What is the "best" combination you've come up with for a pre-war conversion banjo?

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Gibson Conversion Conversationalists Unltd.

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The purpose of this group is neither to condemn or condone the conversion banjos of Gibson manufacture but share them to all!

180 Members, Created 1/26/2011 -

Administrators: plunka5 (owner) , Arthur Hatfield , banjodr , Bill-in-NC , bryantde , flatthead , revellfa

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From plunka5 on 2/26/2011 3:01:15 PM

So what is the best "combo" you've come up with for a pre-war conversion five-string banjo? Is it a McPeake flathead tone ring, style 11 pot, Frank Neat neck? A Dannick 20 hole flathead gold-plated, style 1 pot, with an Arthur Hatfield neck? A Huber HR-30 20 hole flathead tone ring un-plated in a style 2 pot, with a Ronnie Bales walnut FE neck? Come on, let the secret out and post pics of your "pride and joy".....we wanna see!!!!

7 Comments
	Bill-in-NC says: 2/26/2011 3:49:53 PM I have used them all and they all have their strengths, but the best conversion that I have ever done just slipped out of my hands last weekend at the Joe Val festival. I had it for sale here on the hangout for the week prior to the festival. At any rate it's gone now. It started life as only a rim and resonator from a 1929 TB3 2 piece flange. I'd bought it to convert for one of my customers but he ended up buying another banjo from me before I could get this one done. I turned the rim and used all pre-war 1 piece flage hardware and a Dannick no-hole tone ring. I wanted old wood for the neck so I converted a 1954 RB100 neck to a nice wreath neck that felt great. I re-skinned the resonator in mahogany and finished the whole thing to match my pre-war style 3. This was the best that I have had of the conversion banjos. I'm working on a couple of 11s now, so we'll see...Bill
	plunka5 says: 2/27/2011 7:48:30 AM Bill, I wished I could have bought that style 3 from you...it sounded like a "monster" in the making...Hope the new owner will post some sound clips!
	uncledelphi says: 3/2/2011 4:51:38 AM The best conversion I ever played was at Arthur Hatfield's shop. It was a converted diamond-flange TB-1. It had been upgraded to a one-piece flange, and had a Huber vintage tonering and a mahogany conversion neck. I wish I could afford to buy that banjo!
	steve davis says: 3/21/2011 6:00:46 AM I haven't played very many banjos,but I really like the way that my opf tb2 converted. Nicely figured 4 lug walnut resonator in great shape and a brand-new looking rim. Jimmy and Adam Cox did the converting and I couldn't be happier with any other banjo in the world.
	Wes Lassiter says: 4/5/2011 12:16:28 PM I am enjoying my TB II conversion. It was converted 30 years ago and a vintage Huber ring added a few years back. I just love the banjo and all its great tone. My neck was made by a guy from california named Larry Cohea 30 years ago. It is still an amazing neck. I feel fortunate and blessed to own such a great instrument
	snuffdipper says: 5/24/2012 10:00:52 AM Down through the years I have converted every model prewar gibson except the top tensions. Many have made great banjos but the 1935 style 3 that is my main banjo now is the best I've found for my taste. Its all original except the new neck and a Hopkins conversion ring. ( I would rather keep original than cut). My other banjos I keep as archtops and enjoy as such but the old 3 is the one I go to the biggest part of the time......snuffdipper
aroundart says: 9/18/2012 10:31:12 AM I've got a 1928 style 4 with a Randy Wood neck made in 1969. It has Mitchel tone ring mate installed in the original 40 hole archtop ring and sounds like Earl when somebody who plays like Earl plays it--not I, unfortunately!!
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