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The vast majority of the people on this site would cut the rim for a flathead ring IF they owned a prewar OPF 40-hole TB or PB Granada
Edited by - 1xsculler on 01/28/2022 14:37:02
Maybe not, I'd try a conversion ring before I would cut it. But if you decide to do so, that's totally up to you. I don't look down on anyone that cuts the rim. My wife would say, it's only wood and metal. I haven't been around a good prewar sound to know the difference.
There's a significant number of us who would sell it, buy a top end Vega or Bacon and spend the change on a luxury vacation.
I doubt it
BHO is currently not what it used to be
I think Old Time style players out number the Bluegrass
crowd.
Everett
I wouldn’t know the difference either but I originally bought this banjo (style 4, OPF) for almost nothing and planned to cut the rim but didn’t have the stomach for it so I sold it for fair market value. Now I bought it back for the same price planning on cutting it but find myself running into the same problem. It seems pretty stupid but I don’t like the sound of a raised head and I really enjoy banjo mechanics. I could go with a conversion ring but have a strong desire to get as close to a prewar flathead as I will ever get just for personal satisfaction.
Which ring to buy is my biggest question.
IF I had any balls and I could talk my way out of a divorce I would buy the All American at Carters.
It still would not be an original PW FH 5.
You may end up disappointed ,not satisfied,
Or still curious.
Good luck
Everett
quote:
Originally posted by 1xscullerThe vast majority of the people on this site would cut the rim for a flathead ring IF they owned a prewar OPF 40-hole Granada
"Yes" or "No"
No, but I like an arch top.
Edited by - Flatiron53 on 01/28/2022 09:56:41
I'm going to say no. I've been pretty open about my feelings on cutting old rims. Aside from that, if my only options are Gibson flathead or archtop, I go archtop everytime.
Edited by - Nic Pennsylvania on 01/28/2022 10:38:56
Are u asking or stating ??
If stating , your sources are not accurate . It's an individual decision & there is NO WAY to know what EVERYONE will do .
I'm in the "don't cut the rim" camp.
Like Nic Pennsylvania, I'm an archtop fan.
I'm no expert on the "pre-war" sound, but I would imagine that a conversion ring would sound about the same as cutting the rim for some "designer ring", and as OD pointed out, still won't be a "real" prewar FH
I always liked the "pre-war" sound of Ralph Stanley's Style 5...oh yeah...it was an archtop! 
Absolutely not.
I always appreciate the perspective I get from you guys.
Jim Britton has sold one that he had a Huber conversion tone ring in it and it sounded great! That way you can convert back with no damage done. I'm still convinced that the sound is more in the picker than about anything. I've played some Gibson's my friends had and I didn't think they sounded good at all until I picked on them. I don't claim to be that good of a picker but I saw then that the owners were not bringing out the volume, sound or tone the banjo had until I tried them. The player has a lot to do with it! Everything Jim Britton plays sounds amazing for the banjos he sells here on the BHO! His user name here is Ceres Banjo Works. He sells quite often and has some listed now.
Edited by - roydsjr on 01/28/2022 11:31:41
My answer would be no.
Although I do not see much on the market at this moment, plenty have already been cut and converted. Wait a little while, and one will turn up.
A practical reason for "no" that you might want to consider: The nature of the market is changing. The market value for uncut archtops with their original tone rings has been going up steadily for a while now. We are now at the point where to cut a rim and install a modern tone ring will de-value the instrument. By the time you pay for the conversion, you may very well have more money in it than the converted banjo will be worth.
And I could be wrong, but I don't believe that many people are cutting pre-war Granada banjos anymore.
Much as I'd like a flat head OPF old Granada, I would not cut the rim of an arch top. I would try a good quality no-cut conversion ring, yes.
But I expect there are plenty who would do it.
I should mention that I was referring to a conversion tone ring that you don't change the rim in any way. That would swap out with no modifications to the rim. Again, I'm not trying to change your mind about cutting the rim but offering the options.
No, because the majority of the subscribers to this site wouldn't know how or why to do that. In fact, the majority of the people on this site wouldn't know a prewar OPF 40-hole Granada if it hit them on the head. Which would undoubtably hurt. A lot.
No. Because if they understand about the desirability of a prewar Granada flathead, they also know that a new flathead ring on a cut-down archtop is not the same—not at all. The possible exception? That person also owns an orphan prewar flathead ring to go on the cut-down shell.
it would be very very hard for me to do that to a OPF granada. and today with these conversion no cut rings its pretty much an easy decision. since there so many more sub mastertone models made ,, cutting any AT "mastertone" would be hard to do.
quote:
Originally posted by Bill RogersNo. Because if they understand about the desirability of a prewar Granada flathead, they also know that a new flathead ring on a cut-down archtop is not the same—not at all. The possible exception? That person also owns an orphan prewar flathead ring to go on the cut-down shell.
One must wonder how in the heck the highly coveted pre-WWII flathead tone rings even become "orphaned" in the first place....
I would not cut any pre war Mastertone Rim and not most post war Mastertone rims unless I somehow acquired a 100% Provenance guaranteed pre war Mastertone flat head ring. I would use a conversion ring or play as is.
OTOH, I would cut a sub Mastertone rim as no one really wants them enough to pay a decent price.
No ..... the majority would not!
I have to address Fathand above.
So at this point no one is paying a decent price for an original post 1929 RB-1, or RB-II, or a RB-2? Last time I tried to acquire any of these instruments in their all original configuration, they were all over 8-10K. And that was a number of years ago.
Anything that says Gibson now gets a premium.
quote:
Originally posted by Alvin ConderI have to address Fathand above.
So at this point no one is paying a decent price for an original post 1929 RB-1, or RB-II, or a RB-2? Last time I tried to acquire any of these instruments in their all original configuration, they were all over 8-10K. And that was a number of years ago.
Anything that says Gibson now gets a premium.
Think he's referring to TB conversions
if it sounds good to you ,,play it as is,, if it don't do what you want too with it,,you paid for it. this topic has been thrashed out so many times on here. but remember if you are talking neck and ring thats a couple of grand right there. will you get your money back if you sell ? is it a keeper ? and you don't know how it will sound until its done. if it don't twang your bud your in to it deep.
nearly ANY original gibson 5 STRING banjo is going to be very expensive ,,just for the fact so few were made.
the burning question for me is : how many or what percent pre war banjos were made in the 5 string configuration. back in those days before bluegrass was even known about ,, i would think not many.
Edited by - 1935tb-11 on 01/28/2022 14:19:37
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