When you write "Dobson" do you mean the Henry Dobson Patent Silver Bell tone ring? Because this question is very confusing.

The so called "Dobson" tone ring in general use was originally called a "Silver Bell"

Thanks I thought Bacon made the silver belle. Your answer clears that up.

Fred Bacon and David L. Day did make a Silver Bell banjo.

Bacon and day made a model of banjo that they named Silver Bell. I think you’re asking for the difference between the tone ring on a Silver Bell to the Dobson Silver Bell tone ring.

Was the Henry Dobson ring used in the bacon silver bell?

Two very different designs.

There were at least 7 members of the Dobson family that were involved in banjos. Most marketed proprietary banjo designs.

Thanks. Another question. I have a homemade banjo that has a Dobson style ring which is concave coming off the outer edge. I recently purchased a Dobson style ring from balsam banjo works that was convex.which is truer to the original Henry Dobson silver bell?

Original Henry Dobson Patent Design:

patents.google.com/patent/US249321A/

And the 1878 patent:

patents.google.com/patent/US203604A/

And to further confuse things, there were three different tone rings used in B&D Silver Bells.

Yeah, too much for my simple mind to make sense of. ..Ill just call mine a Dobson style and leave it at that. Thanks tor all the info

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Originally posted by mwh4456

Can anyone explain the difference between these two tone rings? Thanks

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This is what is currently referred to as a 'Dobson' tone ring; it is often mounted straight on the wood rim (adding a rolled ring increases volume and changes tone, good).  They tend to have a gentle voice and attenuate the higher frequencies.

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Originally posted by mwh4456

Can anyone explain the difference between these two tone rings? Thanks

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This is what is currently referred to as a 'Silver Bell' tone ring and should be mounted on a rolled rod.  They tend to have a good voice and attenuate the lower frequencies.

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Originally posted by mwh4456

Can anyone explain the difference between these two tone rings? Thanks

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Silver bell and Dobson tone rings are both excellent and have related but distinct tonal properties that are pleasing in the living room.  If you are trying to choose one, don't; you need both.  

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Originally posted by mwh4456

Thanks. Another question. I have a homemade banjo that has a Dobson style ring which is concave coming off the outer edge. I recently purchased a Dobson style ring from balsam banjo works that was convex.which is truer to the original Henry Dobson silver bell?

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This is what is currently referred to as a 'Bacon' tone ring; the other side of the coin is a Dobson.

Thanks, the photos are a big help.

If you think about the effect of the break angle of the strings across the bridge and how a sharper break angle brightens the tone of the strings. The same principle applies to the vibrating edge of the head. If there is a distinct sharp edge to the tone ring it will make the head sound brighter than a rolled over edge like that of a Dobson. Hence the Dobson ring tends towards a more rounded mellow tone. But it’s just one of the many variables we have in our banjos.

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Originally posted by pinenut

Silver bell and Dobson tone rings are both excellent and have related but distinct tonal properties that are pleasing in the living room.  If you are trying to choose one, don't; you need both.  

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If you've owned/currently own both, would you describe the Silver Bell's weight as roughly the same as the Dobson, or noticeably heavier? My keeper banjo's an 11" Dobson and I've been curious about the occasional banjos with the Rickard version of the Silver Bell which pop up in the classifieds, but unsure if the additional mounting ring or how it's constructed would cause a large weight difference.

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Originally posted by clarinetagogo

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Originally posted by pinenut

Silver bell and Dobson tone rings are both excellent and have related but distinct tonal properties that are pleasing in the living room.  If you are trying to choose one, don't; you need both.  

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If you've owned/currently own both,  Yes.

would you describe the Silver Bell's weight as roughly the same as the Dobson, or noticeably heavier?  The weight difference between the rings is, effectively, the weight of the rolled rod; so, three quarters of a pound or so, meh, helps with balancing out a neck heavy open-back.  Whyte Laydies and Tubbies are more noticeable, still not much; three pound flatheads are noticeable.

My keeper banjo's an 11" Dobson.  Yup, the 2-ply Dobson has a rare, easy on the ears sweetness (assuming the drum-shell and spun-overs are similar).  The volume is weak with typical string sets (I suspect a double spun rim or a rolled rod fixes this), using a wound third string worked wonders -> Best single thing I've done for this banjo is 11-13-18w-23w-10 (bronze and plain steel). 

and I've been curious about the occasional banjos with the Rickard or Ome version of the Silver Bell which pop up in the classifieds, but unsure if the additional mounting ring or how it's constructed would cause a large weight difference.  Most of the open-backs in the light tone ring class are within a few pounds of each other; the setup and sizing are more noticeable (for me) than weight.  

 

P.S. I fully understand the 11" preference.  Still, that Mulheron you have in the classified is a sweet banjo; the snake head type peg-head is my favorite shape.  https://www.banjohangout.org/classified/115174

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Originally posted by pinenut

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Originally posted by clarinetagogo

quote:

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Originally posted by pinenut

Silver bell and Dobson tone rings are both excellent and have related but distinct tonal properties that are pleasing in the living room.  If you are trying to choose one, don't; you need both.  

---

If you've owned/currently own both,  Yes.

would you describe the Silver Bell's weight as roughly the same as the Dobson, or noticeably heavier?  The weight difference between the rings is, effectively, the weight of the rolled rod; so, three quarters of a pound or so, meh, helps with balancing out a neck heavy open-back.  Whyte Laydies and Tubbies are more noticeable, still not much; three pound flatheads are noticeable.

My keeper banjo's an 11" Dobson.  Yup, the 2-ply Dobson has a rare, easy on the ears sweetness (assuming the drum-shell and spun-overs are similar).  The volume is weak with typical string sets (I suspect a double spun rim or a rolled rod fixes this), using a wound third string worked wonders -> Best single thing I've done for this banjo is 11-13-18w-23w-10 (bronze and plain steel). 

and I've been curious about the occasional banjos with the Rickard or Ome version of the Silver Bell which pop up in the classifieds, but unsure if the additional mounting ring or how it's constructed would cause a large weight difference.  Most of the open-backs in the light tone ring class are within a few pounds of each other; the setup and sizing are more noticeable (for me) than weight.  

 

P.S. I fully understand the 11" preference.  Still, that Mulheron you have in the classified is a sweet banjo; the snake head type peg-head is my favorite shape.  https://www.banjohangout.org/classified/115174

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Thanks for the extra info; I actually do find Whyte Laydies a bit heavier than what I prefer (even more so for a banjo with the bracket band and not just the tone ring), so it's nice to hear the Silver Bells do clock in on the lighter side in your experience. They sound fantastically clear and "sparkly" when I've listened to clips. Perhaps one day my wallet will get tempted into getting the Dobson a louder and brighter friend...

As for the Mulheron -- yes, it's a wonderful instrument + work of art, clearly built by a thoughtful and experienced player. I'd be keeping it if I hadn't finally accepted my preference for banjos where the pot isn't almost the size of my entire torso when I sit!

I have a few banjos with 10” pots. They are super comfortable and sound great and weigh 6 pounds total. I’ve a couple of 9” banjos on the way, they use Remo dijembie heads. They all use my version of a bamboo tone ring inspired by the Dobson. 

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Originally posted by clarinetagogo

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Originally posted by pinenut

Silver bell and Dobson tone rings are both excellent and have related but distinct tonal properties that are pleasing in the living room.  If you are trying to choose one, don't; you need both.  

---

If you've owned/currently own both, would you describe the Silver Bell's weight as roughly the same as the Dobson, or noticeably heavier? My keeper banjo's an 11" Dobson and I've been curious about the occasional banjos with the Rickard version of the Silver Bell which pop up in the classifieds, but unsure if the additional mounting ring or how it's constructed would cause a large weight difference.

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I have some experience with the Rickard versions. The SB is noticeably heavier than the Dobson when comparing them side by side but not enough make a difference once you're sat down playing. The Rickard SB ring is pretty much identical to the pics posted above including the bevel at the top edge of the rim. Fairly sure the SB ring is a thicker gauge brass compared to the Dobson as well. That and the brass rod give the SB more volume and a bit more edge/ punch to the tone.