BeeGee put up a picture of his Harry Lane top tension--master of the top tension. All his banjos are top tension. Not only does he engrave them but he makes all the metal parts. I mean cuts and grinds. Even that tailpiece on BeeGee's Model G. That is the tightest bear claw tailpiece made. On my picture, note that even the top tension bolts are engraved.

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Originally posted by McUtsi

beegee...that´s a nice banjo...McUtsi

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Harry Lane is a remarkable craftsman. He makes heirloom-style museum-quality custom furniture, pool cues, pool tables, as well as his banjos, mandolins, violins, guitars, engraves firearms and collects ivory objets d'arts.. He made Top-Tensions for Hub Nitchie, Eddie Adcock, Jim Smoak, Don Reno, Jimmy Arnold, and most recently, Raymond Fairchild,me, Rett Allsbrook and a doctor out in ND or somewhere. Viet Doehler in Germany has one and there are a couple more out west and another in Georgia and one in Virginia somewhere. I'd like to get a complete accounting of all the extant Lane banjos for an unofficial Harry Lane website . There are not that many Lane banjos in circulation. Harry has most of them in his private collection. http://rhlane.net.

My Model G is gold-plated, engraved and made of walnut with abalone purfling. Varnish finish. The tone ring, tension hoop and flange are milled(not cast) from solid brass billet. The tone ring has a concave surface and large slots milled to lighten it. The resonator is machine so that it will stay on the flange even when the thumbscrews are removed. The neck is wider and flatter than a typical Gibson-style banjo.This is absolutely the most-powerful banjo I have played. I retired my 28 Granada when i got it and the only reason I'm not playing it now is because I am too sorry to re-engrave the inlays after fingerboard repairs caused by a broken spike repair.

I am honored to own a Harry Lane banjo. That's one reason that I don't quite buy into the PW Gibson madness. I have a one-of-a-kind banjo, made for me, that will hold its own against anything out there.

Just talked with Harry Lane about the ins and outs of top tension. He tells me Gibson used bigger bolts with a wider thread. The flange was not very thick so a problem with stripping developed. He says that is the reason for the finer thread on the bolts on his banjos and his flange is milled from a solid billet and is thicker so the hold is better and stripping is not a problem. He got a hold of one of the Czech top tension hoops and it is cut in a strip by a CRC machine, bent and welded. CRC can cut these quickly out of a strip of metal. The smaller bolts on the Lane looks better(and for the reasons above, is more secure).  I'm still working on BeeGee's instructions on getting a larger picture up...I can't seem to make the computer take the change from "small" to "large"....but if you click on the attached photo, you'll get a close up view of what I'm talking about.

Edited by - Rettro on 02/11/2012 08:51:46

Quote; "I am honored to own a Harry Lane banjo. That's one reason that I don't quite buy into the PW Gibson madness. I have a one-of-a-kind banjo, made for me, that will hold its own against anything out there."

Bob - no question that Harry makes great banjos and you are certainly privileged to own one (I would be too), but I don't see how that has anything to do with the "PW Gibson madness".  Harry's banjo may sound better to your ears, and many others, as well as many other new banjos, but I don't think that diminishes the value many others see in the PW Gibsons.  I recently played a Lloyd Loar F-5 and one of Lynn Dudenbostel's F-5's, side by side, and quite frankly, I liked the playability and sound better on Lynn's instrument, but it did not in any way make me think any less of the Gibson.

I thought Harry's early banjos had aluminum tone rings.  If so, when did he change to brass?

It has everything to do with the idea that I don't lust for a pre-war Gibson as the end-all, beat-all of banjodom. I said I don't buy into it, because:1. I have a PW Gibson, although it is not a OPF Flathead, it is a great banjo. 2. I have a banjo unlike any other, that was made for me.

I don't think less of Gibson PW banjos, I just highly prize Harry's friendship first and then his craftsmanship. I have all the banjo I'll ever need. I get a bigger thrill playing my Lane than I've ever gotten playing a PW Gibson, and I've played some good ones.

Harry made one or two aluminum banjos, but most have been brass or bronze. The aluminum banjos sounded really good, but the banjo community just has never embraced the concept.

Edited by - beegee on 02/11/2012 13:53:59