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flatlander78 - Posted - 06/22/2012: 08:58:58
I just finished watching the Banjo Builder Interview that Craig Evans did with the Romero's up in BC and wow! Absolutely amazing work. I must say they are really amazing sounding folks, and what work. I really like his idea of combining colors of woods and hardware that complement one another. His view on hide heads and how they should also complement the entire 'jo is an interesting way of looking at the instrument as a whole. Looking at his hides he stains I was wondering what shades or colors folks out there are into? I'll link this to the Hide Heads group as well.
kmwaters - Posted - 06/22/2012: 09:29:17
Yeah, Romero's work is most impressive looking. Never heard one. What kind of sound do they have? Gibson, Huber, Stelling, Ome etc.??
corgies - Posted - 06/22/2012: 09:35:05
The goatskin head on my Romero was stained the same color as the woods (mostly cherry). While I chose the particular woods, I asked Jason to use his own artistic sense to make it a thing of visual beauty. Stain color was of his choosing (no clue what it was), and the colors meld beautifully with lightly aged brass hardware. It looks as good as it sounds, and its sound is full, warm, and distinctive.
If interested in a more detailed look: #11256 romerobanjos.com/11256/11256.html">romerobanjos.com/11256/11256.html
rudy - Posted - 06/22/2012: 10:11:21
If you liked the Romero's interview by Craig Evans you owe it to yourself to obtain the entire series of North American contemporary builders on DVD. Further information here:
banjohangout.org/topic/239054
Iderhobanjer23 - Posted - 06/22/2012: 10:30:34
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the man is a master artist and banjo maker. (and his wife does great work, too!)
unclekurty - Posted - 06/22/2012: 13:40:21
I think this is my favorite Romero that I have aesthetic wise. The brass overlays around the pot, heel and head stock look great with the brass nut, art nouveau style shoes and tailpiece which along with the hooks hooks are all lightly antiqued. Pharis does a fantastic job with the overlays and cutouts and the engraving and inlay are top notch and very tasteful. The pot and neck are made from the same piece of highly figured mahogany. The wood wasn't stained and it just has a great natural color. My favorite finish since I bought my first Romero is Tru-Oil. The dye he used on the head matches perfectly with the mahogany. On this banjo I helped pick out the wood but since this is number six I figured Pharis and Jason know what I like. So unlike my other banjos I did not have much to say about what I wanted. I think that is why it looks the best!
Jason is an exceptional banjo player. He knows soundwise what he's doing. His banjos have larger than usual heels. I am convinced that and how he attaches the neck to the pot contributes to these great sounding banjos. I have them in in a variety of scales, wood, rings, pots you name it. I'd buy another but I'm going to get one of his new guitars that he's making next.
romerobanjos.com/11290/11290.html
kenelk - Posted - 06/22/2012: 15:39:49
I think all of Jason's work is top-notch. I have one of his "early" resonator models (which i no longer play)... as well a relatively recent open-back addition, which i play near every day (#12295 - Claro Walnut).
Jason's aesthetic seems to be one of fashioning the instrument, not only to his customer's specifications... but primarily as an organic whole. It is obvious the head... and he uses's primarily skin... is the largest visual element and he harmonizes it to complement the wood and inlay work. He is meticulous in detail and also offers unique tailpieces, L-shoes... along with very cool wood selections.
I love the banjos that the other members have provided links... and anyone interested can go to his website and look at his galleries... as well as perhaps get ideas if they ever desire a custom.
The only other luthier i've dealt with is Colin Vance, who worked along side Jason when they were cutting their teeth at WildWood banjos in Arcata, CA. Colin is super and remains in that area (Blue Lake CA) and in fact... i have a 11" Dobson cooking as i type this... and he also stains his head, but not as dramatically as Romero.
Cheers!
Dogfeathers - Posted - 06/22/2012: 16:54:41
Flatlander,
If you liked Craig Evans interview, you may like this one too by Fretboard Journal.
vimeo.com/35964972
Dogfeathers
LEUllman - Posted - 06/22/2012: 23:34:50
My Romero originally had a stained calfskin head. (romerobanjos.com/08152/08152.html) I say "originally," because the head literally blew out with a huge bang when I tried to play near the end of a day at a blisteringly hot Summer Solstice festival. (The instrument had been on my back, in the sun, in a backpack gig bag for much of the day.) I replaced the beautiful skin with a Renaissance head, thinking this would be temporary until I could get Jason to send me a new skin. But you know what? The sun did me a favor. Two years down the road, I find I not only prefer the sound of the Ren head, but the instrument's tuning stability is vastly improved. This is a real issue when you don't capo and tune up and down between G and A/D; it's much faster and easier to change keys with the plastic head. The stained skin was beautiful, no doubt, and it did sound great. But I don't miss it at all.
Edited by - LEUllman on 06/22/2012 23:35:26
chadp - Posted - 06/23/2012: 06:36:49
quote:
Originally posted by LEUllman
My Romero originally had a stained calfskin head. (romerobanjos.com/08152/08152.html) I say "originally," because the head literally blew out with a huge bang when I tried to play near the end of a day at a blisteringly hot Summer Solstice festival. (The instrument had been on my back, in the sun, in a backpack gig bag for much of the day.) I replaced the beautiful skin with a Renaissance head, thinking this would be temporary until I could get Jason to send me a new skin. But you know what? The sun did me a favor. Two years down the road, I find I not only prefer the sound of the Ren head, but the instrument's tuning stability is vastly improved. This is a real issue when you don't capo and tune up and down between G and A/D; it's much faster and easier to change keys with the plastic head. The stained skin was beautiful, no doubt, and it did sound great. But I don't miss it at all.
why is that? because increasing string tension also increases downward pressure on the bridge, sagging into the skin more, thus throwing the strings you've already tuned, out of tune?
kenelk - Posted - 06/23/2012: 07:12:26
Interesting post from CHADP... i can certainly understand the logic: more stability with a synthetic (Renaissance) head versus the natural skin... less fluctuation with temperature/humidity changes.
Is there a trade-off with aesthetics versus functionality? Probably so... same with women (LOL)!
flatlander78 - Posted - 07/20/2012: 22:27:22
rudy- I actually bought both volumes from Craig and am anxiously awaiting the third where he interviews historians as well. So worth it. Thanks for all the amazing work Craig!
Dogfeathers- Thanks for the link. That's definitely one I hadn't seen before
LEUllman- I understand your logic with the hide vs ren head. If I only had one jo that I played I would definitely want something that was bang on consistent everytime I picked it up. That's why I have more than one, 2 with goat, 2 with ren, and 1 calf. It really does matter where you live because afterall the hide head is organic and will absord moisture and moisture will be drawn from it as the humidity changes. I seem to be pretty lucky that way in that the humidity stays pretty constant here year round. There are very slight fluctuations but nothing a little more or less tension on the head doesn't fix. But again, for overall consistency day in and day out ren all the way, for overall tone and 'depth' of sound all natural hide for this jo freak!
