w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  09:29:51

hey i have seen on line that huber isnt making there vintage series anymore. Is that true?

Craig_B - Posted - 12/08/2015:  09:37:11

I don't know, they seem to still be on the company's website.

I had a chance to play a VRB-G Truetone on consignment at Elderly on black Friday, and I have to say I was disappointed. It sounded hollow to me, lacking body and growl. Kind of like it was down a well. I thought the less expensive Deering Sierras all had better tone. Might have just been me, or it might have been a bad sample.

Lester Crowe - Posted - 12/08/2015:  10:20:25

Set up is key to any banjo sounding it's best, no matter the brand. Pulling a used banjo off the wall at a music store is hit or miss at best. If the instrument was on consignment I doubt any of Elderly's techs had touched it.

pappy c - Posted - 12/08/2015:  10:23:21

I have a VRBG and it is great, I like more than any banjo I have owned, to include a prewar Gibson. I have not heard anything about stopping production on the vintage series. Talked to Steve last week and he did not mention it.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  10:34:14

Lester I have heard that they sound hollow.. im not saying there a bad banjo but im more of a mahogany type do you know much about the vrb-3

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  10:36:50

soory I meant Craig B and thank you guys for the help im no expert

pappy c - Posted - 12/08/2015:  11:07:25

I believe you would have to hear the particular banjo before making a good judgement. Before I purchased my Huber VRB-G, I played several different banjos. I had a Gibson RB3. When judging sound, some of the HUbers sounded great and some were just OK. Even saying that, I believe a good set-up would have helped. Best advice: you have to please your ear....all banjos are different and all banjo players hear a bit different. The mahogany is different than the maple.

The Gibson Man - Posted - 12/08/2015:  11:20:41

Buy a Huber if your looking for a banjo that looks like a prewar Gibson thats about it. I know I'm going to get ripped and so forth but every Huber I have played sounded hollow with nothing behind it and the latest truetone rim and ring....marketing hype. My experience with Huber banjo's went like this....I ordered and paid for a Lancaster with the truetone rim and ring...blah blah. Well something came up and I had to cancel my order, which they did but they told me they had to sell the banjo first before they would refund my money and the funny thing is the damn thing hadn't even been built. I eventually got my money back and no hard feelings. But thank goodness I didn't get stuck with a souvenir.

Randy Dishmon - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:03:34

My experience with Huber...both the guy and the banjo he makes has been nothing short of wonderful.  He is not only someone I consider a friend...he's also only guy I trust to do work his best work all the time on my banjos.  He signs his work with excellence - something my grandfather told me to do 100 times.

Banjov1 - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:08:13

Love Hubers... I have yet to hear even a mediocre sounding Huber. As already noted, so much of the sound is reliant on a decent setup. If you put a bad bridge on it, the wrong head, make the head too loose or too tight, dull the slots on the bridge or nut... you can probably make any banjo sound cruddy. 

I've heard some banjos that were obviously not setup correctly, but I've never felt the need to post about it and degrade the entire banjo brand.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:10:08

Ya I agree with you pappy c its just hard because I live in Wyoming.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:24:48

So what Huber would you guys prefer.

910banjo1 - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:36:26

All of us will never like the same thing, banjos included. And as Lester Crowe mentioned set-up is key. Like many on the hangout, I have had over a dozen high-end banjos - Stelling, Yates, Gibson, Ome, Hatfield - all nice instruments, some great sounding. I recently became the owner of a Huber Truetone Berkshire (maple) and the tone is incredible. It's hard to compare a bunch of banjos owned over a span of time, but I don't remember picking anything that sounds this good. The tone is clear and "clean" without the unwanted overtones - plenty of depth and the 4th string is awesome. Not to mention the superb craftsmanship. There is something different about this banjo! We all like different things, but I can't imagine many banjo players not liking a Huber banjo that is properly set-up.

pappy c - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:36:33

Wedge-Fit Man, I am sure the bad experience left you a bit "hollow", but I am sure that before the bad experience you were not purchasing (@ $4000) a "hollow" sounding Lancaster. I really hate that you had such a bad experience. I would not think of ripping you for your comments on the experience. One time is all it takes to really put a customer off and I get it. Personally, I have had nothing but great experiences while dealing with Huber. I believe that all innovation is a bit of market hype...I will defend the product though. It is a quality instrument.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:38:53

ok thank you 910banjo1 and what does different woods on banjos is it just for looks or is its sound

banjoez - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:41:24

I hope this doesn't become a pile on Huber thread because he does make the closest thing to a  prewar spec banjo there is. My experience with the sound has been mixed like several have already mentioned. First off, I really like Huber tone rings. They sound crisp and clean with few overtones and are hard to beat when setup properly. His banjos are beautiful and incredibly well built, however,  the ones I have played (and they include both the Vintage series and Truetones) seemed to be setup really tubby to my ear with lack of volume. Unfortunately, they weren't my banjos to tinker with so I had to play them as is. That seems to be the way they are setup from the shop and I don't understand why. I would imagine once they are tightened up a bit they would really crank but I haven't been able to confirm that.

Edited by - banjoez on 12/08/2015 12:56:17

pappy c - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:51:01

w12Chase12w, I believe if you know what model you want, you could call Steve Huber at Huber Banjos and talk with him about it. I know he will not sell you a banjo that you would be dissatisfied with. I am sure he would make sure that you were receiving an instrument that you could be proud of and he could be proud of. It would help if you are good with set-up or know someone that is if you had one shipped to you. Steve really does take great pride in having his name on the peg head and would never want an inferior product out in the world with his name on it. Maybe give him a call and see what he says.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  12:55:45

ok thanks pappy c

Bowtieguy - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:00:16

I love my huber bow tie. I originally was going to buy the vrbg but after playing the classic 58 there was no other option.

The Gibson Man - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:00:22

I will say this if you can get that a new HR-30 ring set up correctly it does sound good. I played Greg Cahills Gibson with that new ring from Huber and damn did it sound good but I'm not Greg C. I really wonder if the instrument picks the player. What I mean is I never played a Stelling and I constantly heard that they were so loud and would peel the paint off the barn and so forth so I never tried one as I thought I was following good advice and Stelling as you all know are not cheap but when I played a Crusader I couldn't believe it...it was beautiful and I was able to really pull great tone out of the banjo after sitting with it for about 10 minutes and the rest is history. Now vice versa with the Huber, he has had alot of great players endorse his instruments and how could you go wrong with one until I played a VRB-75 at SPBGMA and came away very dissapointed. I then played one at morgan music...again dissapointed and Down Home Guitars and just didn't mate to it or it didn't mate to me...to bad as they are very sexy banjo's.

910banjo1 - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:03:20

quote:

---

Originally posted by w12chase12w

 

ok thank you 910banjo1 and what does different woods on banjos is it just for looks or is its sound

---

The subject of wood types, instrument building and tone is very broad.  There is tons of info and opinions on this site about it.  Look under Forum search.  Most will agree maple will often yield a brighter, crisp tone and mahogany produces a warmer tone, with walnut being somewhere in between.  But these are generalizations and set-up can change this.  A maple banjo with a loose head, thick bridge, and heavy gauge strings may very well not sound as bright/crisp as a mahogany banjo with a thin bridge, tight head, and light strings.  A lot of variables.  You have to experiment and discover what you like - that's the fun part!

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:05:27

ok 910banjo1 what type of wood do you prefer?

Craig_B - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:09:33

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banjov1

 

Love Hubers... I have yet to hear even a mediocre sounding Huber. As already noted, so much of the sound is reliant on a decent setup. If you put a bad bridge on it, the wrong head, make the head too loose or too tight, dull the slots on the bridge or nut... you can probably make any banjo sound cruddy. 

I've heard some banjos that were obviously not setup correctly, but I've never felt the need to post about it and degrade the entire banjo brand.

---

I believe I degraded one banjo. I freely admit that it might have needed some setup attention, and maybe with that attention it might have sounded stellar, but I would have expected its owner (if not Elderly) would have done all they could to present it in the best light (sound) possible in order to encourage a quick sale.

910banjo1 - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:28:35

To be honest, I am not so sure that I have a preference. If you are looking to find a banjer that suits you I would just play as many as you can.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/08/2015:  13:34:58

ok

The Old Timer - Posted - 12/10/2015:  18:33:57

At IBMA 2013 I sat in the Huber booth and played either three or four style 3/75 mahogany Truetones. Of course, they all sounded "slightly" different to me as the picker! So you can't just say "I want mahogany". I also played some nickel and gold maple wood Hubers that sounded terrific. All seemed to be set up as close to "the same" as one might expect. Perhaps the most interesting one is the early 1940s "floor sweep" style 75 combining mahogany resonator with maple neck!

I wouldn't characterize any of the new banjos I played that day as "hollow". They might have had a bit more of the modern "crack" and "ring" to them than I would personally set up. I like the "warmer" tone of Earl's 1960s recorded sound, however that was done. But I don't set my banjos up to sound like lightning striking. But just listen to the new recordings over Sirius/XM, the modern preference is for BANGING loud sound.

All the Hubers that day were GORGEOUSLY made. Really stunning.

w12chase12w - Posted - 12/10/2015:  18:45:32

Ok thanks the old timer

pjgent - Posted - 12/11/2015:  10:17:52

I am a "new" banjo player. I recently bought a Huber Workhorse. To my admittedly inexperienced ears it sounds great, especially after the local shop set it up for me. It sounded good before the "setup", great after.

double E - Posted - 12/11/2015:  19:00:49

I hate to repeat comments I have made on here before,but. I am no pro player but used to play a good bit. I have been blessed to own a good number of high end instruments and banjos. I currently have two converted 1 piece flange Gibsons. A 29' and a 38' TB-1. I own an early model VRB3 Wreath that I fell in love with the first time I played it. It's a Truetone but early enough it has an unstamped prototype rim, when Steve was first working on them. For the record I had a Lancaster before this one. This Truetone is the only banjo I have ever owned that I didn't feel the need to tear apart and tinker with. Other than the bridge its still as it was the day I bought it new. I always said if I got a second prewar it would sell it. I did about a year ago but so far I havent been able to bring myself to do that. Some of my friends like the Huber better than the Gibsons. They all three sound a little different, and the prewars have that "edge" to them. But the Huber Truetones are pretty awesome in my opinion, and I have not played a bad one. There are some old sound clips on my home page from when the Huber was brand new. And some tunes from a CD recording I did with my cousin, also when it was new, if anyone wants to kinda' compare.  EE

saltcreek - Posted - 12/12/2015:  20:32:37

Ive always been a Stelling kind of guy but that being said I just aquired a 2015 VRB3 and it is a smokin banjo in every way.

Scout70 - Posted - 12/13/2015:  06:50:57

If the banjo sounds "hollow," another possibility is that the set-up is dead on, but, your hearing and your brains processing is defective. See a doctor asap. 

I bought a Huber Kalamazoo two years ago and questioned whether I did the right thing because the sound was not to my liking. But, once I got the set up dialed in, the banjo came alive. It probably takes a good six months of playing a new banjo to get it "played in."

I have 12 banjos all top brands. But, the Huber has the sound and playability I love best.

My dad used to say the the problem with the car "is the nut behind the wheel." That is probably the case with the "hollow" crowd.

darylearl - Posted - 12/13/2015:  08:53:57

I have a 2014 Huber Roanoke Truetone (Walnut) and it's a fantastic banjo.  The sound is warm and powerful all over the neck.  I did notice that about 3 weeks after getting it the sound started getting tubby and "hollow".  I checked the head tension and, sure enough, the tap note had changed from G# to G.  Apparently, the new head was stretching out.  I brought it back to G# and the great tone was back.  BTW, the workmanship on this banjo is outstanding.

Craig_B - Posted - 12/15/2015:  05:27:16

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scout70

 

If the banjo sounds "hollow," another possibility is that the set-up is dead on, but, your hearing and your brains processing is defective. See a doctor asap. 

 

 

 

---

Gosh, that's funny.

Majorbanjo - Posted - 12/17/2015:  18:43:34

I've owned 5 huber banjos.........VRB3 wreath, Lancaster, Lexington, Kalamazoo, and a Mills......they were all great banjos.....wish I had kept the Mills and the VRB3.....those two I'd put up against any recently made banjo I've ever played....I've also owned a truck load of prewar banjos...and like the prewar banjos.....they all sound different.....get out and play them......you'll find the one....I know I did.....

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 03/13/2016:  17:36:11

I really like my Truetone Workhorse! Ever since the new head stretched, it has been stable, consistent and strong to the last fret. I just tune it up and play (and periodically change strings). I know the sound I like, and this is it. I am surprised there is not more recent discussion regarding these Workhorse banjos, but I guess there is only so much to say. The value is incredible.

RB3WREATH - Posted - 03/14/2016:  03:11:07

Huber banjos are fantastic, the care and effort Steve puts forth is relentless. Steve has done more to help revive high quality banjo making in the 21st century. When I read posts about a banjo hanging on a wall that sounded bad then I know the person posting has no clue about how much setup effects the tone of a banjo. You can turn the coordinator rod nut closest to the head from hand tight and move it 1/4" and totally change the tone of the banjo. A bridge will effect the tone as much or more than a different tone ring Huber's are beautiful banjos and they all have what it takes to find the sweet spot for any player when set up to their taste

Joe 

Aradobanjo - Posted - 03/14/2016:  04:57:56

Hello,

A banjo is so full of surprises. But, what many of us miss is what it can become. This has its limits. It cannot become like our favorite guitar player's instrument. It cannot become our favorite banjo player's instrument. What it can become is our instrument. Use the placebo, put a sock/sponge in it. Listen to Ron Block recordings. He plays Huber banjos exclusively. Then reassess this banjo.

double E - Posted - 03/14/2016:  12:40:25

This is my VRB3 thats in the classifieds. I really love this banjo and dont think it sounds "hollow" at all. Set up is a lot on a banjo. This one is on HOLD right now. What do you guys think?  EE



youtu.be/jtzRjsS582s   

Edited by - double E on 03/14/2016 12:45:10

RoofBolt75 - Posted - 03/14/2016:  15:54:28

Double E, that is a great price on a proven instrument! You even recorded with it. Someone is going to get a seasoned VRB3 Wreath Truetone at a great price!

I agree with you. I definitely prefer patina over shiny metal or a clean head.  Provides character!

Edited by - RoofBolt75 on 03/14/2016 16:01:04