upcoming custom projects for him…..THAT was a no brainer (and as Steve Huber used to tell me….I guess that makes ME the best man for the job….!!!)….
….OF COURSE I’m interested….so…no news yet, but it was great to have Greg think about me like that. I’ve known Greg, although not well, for 20 years…since he came to Nashville to work with Gibson….I’m looking forward to what ever kind of mess I can get into at Greg’s bidding…..
Great to see you again, Greg!
Ted (BanjoDuster)-
I sure enjoyed meeting and working with you on your bowtie RB-250! I enjoy your company on the phone, but when it comes to modern world situations, as you found out…..”don’t get me started”……
It was a pleasure and an honor working on your banjo, Ted…..one of my biggest heroes was Allen Shelton….Allen used to spend a lot of time with me when I was a teenager learning to play at bluegrass festivals when I was a kid…..one story…..Jim and Jesse used to come to FL where I grew up a lot…they had a good audience there from their Jim Walters Homes days, I guess. Anyway, I had gotten to know Mike Scott back then when he was their banjo player, and we were/are pretty close to the same age. Well, one time, Jim and Jesse came to my hometown to play the “Fireman’s Fair” under a big top tent…I went early to hang with Mike before sound check, and there was this skinny red haired guy smiling and smoking a pipe on the stage. After Mike and I visited for a while, he said….”come up here, there’s someone I want you to meet”. He brought me on the stage (before anyone was there), and said “Allen, this is my friend Chris; Chris, this is Allen Shelton…..”
Dumbstruck, before I could even have the manners to stick out my hand, my 14 year old eyes got “big as yer haid” and I said excitedly ….”THE Allen Shelton???”…..
I wish you all could have been there….Allen took his pipe out of his mouth, and leaned way backwards as he guffawed and belly laughed like no one I’ve ever seen before….then we all started laughing….
I guess it was a dumb kid like thing to say, but I was a dumb kid….really…I might as well have been meeting Winston Churchill or Django Reinhardt….to me, that was a BIG moment….and I’ll never forget it.
So, Ted…..those are the sorts of things I was thinking as I was working on your banjo…..your banjo is probably within a year or two of the same year as Allen’s banjo was, and is the same exact model with the same features…..
I thought your banjo was just about unplayable when it arrived, Ted….just sounded old, dead, and more overdue than that grade school library book you still have in the garage…..
It was like a deja-vu experience as I brought your banjo back to life, and as I strung it up to set it up, all of a sudden, I SOUNDED like Allen Shelton, and from the neck down, playing your banjo, I LOOKED like him too!!!
Thank your for letting me work on your banjo, Ted, and I’m glad it’s spurred you on to keep playing….it’s always fun to work on a classic instrument, but even more so when there are memories and associations involved that also have made such an instrument type iconic to many people. Thank you, Ted.
Hey, Sam…same sort of thing goes for your Aria Pro II, since I grew up with 2 of them!
Thanks for the update, Kent! I owe you a call…..
And Randy….thanks for referring Kent and Ted to me….we’re all about to “complete the circle” if this keeps up, and soon, we’ll have to start our own support group….like AA for banjo’s…..
And Randy, you were almost 100% correct……read on…..
Ken (hey, what IS a hump hammer, anyway?????)….
Thank you for all of your counsel and support over the months….AND for the opportunity to work on some of your banjos!!! It was GREAT to meet your wife, Norma, finally when you guys came over last week!
Randy, you about told THE POPE (Hi Mark!) right….but Ken got NEW tuners…(ha ha)…..his were the original 50’s/60’s Pancakes, and they were wore slap out and Ken was sick of fighting with them, so we put new tuners on the RB-100.…
Other than that, Randy, you were pretty much right on (other than it did NOT need a new kanooder valve OR new piston rings....WHEW! )
....what is sort of ironic is that when Ken had this RB-100 at Huber’s shop to have the new rim and ring installed, I was the one who did the work way back in ‘03 or ‘04.…it was interesting having it come back to me….I had not met Ken back then…he just dropped it off with Steve. Robin Smith recommended Ken call me for some work last year, and that’s how we met…so when he brought me the RB-100...I remembered it.
Anyway, the ironic/funny part is that as I looked it over (Ken had played it since then a LOT), I recognized my work and remembered working on it…and my “to do” list forming in my head now in my own shop was pretty funny…’cuase it was somewhat extensive…as I thought about this, I realized that what I do NOW in MY OWN SHOP is UP TO ME…..not a boss and their time clock….made me realize why….like Ken’s RB-100.…some banjo jobs that used to (in another life) take me 4-6 hours, now take me 4-6 weeks or longer to “work over”…..I have no limitations now….I do what I want to…and what the customer wants….so now, I get to REALLY go over them….
THIS is what I like about having my shop….’cause more often than not, when I do it MY way, when a customer (like you, Randy, Kent, Ken, Sam, at al) either come get your banjo when I’m done with it here, or open the box when I send it back to you, and you react in front of me or call me up after playing it the first time after I’m done with it, THAT reaction, to ME….is what I’m working for….sure, gotta get paid to pay the light bill, but my main motivation is this reaction from folks…..it’s fun!
Randy, Ken, and Ted….I had Kens’ RB-100 and Ted’s RB-250, AND a friends’ RB-150 all here at the same time….I thought about taking a “This Year in Banjos…..1959” picture of the trilogy, but I was so busy, I didn’t do it….I thought that would have made a nice picture for the thread….wish I had done it….
Well, as usual, whoever is reading this post has wasted a perfectly good hour….  ....but I do appreciate it.
There’s much more brewing around here yet to be completed and posted upon…..so if any one reading this is interested, there will be some fun forthcoming posts soon…….
Stay tuned for “As the Banjo Tunes”…….(sorry, I tried)………
Chris
Edited by - tubeandplate on 03/10/2011 16:58:09
bhare5 - Posted - 03/14/2011: 12:48:08
Keep up the good work Chris. Looking forward to the Wreath banjo!!!!!!!! Thanks, Bill
bhare5 - Posted - 03/14/2011: 13:52:45
Keep up the good work Chris. Looking forward to the Wreath banjo!!!!!!!! Thanks, Bill Page: 1 2 3 4
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