Regarding Richie's banjo and sound, I see similarities between him and Frank Lee. I don't know if Frank is still using the same banjo he was playing in the old Freighthoppers, but it had a Dobson-like neck made by Polo Burguiera married to an overspun pot with a bacon tone ring, heavy strings and extremely high action.

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Originally posted by richla

J-Walk, how cool did this thread turn out??!
More great info, Mike, thanks.

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Yep, it's a good one. The best part is it caused me to put the steel strings back on my Dobson. 

Now, I just have to remember to NOT BUY that upcoming Mogi. I have a 6-string Dobson coming from Brooks. That will make four Dobson ring banjos for me. That's probably enough.

jwalk, when I bought that Dobson it had nylgut strings...and i recall it sounding good...but once i switched to steel i never looked back...it's a good sounding banjo...as i've mentioned before...i miss it...

You know, the first banjo I had was a Rover with a thin neck and plastic head. And when Richie played that banjo.. still sounded like Richie. He just has crazy good technique, and then some nice banjos as a bonus. Mike, I miss that banjo too..

Hey Matt! How ya doing? It really does come down to individual technique....Replicating someone else's banjo will not really help recreate that particular persons style...what might help is reconstructive right hand surgery...On a recent youtube video Richie explains that his finger nail on his index finger is actually split and grows at different rates...perhaps that is part of the secret...

consider hand surgery instead of a new banjo....just a thought.

here is a video of Richie playing a Whyte Laydie banjo...still sounds like richie, but it is noticeable that the whyte laydie tone ring is a little loud for him....

whoops...forgot to post the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfIZzzmvyqQ