bbanjoboy - Posted - 05/13/2013:  09:36:56

I mentioned this question a few months ago on another thread, but never did get any responses. Just wondering how/why the Stanleytones were made in the configuration that they were...

Point in question. Ralph is known mostly for playing his RB-2 and RB-5 banjos. Both of these were walnut and the 5 was his main banjo for many, many years. The 5 had it's own distinct marquetry & binding and unique 'fan' inlay on the peghead.

The Stanleytones were maple with Bela Voce inlay for the most part I guess.. At least mine did. I had #25, nickel plated for years. Bought it new in 1987.

The Stanleytones are exceptional banjos no doubt, but if you were trying to capture the great Stanley sound, wouldn't it have made more sense to make them walnut and have a wreath inlay?

Just wondering if anyone knows the reason behind this? Did Ralph actually participate/care about them or were they just 'money makers' for him and Frank? I would have thought Frank could have made them out of walnut just as inexpensively, given that most of the parts were Cox anyhow... Just curious...

mpope1178 - Posted - 05/13/2013:  11:16:03

I know in Steve Sparkman's instructional video that the first banjo Frank Neat made for Ralph was made of maple.  You can see this banjo in some You Tube clips of Ralph when Keith Whitley was singing (it was some kind of public television special).  This banjo had "Ralph Stanley" on the fingerboard.  In the Traveling the Highway home book Frank Neat relates that Ralph sold this banjo and then they decided to design and sell the Stanleytones. According to the book, Ralph's admonition was to make them as 'bright' as possible so my assumption is that they went with maple for that reason. I don't think the Stanleytones were meant to be an exact copy of Ralph's Style 5 but more to get the most Stanley sound out of a banjo.

ejimb0 - Posted - 05/13/2013:  11:37:19

I remember Ralph selling one of his 'Stanleytones' at a show in Portland Oregon. It was all new and shiny gold, I think he would play one at shows until he sold it. Really good marketing idea (He is of course Dr. Ralph ).

Why not walnut?  ...good question. I have a Robin Smith walnut neck on my style 2 and I love the way it sounds and plays. I think in simple marketing terms walnut is a hard sell. It kind of looks like mahogany ....which is generally thought of as  less expensive (and maybe less desirable) than expensive maple. I like walnut better than maple or mahogany.

Probably was easier to sell a maple banjo during a two hour show.

Julio B - Posted - 05/13/2013:  12:02:23

Somehow I doubt that the "wreath inlays" had a noticeable affect upon the sound.
~Julio

mpope1178 - Posted - 05/13/2013:  12:03:09

Now that I think about it, I think some of the later Stanleytones were made of walnut.

bbanjoboy - Posted - 05/14/2013:  07:38:21

Julio, I agree, inlays have no bearing on sound, but Ralph never played a Bela Voce, but almost exclusively wreath inlay. So who came up with the Bela Voce inlay. I remember asking Frank right after I purchased #25 what kind of inlay it was.. he said it was "just something I came up with".. now I guess he must have been referring to it saying "Ralph" on the headstock, because the rest of it was a direct Bela Voce copy.. I guess..anyhow,  you just would have thought it would have been wreath...

As far as "get the most Stanley sound out of a banjo".. that is my precise point. How can you get the most Stanley sound out of a maple banjo? To my ear, there is a distinct difference in sound between maple and walnut. If anything, maple is a more mellow tone, so how is this "more Stanley" ??? Ralph played almost exclusively walnut banjos until the Stanleytones came around. I'm wondering if Ralph just asked Frank to build the banjos with little or no regard to the type of wood being used. Frank might not have even considered walnut since most players prefer maple and as stated earlier, walnut might have been a 'harder' sell...

Steve and I are good friends although I haven't spoken with him in a while. I'm going to Coeburn this year so I just might have to ask him his thoughts..

steve davis - Posted - 05/14/2013:  08:15:19

Jimmy Cox might know something of these matters.

Edited by - steve davis on 05/14/2013 08:16:45

DHutchens - Posted - 05/14/2013:  17:39:25

Frank and Ralph worked out the details on the first litter of instruments;  there were to be 50 gold and 100 nickel....; after that batch ran its course they came up with another configuration/inlay/wood/plating for the next Limited Edition.....  The first group were all maple laminated necks, and after that he used a different combination of wood/inlay/plating for that run......I've lost track of how many editions have been produced, but they are consecutively numbered and most taken on the road and used by Ralph for a while and then offered for sale..

There is not a more reputable and competent builder that Frank Neat...... Ralph wanted some banjo's to sell on the road.... He could not have gone to a better person to do it..... After All Sonny has gone there too...... And Both of them are still doing business with Frank..........(Ralph's archtop tone comes through the way he wants them...... Sonny's Flat Heads suit him.......  Frank must be doing things right :) )   Franks fairness/quality/and integrity are not to be questioned.....  He is the best of the best...recreating yesteryear or creating tomorrow.....

Edited by - DHutchens on 05/14/2013 17:41:54

steve davis - Posted - 05/14/2013:  18:32:01

Jimmy Cox and Frank Neat have collaborated for a long time.