beezaboy - Posted - 11/11/2009:  12:16:43

You five stringers got no imagination if you don't get this one.
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/ms...8774427.html

Beezaboy

budbennett - Posted - 11/11/2009:  12:23:35

very tempting!

Eastbaygeorge - Posted - 11/11/2009:  12:27:30

I met Bill Spear about ten years ago when we went to IBMA in Louisville. Very nice fellow and a talented machinist. I played one of his openbacks. It looked (as you can see) majorly weird, but it played pretty good. He had a resonator with him but it was missing a string or something so I didn't play it.

The following year I went to IBMA again and he let me borrow a lovely Gibson that he owned for the weekend. As I said, a sterling fellow. He since moved to Florida, last I heard, and I have lost touch with him.

Eastbay George

paadams - Posted - 12/01/2009:  11:54:02

I just found Bob Bailey who now owns the patents and continues on with the Spear banjo.
Bob helped Spear further the designs and is now in a very limited production. Bailey had a
display set up at the Sertoma Youth Ranch Bluegrass Festival this past Nov. I spent some
time talking to him and looking the models he had with him. I was very impressed with
the innovations, the look of them and the sound. I might have ordered one but Bob was
unable to set up an appointment with me while I was in Fla. so I couldn't play one enough
to buy one and he is not actively working on new ones.

Check out his web site at spearbanjo.com Bob has a good history and photos of the Spear/Bailey. I sure would like a little time on his latest production with a conventional
tone ring and flange. Very cool but it wasn't set up. Quick detachable neck for travel.

Paul Kleinwald

Bill Rogers - Posted - 12/01/2009:  12:22:34

oh wow

paadams - Posted - 12/01/2009:  14:47:51

You got it Bill. "Oh Wow!" is right. It is too bad the Spear Banjo web site doesn't have
close up photos and lots of different angles. I loved the way he worked out an
integrated 5th string capo.

His all silver banjo had a great look too. I wasn't crazy about the look of the
resonator but the overall effect was neat. I can just imagine a picture of Don
Reno in one of his pastel outfits, white shoes and a silver banjo!

I did try Robert Bailey's open back model. It was not set up for the way
I play so I didn't plaly it much but it was loud and had good tone with his turned single piece aluminum rim with no separate tone ring or tension flange.

Paul Kleinwald

3fingers - Posted - 12/01/2009:  15:05:46

I checked out the website and that really is a different banjo. The bluegrass banjo, the tone ring is integrated into the pot and it looks like a standard shaped flathead but it is machined for a bell brass tone hoop on the tonering, now I'm REAL curious as to how to sounds. I looked at Don Wayne's model and noticed the neck, I wonder if that how it is or if its not been completed. I dont think that would be to comfortable if that is a completed neck but I guess you wouldnt know if you didnt try it out.LOL

Brett - Posted - 12/02/2009:  14:50:22

I met the old Spears guy maybe a decade after I'd met a local guy here who made an all metal banjo. The first guy (local guy), only made his own pot assy and if I recall it was all gold annodized aluminum. And, he made his own wood neck/resonator. It was light and played kinda normal and sounded ok. Not a full mastertone sound but "ok" and you could kinda discount the thin tone due to the massive weight saving, this guy had other instruments, this was just his "idea" for standing 16 hours off and on at festival kinda thing and from that perspective (plus he made it where he worked out of THEIR stock WHILE he was paid and THEY weren't looking), I guess I could appreciate that backdoor special. Why not use machine shop leftovers the boss was gonna throw out at some point and make a toy at slack times (on their machines) while you're getting paid??? What's the harm.
But, the old Spears guy didn't use lightweight materials and those things had metal necks too and the weight and tone and playability and funky ideas certainly left an impression on me.

paadams - Posted - 12/02/2009:  19:32:16

Brett,

The current models are just a little lighter than standard
quality American resonator banjos. These newer ones are
definately not funky. Odd, yes, but not funky. Bailey can
apply a wide variety of finishes and colors including anodized.
I hope he gets back into production. I think there is a market
for a neck that doesn't change with humidity and comes off
the rim with little fuss. Better yet the neck goes back on prcisely the way it
was originally set up. I think he said he was trying to develop an
adjustment mechanism to raise and lower the neck where it joins
the rim. The finger board also has a way to adjust the depth of
the inverse bow.

Paul Kleinwald

Brett - Posted - 12/03/2009:  18:32:40

Then the newer guy certainly changed materials or something, the original designs were VERY heavy and the neck was like channel iron/angle iron. Nothing comfortable or light or good sounding about the original design. I'm glad the newer guy has improved those items. And, I can't argue a stable neck is a bad idea, nor a lighter banjo particularly for those all day standing up in 90 degree festival kinda things. The original design was kinda weird and klunky and MUCH heavier than any Les Paul or banjo I'd ever picked up. I'm gonna guess (but it's been a couple decades since I played those) maybe 18 pounders or so. I don't mean to knock the "new" guys design improvements or his business, I wish him the best. I'm sure there is room for everyone in the market, particularly if they aren't concerned with making a living out of building them and it's only a hobby.

Haskells RB3 - Posted - 12/03/2009:  19:04:03

I was wondering how these sound and play. It reminds a little bit of a Merlin banjo.

paadams - Posted - 12/03/2009:  21:34:57

I haven't played a Merlin. I have played two Ode banjos with aluminum rims, one open back and
one with a resonator. I think they were both archtops ( it has been 20 years) . Like I said,
I didn't spend much time playing them but the open back Bailey uses sounded a bit
better, I think, than the Ode. The Ode with the resonator sounded good enough for me
to tell the owner if it was ever for sale to let me know.

Paul Kleinwald

Brett - Posted - 12/04/2009:  04:04:25

I'm trying to recall on the old alum rim Odes, it's been 15 years or so since I picked some guys. As I recall, it was heavier than a masterclone type banjo and didn't sound as good (to me). I guess I'm into "better" mousetraps IF they truly are.

paadams - Posted - 12/04/2009:  10:41:05

Brett,

The alum. Odes are heavy especially if you expect them to be light
because they are alum. And you are right, they don't
sound better than a Mastertone. You have to remember these
were much less in cost compared to even the low end Mastertone.
It would be interesting to compare the Ode open back with an
RB100. I had an Iida arch top ten years back and I would buy
the Ode aluminum arch top with a resonator given the choice, no contest.

Paul Kleinwald