Hi friends,
Thinking of buying a new resonator banjo, and am really wanting something lighter weight. I already have a 1984 Stelling Belleflower, and have no plans on selling it. It has such an amazing, bright sound that can just cut through a mix like butter. However, it is a boat anchor. I have a big, wide neoprene strap that helps manage things, but my shoulder and back sure do hurt after a long jam.
My main instrument is guitar, and this got me thinking. I am a tele player, and have found that most of the most toneful teles I’ve come across have usually been on the lighter side.
Regarding banjos, I’ve played far fewer, but I get the sense that the more toneful banjos are on the heavier side? Is this true?
I am certainly not looking for a super lightweight, modern banjo…..I like the traditional looks and tones….but is there a slightly lighter weight banjo with all the tone?
Most of that weight comes from the tone ring.
That's not what makes the qualities of brightness though.
A Bluegrass banjo with the right head, tension hardware, and tailpiece, along with a "woodie" tone ring sounds like what you need.
Hunter Lemon has one that's pretty nice.
banjohangout.org/classified/108385
I have a woody tone ring in my ODE and I love it. Probably saved a couple of pounds.
I think weight has more to do with sustain than tone. Tone is a function of tone-ring design, head type and ension, tailpiece and bridge—especially bridge.
I have a Nechville with a hybrid tone ring and it is super light and has plenty of volume.
I have been dealing with this for over a year with the Corian banjos. I have been teased by the fact that a full Corian pot with all Gibson style parts weighs a couple ounces less than a standard banjo with a bronze tone ring.
Then the quest to see how much I could get the weight down without affecting tone.
Sustain has not been an issue. In fact, there was one that I thought would work but it had too much sustain. Tone is subjective but it seems there to my ear. At least it is not bad. At best, it is quite good.
I just finished one last night that is as light as I could make a standard BG banjo. It has a double cut neck, wood resonator and standard tension hoop and flange. It weight 7#. The hoop and flange are the issue.
I do not feel they contribute significantly to the tone but everyone uses them, so I gave it yet another go.
Also have one with a wood tone ring that drops in, in place of a bronze one. Also a carbon fiber ring.
And both are still locked into the same weight issue with the non-tone ring hardware. They are not like boat anchors but still are hefty.
My 2 cents worth after about 25 prototypes.
Photos of the latest are below. I painted the pot assembly, just for fun.
quote:
Originally posted by Laurence DiehlI have a woody tone ring in my ODE and I love it. Probably saved a couple of pounds.
I also have a Nechville banjo with the Hybrid tone ring and second Laurence's suggestion. The Nechville has nice even sound up and down the fretbard, and a neck that is among the most comfortable in the business and the banjo is about three pounds lighter than a full tone ring banjo
To the OP Charles,
If you are primarily a guitar player (as was I when I came to banjo) you will find it might be of value to buy a banjo with similar string spacing to that of guitar at the nut as well as at the bridge. Those specs would be a 1-1/4" wide nut with a 1" string spacing, and a bridge that has a J D Growe string spacing which slightly wider than standard. Nechville banjos have this as well as a radiused fretboard which is also a feature of guitar. The Hybrid Nechville is also about three pounds lighter than a standard banjo.
There are also "Woody" banjos available from many other makers with rims made entirely of wood with no tone rings or wooden tone rings in place of metal, that are made in the standard fashion but are also about three pounds lighter than a standard banjo. I also own such a banjo and it also has a great voice. It has a Tony Pass maple rim of block construction and it has great volume.
Like any instrument purchase, it is beneficial to play before you buy.
Edited by - Pick-A-Lick on 04/18/2025 05:30:18
Just a tongue-in-cheek idea (?) w.r.t. " ... my shoulder and back sure do hurt after a long jam."
We have circle/performance jams around here. At one of them the MC typically asks me whether I want to stand or want a chair. I usually tell him my preference is a recliner [which in fact is how/where most of my practicing takes place]. MC: "We're not gonna provide one, but yer welcome to bring your own."
Volume and tone are two different things.
My experience tells me that lighter equals thinner ,lighter tone
Heavier equals fuller,powerful tone
Think BB vs Flathead
E
