CrackerJo - Posted - 01/24/2018:  19:27:33

Looking for some advice here. I have two of Barts' banjos with a third one on the way. I have the standard and A scale model. The one I ordered is his Buckbee, which I requested, not to be scooped. As everyone knows, all three models come with a rolled brass tone ring.
I'm looking for a little diversity in tone rings, not wanting to part with any of them I currently have on hand.
Is it possible to have my standard model refitted with a Dobson tone ring?
I know Bart now offers his Dobaphone model. But I would rather keep my standard for sentimental reasons.

rubicon - Posted - 01/24/2018:  20:40:28

You can order a Dobson tone ring from Bill Rickard and it will fit right over the brass rod you may have to adjust bridge height but I would say you'll be fine . I have a Dobson the brass rod is underneath it I have played it without the Dobson ring and it's fine just my opinion .

banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/24/2018:  20:41:41

Just ask Bart!

banjobart - Posted - 01/25/2018:  06:03:20

There would need to be a ledge routed on the top of the rim to clear the Dobson spinning.

CrackerJo - Posted - 01/25/2018:  08:40:42

quote:

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Originally posted by banjobart

There would need to be a ledge routed on the top of the rim to clear the Dobson spinning.

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I know your a pretty busy guy. Is this something that you would do?

banjobart - Posted - 01/25/2018:  10:26:16

I am sorry but I do not wish to take that on. It is easy to do for an experienced person but I do not want to disrupt my work flow. Your best bet is to sell one banjo and buy another or trade it in for another.

There is still time for you do change your order for a Buckbee with 22 frets to a Dobaphone with 22 frets. You have a week to decide then I will have scooped the 25 necks in the present batch.

Pine Cone - Posted - 01/25/2018:  20:03:14

Bill Rickard's shop might be willing to machine your rim (for a fee) so you could make an enquiry to them.

I just used a rasp to cut a relief in two rims that I put Rickard Dobson rings on in the past. Takes less than an hour, and not too scarey if you are used to working with wood.

CrackerJo - Posted - 01/26/2018:  04:49:02

Thanks for the advice. I don't work well with wood. I would hate to destroy a good rim. I'm going to follow Bart's advice and probably sell the A scale.

jbalch - Posted - 01/26/2018:  05:28:47

I may have inadvertently contributed to misconceptions about adding Rickard Dobson tone rings to Reiter banjos.

Years ago, I posted images of my installing Rickard Dobson rings on a few very unusual Reiter banjos from the early 1990s. It worked very well on those specific non-standard instruments which were from a very limited run of 12" internal resonator models that Bart made in 1993. On those banjos, Bart used drum shell material to form the outer rims. That drum shell rim is actually 11 7/8" outside diameter (not full 12"). It happens that Rickard's 12" Dobson rings are made to fit an 11 7/8" size. So on those banjos it was an easy installation - with no modification. Those images are linked below.

Rickard Tone Ring - added to RARE Reiter 12" IR banjo

But as Bart explained, Rickard's 11 7/8" Dobson rings do not fit a standard production - full diameter - 12" rim without a rabbet cut in the top.  The same is true of Rickard's so-called 11" Dobson rings (which are actually 10 7/8"). 

Edited by - jbalch on 01/26/2018 05:38:34