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Helix

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HeliX Banjo Rims (TM) Since 2007

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Visit www.helixbanjos.com

The Helix rim is just like a shower curtain hung from a curtain rod, Amber Waves of Grain, an 8 panel curtain cut at a 45.

My rim is called a 'build up'. It's like a barber pole, a wagon wheel, a stained glass window arc, thus Helix, an ancient Roman Arch. The music goes down away from the tone ring at a 45 degree angle. The Helix rim is a true 75% solid hardwood rim, the neck mounts through solid wood, we alone do that, and the virtual depth is 4.25". It's an 8-block octagon rim, and has a characteristic and unique optical illusion, an octagonal cylinder 3" high. Like a lighthouse.

Helix rims are 8 solid blocks from top to bottom with only 8 joints reinforced by 8 glueblocks cut from the ends of each block. Simple, strong, gorgeous rims that 'luminesce.' There is Chatoyance "Like a Cat's Eye" the light shows where the music will go .They vibrate cleanly, the rim now sings.

I love the traditions, I Iove to innovate

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www.helixbanjos.com
Playing Since: 1962
Experience Level: Expert/Professional

Interests:
[Teaching] [Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]

Occupation: Banjo player/banjo rim builder//songwriter/musician

Gender: Male
My Instruments:
Helix Hurricane #001 - Curly Maple 8-Block Octagon Rim, Longneck, Open Back 7 lbs.

Helix Midnight Zephyr #001 - Black Walnut 8-Block Octagon Rim, Longneck, Bluegrass Flathead 8lbs.

Helix Monarch #003 - Chestnut 8-block Octagon rim, Longneck - Open Back - 7 lbs.

Helix Jackrabbit #001 - Bamboo 8-block Octagon rim and neck, Open Back- 5 lbs.

Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Flatt & Scruggs, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, Fred Starner, John Hartford, Peter Mclaughlin, Josh Tharp, The Dillards, The Osbornes, JD Crowe, Kentucky Colonels, THE Country Gentlemen, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Mike Seeger, Erik Darling, Dave Guard, Jon Stewart, Ken Perlman AND any Czechoslovakian or Siberian Youths who played old-time, clawhammer, double-thumbing or bluegrass banjo music in the face of tyranny and helped bring down the Soviet Union with the music that kills death, itself. There's a band in England who has death locked up in a box of mice in the backyard. He hates mice.

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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 8/30/2006
Last Visit 10/14/2024

I played in the "Minutemen" in 62. We made our own banjo, a longneck with a masonite rim and a 2x4 neck with HO railroad track frets. By 64 I was in the Army in Germany. I played at the JamPot60 in Darmstadt. In 76 I played in a progressive songwriters' folk rock band. In 86 I moved to Phoenix and continued my parallel work with disabled adults I was a job developer placing disabled adults in gainful employment. I contracted with RSA in Arizona from 1990-96. I worked at the homeless shelter as a job developer for the next 3-1/2 years. I enjoy working with work station mods, adaptive equipment and jigs and fixtures. I made the first HeliX (TM) rims in 2006. I have been a volunteer and member of the Board of Directors of a non-profit acoustic music showcase in Phoenix called Fiddlers Dream. www.fiddlersdream.org Periodically, I contribute with the New Phoenix Strugglers in providing benefit derived funds for Fisher House a non-profit .org that helps combat wounded veteran's families relocate and live nearby their loved ones while in rehabilitation.