megashifty - Posted - 06/21/2011:  03:37:58

hey,

if it possible to easily change the goodtime 2(resonator) to an openback banjo without any cosmetic defects? what i mean is, can i just take the rim and the rim's hardware off the banjo and it becomes exactly the same as a goodtime openback?

Cheers, Joe

Sydney, Australia

beegee - Posted - 06/21/2011:  04:12:38

Yes indeed. That's how you do it. It's actually the flange and resonator, not the rim

megashifty - Posted - 06/21/2011:  04:34:03

resonator, yes of course it is, sorry musn't have been thinking when i wrote that! haha

is it a simple thing to do, i could i seriously stuff up the banjo? is there a youtube video or something that someone would recommend?

cheers, Joe

Bart McNeil - Posted - 06/21/2011:  04:51:45

This should take you to a site where removing a back (from another brand banjo is shown. A very simple procedure which you should not be afraid of. Although he calls it a "convertible" banjo... I am sure most banjo work much the same way.

youtube.com/watch?v=r1ZIzQ1xucE

Bart McNeil - Posted - 06/21/2011:  05:08:58

Once you have removed the back you will have a standard Goodtime openback but with a nice stain. My wife has the standard Goodtime and it is a fine banjo.

1four5 - Posted - 06/21/2011:  07:20:24

Use a pencil and mark where the bridge is on the head. Take the resonator off (4 screws). Slack the strings to sloppy tension. Flop the bridge down. Tap the head to get a mental image for how tight it feels and sounds. Put banjo on table with the back facing up.Test feel the tightness of the 16 nuts to get a mental image and feel for how tight they are. This is what you will be trying to get back too. Loosen 16 nuts evenly. Remove nuts and remove the two flange pieces. Put the nuts back on and tighten them EVENLY, each a little bit at a time. Try to get the nuts about as tight as they were before you started. Tap the head and use the even tightness of the nuts, to get it to feel and sound as close to what you remember. Flip bridge back up and tune up the strings, taking care that the bridge does not tip, and is positioned in the same place as before you started. Walla, you now have a Goodtime open back banjo. And now that you have experience in losening/tightening the head... you can use this knowledge to make your banjo sound how you like it to. if you want it mellow and plunkier, evenly loosen the 16 nuts a little bit. If you want it brighter, tighten them each evenly, a little bit.

megashifty - Posted - 06/21/2011:  16:33:14

thanks a lot for your great step by step insructions they will be very handy ;-)

cheers, Joe