Question regarding bacophone + and WL tone rings

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Bart Reiter Banjos

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From Ohio Senator on 1/22/2015 8:10:19 AM

Hi all,

So, looking at the WL ring Bart uses (presumably from Stew Mac) and the swap put option with a Bacon, I noticed that the tone rod in both is actually steel, and from some pics online the steel rod is not even soldered together to form a complete hoop.

I assumed it would be brass and kind of wondering why not (and why not take the time to solder it into a hoop, too)? A brass rod is only around $35 from Stew Mac while both WL and Bacon assemblies are around $125. Wouldn't you want a brass rod in there for more bell like tone? Seems to me steel would have less acoustic properties... And the scalloped portion of the WL is brass... as is the sleeve, so what gives?

Anyone mix an match these parts up in such a way to make a full brass bacophone +?

Thanks in advance... just generally speculating here...

4 Comments
	Ohio Senator says: 1/22/2015 8:14:39 AM Links to Stew Mac: WL-http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Banjo/Tone_Rings/Five-Star_Whyte_Laydie_Tone_Ring.html Bacon-http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Banjo/Tone_Rings/Five-Star_Bacon_FF_Tone_Ring.html
	Ohio Senator says: 1/22/2015 8:17:58 AM Links to Stew Mac: WL-http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Banjo/Tone_Rings/Five-Star_Whyte_Laydie_Tone_Ring.html Bacon-http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Banjo/Tone_Rings/Five-Star_Bacon_FF_Tone_Ring.html
	banjobart says: 1/25/2015 7:59:01 AM I think that Stew-Mac chose steel for the top rod in keeping with the original Fairbanks-Vega design.
	Ohio Senator says: 1/25/2015 9:47:36 AM Aha.... okay that makes sense. Though the Bacon spun sleeve was originally without a rod underneath it historically, I think. Whats funny is the two rings are the same price on Stew Mac, but the WL is a full half pound heavier... Also strange is the simple brass rod from Stew Mac is .273 vs .250 for the steel rod in these tone rings, so they aren't interchangeable. At any rate, I've already ordered the Bacon from SM, lol. Enjoying the new (used) Galax I've picked up and looking forward to hot rodding it. Thanks much, Bart.
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