Rizo - Posted - 02/27/2008:  13:00:47

I've been trying to find a better banjo for a while now... as good of a deal as my Gold Tone is, I'm really satisfied with it. Money is tight, but I'll be working a second job come summer, and with the tax rebate I'm supposed to be getting I thought this might be a good time to shop.

The banjo I'm looking for has a 12" pot, and a frailing scoop. It might or might not have a tone ring. It sounds woody and very plunky. It's pretty loud and has a very warm, sometimes even dark sounding tone. It has a simplistic, if not down right bare bones look. As if that weren't enough, my budget is under $1000 and where I live there isn't many banjos to play and try out.

I really like the Enoch Tradesmen banjos, but they're pretty quiet. I really like the sound of Lee banjos, but the price range blows that. Other models that have crossed my mind are the Ramsey Student, Bob Carlin model, maybe a low end Reiter, or a variety of used or vintage instruments. I like Dobson's doughnut tone ring, but they're pretty hard to come by.

With all that in mind, someone tell me.... what is the banjo I'm looking for?

Edited by - Rizo on 02/27/2008 13:15:03

banjo13 - Posted - 02/27/2008:  13:08:23

check ebay right now there seemed to be quite a few openbacks ending in the next 24 hours

Tyler Greene

mike hansen - Posted - 02/27/2008:  13:16:28

i'd buy a Reiter "round peak" model...or the Ramsey student at elderly...if you want those tones I'd put a skin head on...goat or calf...people talk a lot of smack about skin heads but I have had no problem with them...in fact most of the banjo players in the Ithaca area use skin heads and I have not heard anything bad about them....

when I think "dark sounding tone" i do not think "plastic"

www.myspace.com/kazoorecords

Rizo - Posted - 02/27/2008:  13:31:56

I thought of the skin head, but they're not too loud and I like to be heard... or is that more a sign of a poorly set up skin head?

gunnar02 - Posted - 02/27/2008:  14:16:11

Try another tradesman, I'm surprised you think it is soft.

unclekurty - Posted - 02/27/2008:  14:42:45

Rizo that Ramsey Student Model seems to fit your bill.

I like the sound of skin heads generally. And they sound as loud to me as a plastic one. I like ren heads. I busted a goat skin head recently. On the ren head I can crank it up really tight. The goat skin was a real thin head though. My skin heads are usually at a lower tension than my rens. Maybe that makes them softer sounding or have less volume. Mid East Instrument has skin heads. They look good to me, they're translucent, kinda funky. The thickness and quality can vary. I just ordered a couple of the vellum processed heads from Bill Miller. He has an add in the BHO classifieds. They look very nice. And they're thin which I bet will be brighter than some some of the thicker skins I'd had. This weekend I might put one on my banjo I just put a ren head on after the goat skin one popped. This banjo just sounds better when I crank down the head. I think this skin is stronger than the goat one and will be ok tighter. On this banjo I prefer the sound of a skin head over the ren. This banjo has a brass ring and the ren head seems to tone the ringing down a bit. I thought the skin head allowed for more vibration. Who knows! I'll see with the new head on it.

I like the Carlin model. I picked up a Enoch Tradesman and it's plenty loud to me.

It was mentioned in another thread that often you need to experiment with different set ups/bridges/heads/strings/tailpieces to get the sound you want and I sure agree with that. And although I have some high end banjos imo it's the banjo player and not the banjo that makes a banjo sound good.

Rizo - Posted - 02/27/2008:  15:03:43

The thing I like about the Carlin model is the wider string spacing. I love the looks of the tradesman, maybe I just need to spend some time with one, see if I can get the volume I want out of it.

The Chanterelle seems like a good deal too... I wish I could spend a day in a room with 'em all, but that ain't happening around here.

LEUllman - Posted - 02/27/2008:  23:20:16

Kevin Enoch is just about to release a couple of new Tradesman models with Dobson-style tone rings. Might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Do a search for "Enoch Dobson" here on the Hangout and read all about 'em.

"Oh, the banjo am the instrument for me!"

Bill Rogers - Posted - 02/28/2008:  00:47:47

I've played the Carlin alongside a Tradesman and found it to have more volume & punch--maybe a tad harsher. If I had to buy one I'd choose the Enoch--for its looks, fit and finish rather than its volume. But if I wanted the volume, I'd take the Carlin. Those are easily the two best within your budget and fitting your description.

Bill

Rizo - Posted - 02/28/2008:  09:26:39

quote:

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Originally posted by LEUllman

Kevin Enoch is just about to release a couple of new Tradesman models with Dobson-style tone rings. Might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Do a search for "Enoch Dobson" here on the Hangout and read all about 'em.

---

sugarinthegourd - Posted - 03/12/2008:  15:06:10

I'll probably have an 100% dead mint, as-new, basically-unplayed 12" Ramsey "Amish" for sale shortly...BHO price will be right around $1,000 w/HSC. It plays, looks and sounds great, I just haven't been playing much lately and have another one on order, so I'll be selling this one in the next month or two...

email john at sugarinthegourd dot com if interested...

John

Edited by - sugarinthegourd on 03/12/2008 15:11:26