robbie macdonald - Posted - 07/20/2010:  14:38:24

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Well, Earle, that's what I meant. Fascinating and accurate treatise on how the tone ring and an individual's touch vary a banjo's sound and a player's approach. A really good banjo of any stripe has a balance and timbre that makes it play itself. It tells you, to an extent, what it wants from you. I played a few Weymans years ago, maybe even JG's, and thought them to be really wonderful, sweet-toned banjos with a pretty good bark. I only played 3 or 4 but they all felt good: I never played one accompanied so I don't have a feeling for them as a band instrument. I saw JG play his a few times and it came through very well without any special miking or the like.


The discussion about how the two Gibson style tone-rings work in a band isn't in my experience to comment on. I think I've played five banjos max since starting to perform in around '70. It would have been very useful to have played a bigger variety of banjos in my search for the "right" one but my no-hole archtop seems about as perfect a fit for me as I can imagine. Too bad it took me so long to get it. At $2750 it was kind of like stealing. I did put a Larry Cohea maple neck on it. It came with a decent maple neck but not with Larry's artistic attention to detail. This banjo seems to have the ability to blend into pretty much any bluegrass group- it has a sweet side up the neck and on the slacker feel away from the bridge. Its tricky though: I've heard recordings of dituations where I thought I had the perfect touch going, and still, the end result was 5-string banjo with other, somewhat inaudible, stringed instruments. Archtops do take a more careful approach to blend, but boy, do they sing on leads! That crackling tone was my first impression of what bluegrass banjo did- I think I have a more nuanced view now, but still love the crunch of the archtop.

impickin5 - Posted - 07/20/2010:  15:43:06

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Speaking about setup, I've owned five prewar Gibson archtop conversions and twenty-some postwar flatheads in my life, (sorry-no prewar flatheads), including Gibsons, Stellings, ODE, Gold Star, Recording King, Chief, etc, and one thing I have definitely found IMHO is that the archtops were not NEARLY as FINICKY to set up for the best tone as the flatheads.

Anybody else experienced this?

Ray

robbie macdonald - Posted - 07/20/2010:  16:51:23

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a 30's flathead, RB-75, granada, don't really need all that much setup. They're cannons if you have that 1st generation, right hand mentality.

Robbie Macdonald

PS: I never heard a banjo that sounded like $200,000

Bellavoce - Posted - 07/20/2010:  17:17:42

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quote:

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Originally posted by robbie macdonald

a 30's flathead, RB-75, granada, don't really need all that much setup. They're cannons if you have that 1st generation, right hand mentality.

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Completely agree. On old banjos, a better indicator might be just how worn they are... assuming no abuse. I have a FH that was completely worn out three times before I got it. Bought it as a box of parts from a plectrum player for $1500, it was resurrected back in 1982. it sounds great any ol' which way you like.

There is a reason it was worn out three times; know what I mean?

--E

Aaron Thomas - Posted - 08/22/2010:  19:56:29

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what head do you use on your archtop banjo? Remo, 5 Star, Skin.. ??

robbie macdonald - Posted - 08/23/2010:  00:58:50

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I use a Snuffy Smith head as well as the Snuffy Smith bridge (Crowe spacing). SS bridges are thick in all dimensions which fits my attack. The SS head seems to enhance the depth of tone, how I have no idea.

My early obsession with accessories is long gone. I use National and Showcase 41 fingerpicks right from the package only bending them to fit firmly. The hands will provide the most important element in one's sound as long as attention is paid to basic setup: action, string gauge that's comfortable for your style, etc etc.

I like what Lamar Grier said when asked how often he changed strings: "when they break."

Message to me was "keep it simple."

Robbie Macdonald

cotton eyed joe - Posted - 08/23/2010:  07:29:35

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I finally got back my no hole tb-3 from Frank a couple of weeks ago!! She is the best archtop banjo I've ever played and will fit anything from clawhammer to Scruggs, keep on pickin the old archtop ya'll!! PS I like to here a banjer ring and not thud..

Bellavoce - Posted - 08/23/2010:  09:59:55

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quote:

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Originally posted by Aaron Thomas

what head do you use on your archtop banjo? Remo, 5 Star, Skin.. ??

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I've used most of the choices, including clear mylar, thick mylar, standard pre- and post-EPA versions, Fiberskin, and a Rogers. I have a collection of bridges, including standard, bone insert, various compensated types, various specialty bridges, Wadsworth, Kulesh, and others. Any of these could be appropriate depending on the banjo involved. Sometimes, the result I choose eventually can be surprising to me, in terms of type, material, and/or mass.

I grade my bridges ahead of time in terms of relative amplitude of highs, mids, and lows just so I have some reasonable choices for a given banjo I'm setting up. Also stringwise, I've long used a medium custom set (.010, .011, 013, 024,.010); the large fourth in phosphore bronze adds a lot of bottom on the archtops.

Regarding head tightness, usually a tap tune somewhere between G# and A seems to work best for me. Bridge seting nearly level with a slight down angle, which I set based on how fast I want the attack and decay.

Of course, it's all about personal preferences, which sometimes can change significantly over time, depending on your experience, style, and ideal objectives. As always, YMMV...

impickin5 - Posted - 08/23/2010:  16:15:02

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I've got one of the Tiawaneese Remo heads (tuned to G#) on my 1928 Gibby no-hole conversion, with a Frank Neat bridge and Arthur Hatfield custom 10,11,13,20jd,10 strings. It just don't get any better than that.

Aaron Thomas - Posted - 11/07/2010:  15:52:42

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I just installed a low crown frosted top remo taiwan head on my 29 tb3 40 hole archtop conversion banjo and it sounds amazing. i'm using a 5/8 snuffy smith original bridge. and I use 10.11.12.20.10 ghs jd crowe strings..

Beardog - Posted - 11/13/2010:  06:50:53

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I got my RB 5 archtop back from Chris Cioffi about 6 weeks ago. Out of several nice banjos, I think it is becoming my favorite. Everything about it is awesome. I posted a quick video of it here:

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...=&id=6302

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Edited by - Beardog on 11/13/2010 08:59:06

USELESSWALI - Posted - 11/13/2010:  10:40:52

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BEEN PLAYING 1027 NOHOLE SINCE 1965

John Steele - Posted - 11/13/2010:  11:09:56

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I like archtops.... kinda prefer them, actually. I play a mid 50's RB-250 bowtie, and a late 20's RB-3, both all original archtops.

- John