unclekurty - Posted - 12/18/2011:  10:27:07

Here's some pics of possibly my last Romero. Jason and Pharis know what I like so they just went for it. It has their new tone ring. I should get it in a few days. When I do I'll post a sound file.

GSCarson - Posted - 12/18/2011:  10:47:09

I'm a big fan of trying different things, and really like unusual metal treatments.  The rivet look is perfect. I have a metal project going and this really makes me want to get back on it.  This is one great looking banjo and looking forward to your report when it arrives.  Congrats, Glenn C.

unclekurty - Posted - 12/18/2011:  10:54:26

I'm a big fan of your banjos Glen. Your carving, inlay and engraving are fantastic.

I'm not very good posting pictures but I put them all in a photo album on my homepage and you can get a higher resolution.

frailin - Posted - 12/18/2011:  10:55:19

Wowie!  Unca Kurty, you CAN'T quit now, you're just gettin' those two warmed up for everyone else!

Besides, your "open-minded" approach to banjos means EVERYONE gets the benefits of the Builder's evolution.  After all, it is also a visual art form and medium.  Your search for your perfect banjo just keeps encouraging that new direction... and adds to the creative energy around our favorite instrument.  

Thank you for that!

Craig

PS - And you're absolutely right about Glenns' work, too!

Edited by - frailin on 12/18/2011 10:57:37

J-Walk - Posted - 12/18/2011:  10:57:20

That's a beauty. I've never seen one with the Romero name on the head. I like it.

ramjo - Posted - 12/18/2011:  11:08:15

Congrats Kurt! You sure this is the last one? Doncha think you should hold a spot on the waiting list one more time? Who knows what mind-blowing innovations Jason is gonna be offering in two years.

For those who can't wait to hear Uncle's posting, there's a sound file Jason made of his prototype for that new tone ring: romerobanjos.com/11285/11285.html

pddngtn - Posted - 12/18/2011:  12:02:27

I guess Merry Christmas would be an understatement. That is one great banjo! Can't wait to see the x-mas Romero newsletter, I am sure it will be featured. The new tone ring sounds great on the clip. Every month brings new temptations. By this time next year I hope to be needing new strings on mine. Great things are worth waiting for.

Brian

WGE - Posted - 12/18/2011:  13:35:23

Sweet!  How many Romero's do you own now?   You must be up to 5 or 6 at least.  I sure like Jason's old-time three finger style.  Enjoy!!!!

unclekurty - Posted - 12/18/2011:  16:46:54

One is a banjo uke and this one will be my fifth 5 stringer. They're all different from each other with different pot thicknesses, diameters, depths, tone rings along with different scale lengths, tone rings etc. They all sound different for sure. It's a lot of fun.

This ring will be really different for me.

GSCarson - Posted - 12/18/2011:  20:11:58

Unclekurty,  Thanks for the kind words.  I see Creed/Cole/Fairbanks/a healthy dose of Steampunk and of course Romero all rolled into one on this one, it is very cool.  GC

Dog Break - Posted - 12/19/2011:  04:51:45

Cool!  5 of them!  

I'm currently on Jason's waiting list, but time is running out for me to finalize some decisions.  A big one is to get the rosewood tone ring, or the Romero tone ring.  Of course, now there's the new one adding still more confusion.  Out of the banjos you have, do you have one with the rosewood, and one with the Romero tone ring?  If so, what are your thoughts on the characteristics of the two?

Thank you.

Andrew 

banjoholic - Posted - 12/19/2011:  07:44:13

One of the best looking instruments I've ever seen. I already coveted it once watching Jason's builder video.

Can't wait to hear it!

unclekurty - Posted - 12/19/2011:  08:24:20

Andrew I have the 1st Romero tone ring on a walnut 12 inch rim that is pretty deep. It's a rolled brass bar sitting on rosewood. You can tell there's a metal ring in there but it's subtle. I have this banjo set up now with nylon strings. The banjo uke and and 3 other banjos have various wood rings. one is removable and looks almost like one you'd find in a bluegrass banjo. The others are integral and have various angles on the top that contacts the head. I think they all sound good but you can hear the metal one is definitely not just wood.

The new one should have more sustain for sure. I do really like the sound of just wood.

blockader - Posted - 12/19/2011:  09:17:44

that is one gorgeous instrument! i'm also getting close on the list and starting to get anxious! is the romero tone ring appreciably louder than the rosewood rims? with steel strings that is. also, what is your impression of the 13" vs. 12"?

can't wait to here a clawhammer sound file from your new one.

-justin

eugene1978 - Posted - 12/19/2011:  09:43:14

Kurty,
I've got one on the way in this batch as well! I cannot wait - mine is Jason's first spunover rim (one of Rickard's seamless ones) with a Dobson tonering. I don't think there's anyone out there building better banjos - gorgeous inlay, unparalleled playability, and SOUND!
Congrats to you - I imagine, like me, you'll be checking windows for the ol' boys in brown.
Blake

WGE - Posted - 12/19/2011:  12:28:58

Justin,

     I have a 13-inch block rim Romero banjo that Jason built for me back in 2006.  Jason originally set it up with Savarez extra-high tension nylon strings but I also had him cut a nut for steel strings.  I've had it strung with both nylon strings tuned down several steps and steel strings tune to modern pitch.  I find the big head has a unique sound.  I have not had the opporunity to play either a 12-inch or an 11-inch Romero, but I do have these sizes from other makers.  My impression is that an 11- or 12- inch banjo has greater flexibility in general playing and I wouldn't want my only banjo to be a 13-incher.  I now keep the Romero tuned to weird tunings for things like Last Chance and Shaving a Dead Man.  I'd love to get another, smaller Romero but I fear I have neither the time nor the money.  Bill

unclekurty - Posted - 12/19/2011:  13:59:25

Justin the walnut 12 inch even with steel strings doesn't seem inherently louder than the 12 inch rim woodie or the 11 inch one I have. They just sound way different. My fretless 13 inch currently is set up with steels. It's an attention getter. This one does seem louder. I had a skin head on it and found it was a bit harder to keep a really tight tension on the head. So I got a 13 inch ren head and wow. When I first got it I didn't play the 11 inch rimmed banjo I had much. Then later I got a 11 inch Romero and the 13 inch seems pretty big now but probably looks more in proportion to me than the banjo with the 11 inch pot. There's so many variables. The 13 incher has a block rim and is all wood (no holes drilled for the shoes) I like block rims and bent rims. I can't tell much difference in sound because they're all different.

Blake, Jason was telling me about your banjo. I'd like one of those too. I satisfied my my spunover urge at the time with one of Brooks banjos. I have 30 shoes on that baby. I play it a lot.

On this one from Jason the rim is pretty standard and the scale length is 24.9 which I really liked on my last one. And Jason does a really nice thumb scoop. It's small and for me where he the bridge the scoop is in just the right size and my thumb falls right into that spot.

One thing for sure is I like waiting for banjos. It really gives me something to look forward too.

I sold my Reiter Regent and bought a Round Peak which I like because the tone ring isn't as ringy. I've never had a tubaphone and I haven't been to attracted to that sound. I did play an Ome with a Silver Bell tone ring which I liked. I'm hoping this banjo falls somewhere in between a rolled flat brass ring and maybe the Silver Bell. Who knows though. I'll like it.

I play Goodtimes and they sound damm good. And whenever I listen to Dirk Powell's Fretless Christmas cd I'm amazed at the sound he gets out of that banjo. I've seen him play that banjo live a couple of times. I believe it was made for him by his niece or nephew so it's special. To be honest it's way better than what I could build but it's still pretty basic at best. A banjo is pretty much a drum with a stick and some strings. They all sound good to me.

blockader - Posted - 12/19/2011:  17:39:03

thanks for the info, y'all. i'm like you UK, thinking about the specifics i want and waiting is part of the fun.

i'm having a hard time deciding between 12" and 13" as i really like the sound of both a lot! i'm looking for this one to be my main player and want more volume than my woody ome as i have a fairly light touch and sometimes have trouble hearing myself and cutting through when playing in medium and large groups. i thought the romero tone ring would give me volume but it sounds like maybe that extra inch will do it better, though a bluegrassing friend of mine thinks the lower frequencies of the 13" won't cut as well in a jam setting.

there is such a wide array of sounds that come from jason's banjos, even ones with similar components, and it makes decisions tough when there doesn't seem the be any real negatives!

i think you have hit upon the only logical course of action, which is to one a lot of his banjos!

-justin

Dog Break - Posted - 12/20/2011:  16:23:26

Just got the Romero Newsletter with this banjo, and 5 others featured.  It looks fantastic!

romerobanjos.com/11290/11290.html

ramjo - Posted - 12/21/2011:  05:36:46

Kurt and Robert. The pics of your banjos are gorgeous! Both are stunning instruments and I'm sure will sound every bit as good as they look. I wish you many happy hours!

arnie - Posted - 12/21/2011:  07:27:21

Jason is making one for me as we speak. I am used to playing tubaphones, but I wanted something just a little different with deeper mids but still good response and a strong player, so he's making me an 11" with a Romero tonering- slotted peghead, walnut. By the way his new tonering design sounds very tubaphone like, and I have a hunch that folks who want that kind of tone and response & sustain with some deeper mids than a regular tubaphone ring would do well to get a 12" with that ring ( which is what I almost went for ). hard to choose- he has so many good options. It adds up to a bunch of money, well spent.

unclekurty - Posted - 12/26/2011:  09:43:41

Here's a sound clip of the new Romero. I really like the sound of the Belle Rose tone ring. To me it doesn't sound much at all like a tubaphone except you can tell the ring is some sort of hollow tube. I hear a lot of wood and a ring. The ring is not overpowering which I sometimes find to be the case on tubaphones and electric ring banjos. I love the sound and playability of this banjo. It adds another dimension to my different sounding banjos. Thanks Jason and Pharis for another great banjo.

Snake River Reel

aeroweenie - Posted - 12/26/2011:  09:51:46

Wonderful sounding banjo, I like the tune and the playing as well.  I think you've described it well as having a nice balance of wood and ring.   Your new Romero confirms what most of us already know and why people are willing to wait a long time for one!

maryzcox - Posted - 12/26/2011:  22:03:53

That's such a beautiful banjo :)

I visited their website about 5 times and each time--I picked out a different one that I thought I liked best :)

Best wishes,

Mary Z Cox

maryzcox.com

arnie - Posted - 12/29/2011:  05:25:54

I changed my order from an 11" to a 12" with a Romero tone ring. I think ( hope) it will deliver a deeper & yet punchy resonant tone with good response up the neck.

eugene1978 - Posted - 12/29/2011:  05:49:18

Arnie,
Great choice. I'd actually thought I was going to order an 11" with Jason but he steered me to the 12". I think he likes them more (also my impression from the Builders vid) because they are more versatile in getting the sound you desire.
He builds a beautiful slothead...

arnie - Posted - 12/30/2011:  04:47:46

Oh my gosh Robert - that is an incredible slotted head banjo you have there from Jason! I opted for a regular 5th peg area- I like the look of the slotted 5th Dobson design, but I felt it would get in my way when playing because I am so used to a regular setup there.