mioumiou - Posted - 05/05/2011:  16:38:36

I bought a Bart Reiter Galax yesterday. I bought the banjo to take to both indoor and outdoor jams. I've played it quite a bit today, and find the action a little low, especially when I have to capo to the 2nd fret. I will try a slightly higher bridge tomorrow.

The Galax has a Whyte Ladye tone ring, which makes for a very bright sound. I am hearing some " metallic twang" from the 1st and 5th strings, and will see if the higher bridge stops this. It becomes particularly annoying if I play loud and hard. I also notice that the tonal richness and sustain--especially with the 3rd and 4th strings--is diminished when I capo to the 2nd fret.

Does anyone have any experience with setting up this particular Bart Reiter banjo? I'm open to trying different bridges, heads, tailpieces...etc.

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 05/06/2011 00:24:15

jbalch - Posted - 05/05/2011:  17:37:15

Welcome to the BHO:

 I love Reiter banjos and have four of them. 

My number 1 player is a Galax-plus ("plus" means it has a Bacon donut tone ring on top of the WL ring). I bought it brand new in 2006. But the original set-up on this banjo was not pleasing to me. The 5-star head was too bright and harsh sounding.  The OEM bridge was too generic.  The no-knot tailpiece did nothing for the tone.  I tried a couple of heads and several bridges before arriving at the following set-up

Calfskin head.

Sosebee select bridge (11/16").  Gary sent me a couple made from wood salvaged from an old bowing alley.  They have a fantastic warm tone!

Presto tailpiece - I set the tailpiece parallel to and almost 3/8" above the head.  I think that places even less downward pressure on the bridge than a no-knot.  It controls some of the overtones but retains a very big and open sound.  Mine is a pre-war Grover Patent Presto...but I have Prucha reproductions on my other Reiters.

GHS PF150 strings (or AMBco Cryo strings in the same gauges)

The Soldier's Joy,  Walter Hill,and Cluck Old Hen videos on my homepage were played on this banjo with the set-up I described...banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...erID=1896

BTW: I'm linking this thread to the Bart Reiter banjos group...check it out: banjohangout.org/group/bartreiterbanjos

Best wishes!

Edited by - jbalch on 05/05/2011 17:47:32

mioumiou - Posted - 05/05/2011:  21:52:23

Thanks for the valuable info. I'm just learning about heads and bridges and tailpieces, so this is very helpful. Over the next few weeks, I'll be trying different things on the BR banjo and will let you know how it goes. I was experimenting with a Doc's 11" banjo. It originally came with a skin head, and I tried a Fiberskyn and now have a Renaissance head on it. I'm either going back to the skin head or the Fiberskyn head. I was trying to make it louder, but now the tone has become too bright for my taste.

jbalch - Posted - 05/06/2011:  06:26:12

By the way...I started a group for skin head users too. It makes a convenient way to link lots of discussions and resources for folks interested in the topic;  Check it out here:

banjohangout.org/group/hideheads

olsneelock - Posted - 05/06/2011:  08:55:10

John,

Can you comment on the tone of skin head versus a renaissance head.

Thanks.

jbalch - Posted - 05/06/2011:  09:32:37

Sound is so difficult to describe....

Renaissnce is a very good sounding head.  In my experience, they tend to stretch a good bit and for a long time.  So, I end up tightening them in small increments.  As a result, I usually end up with a fairly bright sound. I think they are in-between the bright REMO bluegrass sound...and a more dull tone of a  fyberskin.

Natural skin heads cover a big range of sounds.  Each individual hide is unique in terms of thickness and texture.  A good, well-mounted, skin head can be maintained plenty tight and will sound clear and bright especially up the neck.  But there is also a warmth of tone that I have not found in any synthetic material. The sound is a little more complex and "fat." 

Sorry I don't have better words to describe what I feel and hear....Hope that helps.

olsneelock - Posted - 05/07/2011:  07:24:35

Thanks John, that's very helpful. 

I think I'm good for now with the renaissance on my standard, but someday I may have to try one a them thar skin heads. 

jw

jbalch - Posted - 05/07/2011:  08:06:36

Renaissance is probably a great choice for a Standard or Special. Those are fine banjos set up that way!

I like calfskin on the models with heavier tone rings (Whyte Laydie, Regent, Galax or Tubaphone). After all, those tone rings were designed to add brightness and sustain to calfskin heads. I think they can sometimes have too much sustain with a mylar head.

Bagie0 - Posted - 05/07/2011:  09:46:54

I like the 5 Star head on my Galax, but I changed the bridge to a 5/8 inch medium Moon and the tailpiece to a Waverley. It's all a bit subjective, but to my ear it sounds great, and that's the general feeling of everyone who hears it..