RUBY2 - Posted - 11/06/2009:  10:00:14

Hi All

I currently play a Deering Goodtime Special 17 fret Tenor and am looking at an upgrade.

I also want to have have a banjo on two floors. Lazy me LOL!

I have come across a pre war Lange Craft produced by Lange of Paramount fame.

It has had new frets, head, new bridge, neck and resonator refinished and new geared tuners.

It does look well and is from a vintage banjo dealer not ebay etc.
It seems to have 24 hooks instead of my 16 on the goodtime.
I am sure this is not the only thing to look for in an upgrade, so I am hoping you may be able to shed some light on it?

Has anyone had any deelings/owned one of these. I am trying to make sure it is a good step up from the goodtime so I am at least going in the right direction.

I was also looking at a Vega Little wonder, I have been told that the Little wonder has a sharper tone so cuts through better but the Lange Craft has 'probably a more characterful tone but does not project as well'.

To be fair I don't need more 'cut' I already give my wife a headache LOL!
So If the Lange craft has a nice pleasing tone and a better build and playability than my goodtime it may suit me better.


Many Thanks

Richard

banjopaolo - Posted - 11/06/2009:  10:24:44

I have never played a Lange banjo but I know well Paramount banjos and I guess there must be much in common (paramount were buit by William Lange!), I love paramount sound, is very sweet also bcause of the archtop tonering. I'm also an enthusiast of vega Little Wonder (and this would surely be my choice) I have a very similar vega banjo (style F) and I love to play it has a great sound!
both would surely be an upgrade from the goodtime not only because of the 16 hooks...

in this clip you see me playing the vega style F and another banjo that is not a vega (it is a Bacon banjo) but has exactly the same tone ring of a little wonder
youtube.com/watch?v=8JqKH3qFzRc
best
paolo

NYCJazz - Posted - 11/06/2009:  10:45:13

Is it like this?



I don't know what kind of rim/tone ring it has, but if it's similar to the Paramount it's probably a good step up from the Goodtime.

Can you post some photos, especially of the inside?

RUBY2 - Posted - 11/06/2009:  10:52:18

Thanks Nathan for that.

Yes that's the one.

It is in Mahogany but otherwise is just like the picture.

I will see if I can get a picture of the actual one for sale but I don't think it has any pictures of inside.

It does say 'simple but effective tone ring'

Cheers

Richard

mikeyes - Posted - 11/06/2009:  11:39:53

It has the same tone ring as the Langstile and the Orpheum banjos, a brass ring on little metal studs that keep it off of the rim. I have a Langstile IV and had an Orpheum and liked both. I also have a Little Wonder. The sound is different in each banjo, but because the makers are top end, the quality is good. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

Lange tried his best to make the banjos fit the customer base, especially in the thirties. He made sure that no matter how entry level the instrument was, it was still quality just like Bacon and Vega did. If you tried to collect all of the Lange permutations, you would have to buy a lot of banjos. So far I have not heard a bad sounding Lange banjo. The same is true of the other two makers.

The one pictured has the Paramount tailpiece and armrest and probably flange and rim. You can't go wrong as long as the neck is in good shape. Paramount banjos also had a design flaw in the heel of the neck. Very few don't have the neck fractured and re-glued at the that point. It is an annoying trait but not a deal killer so check out the neck. If it is re-glued ask for a few bucks off just in case they agree.

Mike Keyes
banjosessions.com
mikekeyes.com

Edited by - mikeyes on 11/06/2009 11:40:53

RUBY2 - Posted - 11/06/2009:  14:25:02

Thanks everyone for that.
It seems that as long as the banjo is in good shape with a straight neck that it will be a good next buy.
Cheers
Richard