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Originally posted by Paul Roberts

Amazing Grace How Sweet the Sound

The reason I have ten Banjo Bolsters, is that I have several banjos. Plus, sound-chaser that I am, I need lots of them. My normal scenario is using two Bolsters in every pot. Using two bolsters, one in each half of the circumference, makes all of my banjos more sweet-sounding; revolutionizing their voices in ways I find most appealing.

I simply cannot overstate the ingeniousness of this sonic transformer. Time and time again, banjos whose tone I'd grown weary of, have been profoundly reborn in gorgeous ways by using Banjo Bolsters. I've spent more than six decades trying everything else under the sun to achieve the magical sound I can easily get with the Banjo Bolster. In sixty years I've been into banjos, nothing else has ever come close to the Banjo Bolster, to sonically beautify the sound.

Thank you, Ric and Deb, for bringing my banjos back to life. The tones I can now pull out of my banjos has a distinctly rejuvenating effect on my mind-body-spirit. I'm forever grateful to you for your unique contribution to the world of sound. Your generosity in offering this life-changing device at such a negligible fee (including your guarantee), speaks volumes about your integrity and dedication.

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Thank you Paul! 

Banjo Bolsters enhance the sonic superpower of a banjo.

Ever since the Banjo Bolster became such a significant influence on tone color, there has been a steep decline in banjo jokes. Merely coincidence? Or, are the gorgeous tones that we're now able to produce, having a rippling effect in human consciousness; a synchronistic side benefit?

I gauge my connection with music in terms of the degree to which I'm able to merge into a meditative state while playing. That's my gold standard. That's why I no longer enter the sonic musical universe without two Banjo Bolsters nesting in the 360 degree circumferences of all my rims.

Exciting News!!!

Deb and I have teamed up with Pisgah Banjos to create four custom Banjo Bolster sizes, designed to perfectly match Pisgah's unique lineup of rim thickness and sizes.  Each Banjo Bolster proudly presents the awesome Pisgah logo on one end and our Banjo Bolster logo on the other. If you're a Pisgah banjo owner, please check them out here.
 

Here are some excerpts from Patrick's recent blog post on pisgahbanjos.com:

"As a banjo builder, I spend a lot of time thinking about tone. Wood choice, rim depth, tone ring combinations, head tension—every element plays a role in shaping the voice of an instrument. And while I’m proud of the banjos we build at Pisgah, I’m always looking for ways to help players get even more out of them.

That’s why I want to talk about a small but powerful upgrade that I believe every Pisgah banjo owner should consider: the Banjo Bolster.

Designed by Ric and Deb Hollander, the Banjo Bolster is a thoughtfully engineered tone enhancer that rests snugly between the dowel stick and the rim—and here’s the most important part: it never touches the head.

That alone sets it apart. This is the only product on the market that offers this kind of tone control without interfering with the banjo head itself. Unlike tone-dampening products that rest directly on the head—often muting the instrument, deadening the response, and distorting the banjo’s natural voice—the Banjo Bolster takes a different approach. It respects the head’s natural vibrations, working in harmony with them rather than suppressing them. The result is a clearer, more articulate sound, as it gently tames excess overtones without sacrificing the banjo’s true character.

It’s not a mute, and it doesn’t kill resonance. Instead, it subtly reduces unwanted overtones, tightens up sustain, and adds warmth and focus to the overall tone. It’s like adding a fine-tuned EQ filter inside the pot—without losing the soul of the instrument.

Now, when I first held one in my hands, I was honestly shocked. As someone who works with quality materials every day, I could instantly tell this was a well-crafted, high-integrity product. Every Banjo Bolster is made from all American-made materials and sewn with high-quality European thread. That attention to detail is rare, especially at this price point. This isn’t some mass-produced accessory—it’s hand-built with care one at a time, and it shows.

The even better news? Pisgah Banjos has officially partnered with Ric and Deb to create four custom Banjo Bolster sizes, each one precision-fit to match Pisgah’s unique lineup of rim thickness and sizes.

In the shop, I’ve tested them across a variety of models, and the results are consistent every time. Bass tones become more focused. The midrange gains definition. Harsh highs are softened just enough to bring out the warmth and clarity in your playing—especially for clawhammer players seeking that dry, old-timey sound we all love."

- Patrick David Sawyer, Pisgah Banjos Founder/CEO

If you currently own a Pisgah banjo, or are having one made, order a co-branded, perfectly sized Banjo Bolster today, directly from Pisgah Banjos and realize your banjo's full potential!

Don's miss out on Saving 15%!!!

The Banjo Bolster

sale ends on July 12th.

Use discount code: 

BANJO-HANGOUT-15

during checkout.

Looks like a good time to place another order! Thanks!

I appreciate the tone delivered by the Banjo Bolster, but if you place an order don't expect to receive any color but green.
I've placed three separate orders at different times for a total of five bolsters in five colors to differentiate which bolster went with a specific banjo, but they all arrived green. At least a sticker was placed on each one to designate the banjo.

In the grand scheme of things a minor quibble. They do the job they were designed to do. Just a little disappointed.

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Originally posted by Mark D

I appreciate the tone delivered by the Banjo Bolster, but if you place an order don't expect to receive any color but green.
I've placed three separate orders at different times for a total of five bolsters in five colors to differentiate which bolster went with a specific banjo, but they all arrived green. At least a sticker was placed on each one to designate the banjo.

In the grand scheme of things a minor quibble. They do the job they were designed to do. Just a little disappointed.

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Hi Mark,

I just left you a voicemail explaining why your Banjo Bolsters have green tissue paper gift wrapping on each one.  Thanks for the kind words about the tone you're getting.  They will sound incredibly better when you unwrap them.

Here's a quick video to clear this up.

I also wanted to say that if anyone ever has an issue or problem with their Banjo Bolster, please do not hesitate to contact us. We want all our customers to be 100% delighted with their orders and we would love to hear from you.

Ric

Hey Ric,

Thanks for the explanation. When I received the first bolster my reaction was "Man, this wrapper looks and feels just like tissue paper !", but it was so thickly layered and worked so well I figured that was just how you made them.

My confirmations didn't contain the color choices, so I thought maybe you just end up using what is on hand.

After unwrapping the three orders I have all the different colors I ordered. Each is well made and they fit great.

No complaints. Sorry for the less than perfect review. If I ever get another banjo of a different size I'll be sure to order another bolster.

Love me some Banjo Bolsters...

note: Since this photo was taken, I've revised my approach to the Banjo Bolster. I now use TWO in each banjo, to go around the entire circumference of each rim. Big thanks to the Banjo Bolster team for taking the banjo's tone to another level, supporting the inveterate tone chaser's seemingly insatiable appetite for pulling more beauty out these beasts. 

Hey lolly lolly lolly...

I’m with Paul! I have Bolsters on at least a dozen open back banjos myself, and can’t imagine life without them.

Question for Ric: one banjo that doesn’t have a Bolster has one of those “donut” sound chambers, which leaves about a 4” diameter opening in back and exposes just a portion of the dowel stick.

I’d need a Bolster in the shape of a pancake.

Care to give it a shot?!

Glenn Jones

Hey Glenn,

Can you please email me a pic of your banjo pot? It sounds like it has an internal resonator, which does work with a Banjo Bolster, albeit a pretty small one in this case. We're actually working on one now for another customer. 

Ric

Hi folks,

We have received several inquires regarding our Stars and Stripes, limited edition fabric, now that is no longer offered on the website. Our plan is to make this fabric available for the weeks of Memorial Day and Independence Day each year.

If you would like to order your Banjo Bolster with this awesome fabric outside of these times, please place your order and then contact us to let us know. We will make a note on your order and happily make it for you.

Best regards,

Ric & Deb 

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Originally posted by Frailblazer

Hey Glenn,

Can you please email me a pic of your banjo pot? It sounds like it has an internal resonator, which does work with a Banjo Bolster, albeit a pretty small one in this case. We're actually working on one now for another customer. 

Ric

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Hello Ric,

I missed the sale (life) but I have a few more BBs to order -- which I'll do when the next sale happens. I'll forward info on the Internal resonator / donut tone-ring when I place that order.

Thanks!

Glenn 

Well, my daughter who has a Masters Degree in textiles, made me something similar a decade ago. We joked about turning it into a business, but never did. So kudos to you guys for taking it further. I still use mine to this day. It’s not exactly like yours, of course. Mine is a longish rectangle shape, which is adjustable: how much is under the banjo head, and how much is left over to position between leg and banjo, stopping the banjo digging into my leg. Works for me. There’s no way my daughter is interested in commercialising it, so rest easy :-)

quote:

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Originally posted by wileypickett

Hello Ric,

I missed the sale (life) but I have a few more BBs to order -- which I'll do when the next sale happens. I'll forward info on the Internal resonator / donut tone-ring when I place that order.

Thanks!

Glenn 

Hey Glenn!

Just sent you an email.

Best,

Ric

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Originally posted by Rob MacKillop

Well, my daughter who has a Masters Degree in textiles, made me something similar a decade ago. We joked about turning it into a business, but never did. So kudos to you guys for taking it further. I still use mine to this day. It’s not exactly like yours, of course. Mine is a longish rectangle shape, which is adjustable: how much is under the banjo head, and how much is left over to position between leg and banjo, stopping the banjo digging into my leg. Works for me. There’s no way my daughter is interested in commercialising it, so rest easy :-)

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Hey Rob,

It's definitely different from what you have described. If you're interested in learning about the Banjo Bolster design you can check out our patent:
US 12,354,572 B2 which we recently received. 

Ric

I’m not interested, Tom. I have no interest in pursing this. I just want to wish you well!

Much appreciated Rob, thx!

Ric

A sneak peak at today's shipment.

We've replaced "Patent Pending" with our patent number.

Who knows, maybe the Banjo Bolsters we've made with "Patent Pending" on them will become collectible some day!  

Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons. Our Harvest Leaves fabric is the perfect way to embrace this picturesque time of year!

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul Roberts

Love me some Banjo Bolsters...

note: Since this photo was taken, I've revised my approach to the Banjo Bolster. I now use TWO in each banjo, to go around the entire circumference of each rim. Big thanks to the Banjo Bolster team for taking the banjo's tone to another level, supporting the inveterate tone chaser's seemingly insatiable appetite for pulling more beauty out these beasts. 

Hey lolly lolly lolly...

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Thanks Paul!

Hi Bolster team
I'm curious how the bolster stays in place in a variety of locations within the pot ?
I'm seriously considering the bolster for my two open backs
Thanks
E