The BellyCaster - Posted - 10/30/2009:  10:26:29

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My continuing efforts to modify an inexpensive banjo beyond all reason have resulted in the Hyper-modified Banjo Formerly Known as Gold Tone. This was more an educational experience. I learned a lot and have more confidence now when it comes to working on banjos. And the banjo sounds great. I'm still tinkering with set-up. I'm ordering a Renaissance head, tinkering with bridges, etc.

Here are the photos:







Note the crudely plugged holes. 21 holes were plugged with dowels. 21 new holes drilled. I wanted to use the original hardware as much as possible.




The pot is about 1/4 inch deeper than my Gold Tone Whyte Laydie. The Gold Tone Whyte Laydie pot is deeper than many WL's out there.

Initial impressions of how the Hypermodified CC-50 compares to the GTWL:

1. Compared to the GTWL it has a warmer, more mellow sound, but it still has that WL sound. The WL is my favorite tone ring.

2. It does not sound as sweet up the neck as the GTWL. I have some Ideas to help that. The two banjos do sound similar. Overall, the GTWL has the edge in sound quality, but I am confident I can close the gap.

3. Both banjos are set up with similar string height and neck relief. Both have had the neck shimmed to a steeper angle. This gets the strings higher off the head (but not too high off the frets), which is more comfortable for me when I play above the head. Both banjos have very similar set-ups.

4. The GTWL has a Taiwanese Fiberskyn head. The CC-50 uses the US made version of the Fiberskyn.

5. The GTWL rim thickness is about 1/8 inch thicker than the CC-50.

6. GTWL has heavier bracket hooks and nuts--24 compared to 18 on the CC-50, and a much heavier tension hoop.

7. The neck on the CC-50 is just a tad wider than the one on the GTWL. I prefer the wider neck.

8. The CC-50 has a Stew-Mac tone ring. The GTWL is a stock tone ring.

9. The GTWL has dual coordinator rods. The CC-50 has a single rod.

10. The pot is about 1/4 inch deeper than my Gold Tone Whyte Laydie. The Gold Tone Whyte Laydie pot is deeper than many WL's out there.


This project was a lot of fun, and I learned a great deal about making and setting up banjos. The education was more than worth the time and money spent. I'm starting to think perhaps maybe I understand how banjos probably work.

I'd post a recording, but I spend way too much time tinkering on banjos and not enough playing them.

Bruce

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Edited by - The BellyCaster on 10/30/2009 17:34:45

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/30/2009:  11:50:02

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Exactly the kind of banjo I've been suggesting for years that the manufacturers produce. Lots of bang for the buck. Add spunover cladding and you have a good imitation of the old Fairbanks Electric. Nice going.

Bill

mrphysics55 - Posted - 10/30/2009:  13:22:00

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Excellent!

MrP


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Paul Roberts - Posted - 10/30/2009:  18:07:21

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Very interesting, Bruce. Did you have to modify the rim to fit the tone ring? Why did you re-drill the bracket holes?

Pablito

http://www.banjocrazy.com/ All Gold Tone instruments on sale

http://www.youtube.com/user/strumstering my YouTube channel

The BellyCaster - Posted - 10/30/2009:  19:53:11

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quote:

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Originally posted by Paul Roberts

Very interesting, Bruce. Did you have to modify the rim to fit the tone ring? Why did you re-drill the bracket holes?

Pablito

http://www.banjocrazy.com/ All Gold Tone instruments on sale

http://www.youtube.com/user/strumstering my YouTube channel

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I used a table router to cut the rim to fit. Since I didn't cut down height of the rim at all, the brackets were to short to reach the tension hoop from the existing holes. I could have just bought some longer brackets, I guess.

I was surprised how easy it was to get a good fit between the rim and the tone ring.

Bruce

The BellyCaster - Posted - 10/31/2009:  08:28:01

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Been playing with the set up, tinkering with string height, bridges, head tension, etc. This banjo has come alive! I can't believe it sounds this good. Warm and sweet, not exactly like the Whyte Laydie's I've heard, similar but unique. I'm thinking about buying another CC-50, perhaps a short scale, and making another.

This has been fun. I gotta do this more often.

Bruce